Picker Eater

Updated on May 17, 2010
J.L. asks from Manchester, NH
6 answers

Please help!!!! My 5 year old has grown to be the pickiest eater ever! Also, I have noticed he is the smallest kid in his class. I do know he has grown this past year, because he has outgrown clothes. I don't have a problem with him eating fruits and veggies; he actually does pretty good with those. It's all the other stuff--meats, protiens, milk, carbos. Mealtimes are just awful. I can't serve him anything that is mixed together whatsoever. He lives off of pb and j and chicken nuggets. Won't eat sauce, or melted cheese or meatbalss or anything like that. I do give him a Pediasure shake in the morning along with 2 flinstone gummy vitamins. What else can I do???????

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S.G.

answers from Portland on

I also have a picky eater. It's not easy and is very trying at times. We pretty much have the exact same problem you are having. I would suggest this (this is what my ped. told me): As long as they are eating something and they are thriving/not losing weight, you're ok. Easier said than done, I know. My daughter is now 9 and is tall/lanky & weighs only about 54 lbs. But we are a tall/thin family. One thing I would run by your doc is giving him 2 vitamins and the pediasure. I would not worry so much (unless there is an underlying condition) about the vitamins if he is fine eating the fruits & veggies, and since you are giving him the shake. It might be too much. If he likes pasta, that would be good for carbs. We put a small amount of butter on the pasta (I buy the different shaped ones, or let the little one pick it out) with some shredded cheese on it. Also, I switch it up with the chicken nuggets and will make my own (just using shake'n'bake, and cut up the chicken). Breaded/shake'n'bake pork chops were another that I finally got her to eat. (I just tell her it's chicken lol). You're doing everything I did. I learned not to make a big deal out of it, and try not to let her see me get aggravated, it just makes it worse. I hope this helps a little. Hang in there!

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Are you sure you don't have my child in your house? Sounds like it!!

The Pediasure shake isn't giving your child as much as he needs, and the Flinstone vitamins are insufficient. Have you noticed that they have warning labels saying to keep out of the reach of children? Most pediatricians will tell you that you are just providing "expensive urine" and most of that vitamin is excreted, not absorbed!

You can do a much more balanced formula in liquid form - Reliv's "Now for Kids" shake is delicious (vanilla or chocolate) and has much more nutrition in it without all the additives. The company's foundation is using it worldwide to nourish disadvantaged kids who are severely compromised, and the immune system boost is changing lives.

I am working with many parents who have increased their kids' nutrition and even reduced things like food allergies and behavioral issues. One friend's daughter had a life-threatening peanut & egg allergy and her numbers are now down to nearly zero. Others have kids with constipation, eczema, many other diet related problems. Also, a lot of kids have sensory issues with texture and flavor, which is why they reject many foods - this product helps a lot to reduce those sensory problems which enables them to eat the foods you are offering. In the meantime, you can relax and know you are getting top nutrition into your child.

The formula is the most pure and top quality you can buy, and the absorption rate is upwards of 95% as compared with 20-25% with vitamin pills. I can give you the data on this. The best thing is the network of parent support to help you deal with this. Let's take back mealtime and have a healthy kid at the same time! I'm happy to help.

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R.F.

answers from Boston on

sounds like a typical 5 yr old diet. I would not worry since he does eat the PB & J and chicken nuggets he is getting protien from both of those & the fruits & veggies probably give him most of the other nutreints he needs. if you are worried about the dairy intake see if he likes yogurt, most kids do, you can try the coolisions, gogurt, smoothies & crush cups, they all make yogurt fun. the trix ones can be put in the freezer, just put a popsicle stick thru the top before freezing and they come right out of the container and can be eaten as a popsicle (my son loves these). you can also try regular vanilla yogurt with fresh fruit in it or use it as a dip for the fruit. string cheese is good too. my son will only eat grilled cheese on the george forman - it was not the melted cheese that he didn't like it was the taste of the toasted bread on the stove top - he thought is tasted burnt even if it was not. I do not put butter on the bread when I use the george forman and it just ends up a little brown where the lines form and the cheese does not get too hot. he may not like the melted cheese if it was too hot & he burnt his tongue. hope some of this helps.

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J.C.

answers from Lake Charles on

My 5 year old Daughter is a picky eater as well. She doens't eat meat for sure...not even chicken nuggets. I got the book "eat this not that for kids" and it gave me some really good suggestions for healthier meals. My daughter eats graham crackers, fruit, yogurt, applesauce (regular, strawberry, or cinnamon with extra fiber) fiber granola bars, pudding, and string cheese for snacks. For breakfast she eats cereal with extra fiber, waffles, biscuits no jelly, toast no crust, or donuts. For dinner she loves spaghetti, mac and cheese, noodles, soup, carrots, green beans, corn, corn on the cob, hamburger patty (the only meat she will eat), sometimes fries, rice and gravy, and that's about it. She will sometimes eat Pizza but only the toppings.
Have you tried soy milk?? My daughter loves her chocolate and vanilla soy milk. She only can drink regular milk with her cereal.
( we have to make sure she gets lots of Fiber)

Hope this helped a little!

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A.T.

answers from Hartford on

I think that this is somewhat normal. You described my 5 year old. Now that he is having more and more riends over, they are all the same. Either its the kid who eats ONLY carbs-no fruit and veggies, or the fruit only kid. I complained to the pediatrician at his 5 year and she laughed. She was shcoked that fuits, veggies and flavored milks were in his diet and told me not to worry.

H.H.

answers from Killeen on

Are you sure this is not my son? You have just described my 6 year old, exactly. He doesn't like peanut butter though, just jelly. He also will eat fruit and veggies, but nothing mixed together and nothing with sauce. I actually give my son carnation instant breakfast with his vitamins in the morning.
My son will eat chicken- plain, cut in small pieces, He also eats dry cereal. He also likes tortillas instead of bread.
Just keep trying new things is all that I can suggest. My son likes things that I would never think of. His menu is still VERY limited. he does eat more. I take him grocery shopping sometimes and have him pick out something new for him to try.
He will also eat pizza.
Does your son like junk food? Mine can't eat a grilled cheese sandwich, but put a cupcake in front of him and he'll inhale it in 30 seconds :) We don't keep any junk food in the house so he'll have to eat other things.

Updated

Are you sure this is not my son? You have just described my 6 year old, exactly. He doesn't like peanut butter though, just jelly. He also will eat fruit and veggies, but nothing mixed together and nothing with sauce. I actually give my son carnation instant breakfast with his vitamins in the morning.
My son will eat chicken- plain, cut in small pieces, He also eats dry cereal. He also likes tortillas instead of bread.
Just keep trying new things is all that I can suggest. My son likes things that I would never think of. His menu is still VERY limited. he does eat more. I take him grocery shopping sometimes and have him pick out something new for him to try.
He will also eat pizza and white rice.
Does your son like junk food? Mine can't eat a grilled cheese sandwich, but put a cupcake in front of him and he'll inhale it in 30 seconds :) We don't keep any junk food in the house so he'll have to eat other things.

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