15 Month Old Only Eats 4 Things!!

K.,

When my son was about the same age as your son, all he would eat was graham crackers and bananas. And he stayed healthy.
We kept offering him other foods which he would refuse. But he did, after some months, start eating these other foods.

My advice (and I'm a grandmother now) is to be patient, be thankful he's eating, and I'm sure he'll surprise you one of these days and start eating more variety. In the meantime, give him a good children's vitamin supplement such a Shaklee's Vita-Lea Ocean Wonders.

Best wishes,
E. Bolthouse
Shaklee dist

My advice is to keep serving him up the foods he doesnt like anyway. They say it can take sometimes 20-40 exposures before a young child decides if they like it or not. If you don't keep letting him try he may become stuck later on only certain kinds of food. (Made the mistake of catering to my third this way because I was worried he wouldn't eat anything otherwise). Maybe you can try some different fruits and vegetables that even you and your husband don't like as he may have different tastes.

I had a kid who loved frozen peas but wouldn't eat them cooked or thawed!

K., When I was 5 y/o all I ate was veg soup and hot dogs for a solid year. The pediatrician told my mom not to worry that I would eat when I wanted to. Might I suggest Carnation Instant breakfast (if he is on milk)-it has lots of nutrients,calcium and protein. In his case, I would use this as a supplement and not to replace breakfast. My children still love it for breakfast (they get on the bus at 6:55 am and aren't early breakfast eaters). It comes in French vanilla and chocolate flavors.I get a box of 22 envelopes at Sam's Club for $7.It's also very convenient if you are on the go-just bring an envelope with you and buy milk.

Hi K.,
If I were you, I would give him things he likes for sure along with other stuff. Kids have to try stuff a LOT of times before they deem that they "like" it. Cut up little squares of toast, cooked, cubed veggies (hot or cold) with some dip, crackers, pancakes, fruits, pastina with butter, buttered noodles, mashed potatos, rice, yogurt, yogurt smoothies -- ANYTHING he can handle safely.
Not to sound like I'm bragging about him, but my son eats literally ANYTHING (except egg salad and cream cheese) and I've always tried to go out of my way to give him new stuff (kiwi, shrimp, peppers, onions, asparagus, etc) and the result has been a very NON picky eater. Your son is still young enough that he can become less picky.....it makes it VERY easy later for meals, packing lunches, play dates, etc. Just keep trying. Good luck!

Get him to "help" you cook. Even if all he does is stir a pot (w/supervision). If he is involved in the process he may be more willing to try things. Also let him make some choices when u are cooking. For example, take out two bags of frozen veggies & let him pick the one you cook. Also give the foods fun names like little trees for brocolli or lion beans for lima beans (my son roars like a lion everytime he eats on of these & always asks for more.
You could also puree veggies & mix them in the mac n cheese, so he's getting something even if he doesn't know it.
Keep trying, it will get better eventually.

K.,
I feel like I could have posted that myself in regards to my 14-month-old daughter. I offer her all sorts of things and she always puts them in her mouth and spits them out! She used to eat veggies no problem and now she is very picky. She will eat veggie burgers (morningstar farms), grilled cheese, chicken pieces (nuggets, roasted chicken, etc.) and my latest trick (I felt like I had a little victory here) was to put veggies like little pieces of zuccini and carrot into spaghetti sauce with chopped up spinach/ricotta tortellini. She really liked that, I was shocked. Also she eats some fruits like strawberries, bananas, peaches (if she's in the mood, haha), quartered grapes and applesauce.

But really, it is a daily battle. I give her a vitamin supplement and try to get her to drink her milk and hope that it will pass one day.

I think most little ones go through a phase like ours seem to, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating. Good luck!

My dd is the same!
Recently we've expanded her repetiore by cooking recipes from "The Toddler Cafe" (the "Lily Pads" are the only veggies my dd will eat) and "Deceptively Delicious" byJessica Seinfeld (there are veggies "hidden" in each recipe). Good luck....I know it's frustrating!

My son was the same way. Our doctor suggested giving hi vitamins. That is what we did but we give hime isotonic vitamins. He drinks them and within 5 mins his body absorbs 93-95% of them. So we know he getting all the nutriants that he needs. Just know that Ashton did grow out of it . So there is a light at the end of the tunnel

He's right at that age where you can wait a little longer, or start getting rid of the picky-ness before it gets worse. You don't know how long it will last, and he does need to eat lots of nutrients from real foods.

You should make sure he's hungry, give him one tiny bite of something new and nutritious like a veggie in the middle of a big empty plate (to emphasize it's smallness), and if he doesn't eat it, nothing else until the next meal. No trauma or forcing. If he does eat it, he gets to move on to something he likes. You can increase portions later, but teach him he has to eat a tiny bite of something new, and then he gets an old favorite.

He'll refuse at first, because he thinks you'll give him something else based on experience, so one or two meals may get skipped. But he'll catch on and won't starve himself.

If you wait instead, he may start eating more things on his own, but he may remain stubborn and get harder to teach. Good luck whatever you choose!!!