Almost 16-Month-old Won't Eat Many Finger Foods

I know it's hard not to worry about our kids. But I have to tell you that it sounds like your son is not only doing o.k. as far as eating is concerned, but is ahead of the curve. Honestly, read and re-read your post and you'll see what I saw: He likes almost everything. (wow!) He actually does eat a variety of foods and textures; he just doesn't like all textures or all things all the time (most of us don't). I've been around lots of kids and I can tell you your son is very far from being in a rut. Also, the fact that dumps his food out and plays with it--really normal for a toddler. Sounds like he's getting what he needs; and you're doing a great job. Listen, like I said it's hard not to worry, but kids can sense their parents anxiety so when you start to worry about this tell yourself that he's eating lots of foods, etc., he's healthy and happy and it's not only o.k., it's good.

yep, keep offering the food. And since he IS 16 mos old, I would start to get "mean" and not feed him any more so he has no choice but to conquer his fear of textures and eat.

At that age he can eat EVERY food you eat as long as it is cut small or steamed to make it mushier (like carrots, raw ones are too hard for him to chew so steam them). Stay away from chips though or taco shells as they can still cut his mouth.

N.

Keep offering the food. If he's hungry, he'll eat it. If you make a big deal about it, he'll notice that 'attention' you're giving him and potentially use that to manipulate later.

If he doesn't like to touch it, try introducing kiddie forks. Literally stick a piece of food on the end of the fork and let him eat it off the fork. He might enjoy trying to eat this way. You might need to 'load up' the fork a lot in the beginning, but pretty soon he'll start to imitate you. He'll either 'stab' the food with the fork or pick up the food and shove it onto the tines and then eat it.

I was just talking to a girlfriend about this yesterday! Her son won't eat bananas because of the feeling in his fingers. I read an article somewhere that suggested rolling foods that are wet or sticky (like kiwi, banana, etc.) in cracker crumbs or any other type of crumbs that you want to make out of things like Cheerios. That way they are easier to pick up and the kids won't feel the wet. Hope it helps! Take care!

G.,
we decided with our daughter to pick and choose the battles. my wife is a pediatrician so she is intimately familiar with kid issues. And we decided to just let our daughter eat what she wants, and by the time she reached 9 she was still avoiding certain color foods, (who knows why) but we take her to almost any restaurant now and she can always find something she likes.

the bottom line is that you shouldn't get nuts about it. food phobias and anorexia and etc are emotional issues. food should be a time of relaxation and camraderie and pleasant engagement with fellow eaters, not some sort of a nutritional regimen that is akin to taking vitamins or a series of "we must eat that and this"....
just eat sensibly and trust yourself and your daughter to make the right decisions.
and...by your modeling that behavior, she will incorporate that relaxed problem solving way into her life, rather than a problem solving behavior that gets all anxious and caught up with doing the "right thing".

Be aware of your non verbal behaviors, kids, like us, don't solely rely upon language to learn.

Got it?

R.

I think that a lot of picky toddlers are that way because mom plays restaurant with them. Not meaning to of course, but trying to find something they want to eat and before you know it, your kid is only eating one particular thing, and it never seems to be something healthy. If at lunch time, you are having turkey and apples, put turkey and apples on his tray and let him do what he wants. He isn't going to starve himself. Unless he truly doesn't like something, he'll eat what you give him. My daughter loves everything but carrots and pears. Seems like odd things to me to not like, but she just doesn't. Everything else is good so if she's not eating, she's not hungry. Don't force him to eat something. I think that's where people run into problems. Offer him a spoon or fork for the foods he doesn't like to touch. Maybe he just doesn't like his hands dirty : ) He's probably easy to keep clean at mealtime.

Keep offering him the food. He will eventually eat it. It takes time. And I think it is more common with boys to be picky. My son would eat whatever until he was about 2 then only hots dogs, chicken nuggets and most veggies. if the chicken came in any other form, no way. He is still like that to a point. He will not eat anything with a tomoato base--pasta is plain, nothing with ketchup, etc. I do wonder though, does he refuse to touch anything else wet? Does he play with playdoh-supervision of course.