Picky 18-Month-old!!!

That's around the age my boys became picky eaters as well. My daughter is 26 months and she still likes everything. The only thing I can say is to look up creative kids recipes online. Or hide the nutritious food in dinners. I used to hide the chicken and tomatoes in cheesy tortilla wraps because my oldest didn't want to eat chicken or veggies all of a sudden. Now that he's almost 6 after I hide something and he eats the whole thing I'll tell him exactly what was in it. Then next time I make it I don't have to hide anything. I used to be able to cover anything I wanted in a little spaghetti sauce. That was the easiest way. Maybe as he sees other little ones eating something at his daycare it will make him want to eat more again. Oh and try letting him dip stuff in any kind of sauce or dressing you can think of. That also worked. Good luck!!

chicken fingers
chef boyarde ravioli
sausage
cheese
yogurt
flavored apple sauce
broccoli and cauliflower with melted velveeta
campbell's soups
turkey, ham cold cuts
ellios pizza - microwaved
rice pudding in snack cups
frosted mini wheats /Kix/ raisen bran
watermelon/honeydew/cantaloupe
canned or cob corn
peanut better on wheat bread
french toast

These have worked for us, good luck :]

Hi D.

Just pack what he likes to eat. If you try packing what you want him to eat and he doesn't eat it, he will have a long cranky day. Of course when you are home with him keep trying new and different things. My son had PB&J for lunch probably every day at daycare for 2 1/2 years because he is verrrry picky and I just wanted to know that he ate and wasn't hungry. Find out about snacks too, are they providing snacks or do you need to send them? He might be inclined to try new things if they offer different snacks and the other kids are eating them.

I think I would pack what he likes and include something new (or an old favorite) to try a few times a week. A little prompting from the teacher and watching the other kids eat foods he normally doesn't eat might motivate him to try them.

D.,
I wouldn't worry about day care too much. My best friend first was the pickiest eater I've ever seen, he pretty much ate yogurt and crackers, I'm not kinding! They thought it might have stemmed from really bad acid reflux he had his whole first year of life and therefore he wouldn't try anything! anyway, she too was freaked out when it came time for him to go to daycare, he was just about a little over a year old. But the daycare didn't have much of a problem, I wouldn't say that he ate anything, but he was much more likely to eat other things at the daycare than he was at home. My best friend was a little mad that he wouldn't do the same for her, but it eased her mind of him being at daycare! So I'd try it out and let them know about his pickiness and I'm sure its not an unusual situation for them! J.

I would say dont stress pack him what you know he will eat and call it a day! Maybe when he sees the kids eating diff things he will also

Hi D.,

Here are some web sites:

www.cureyourpickyeaters.com/eatwell

www.kidsfoodcenter.com

http://life.familyeducation.com/toddler/behavioral-proble...

Hope this helps. D.

My son is 22 months old and he has been picky for the last 3-4 months. And he just started daycare as well. you may be surprised then when you drop him off in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon (when you get his report card for the day) he will probably have eaten everything they have offered. Just from experience that is exactly how my little boy is. my ped said its a terrible 2's thing and you don't want to make eating a fight. I wouldn't worry about it for now give him a couple of days at daycare and you may find that he eats very well for them and still won't eat well for you. This is what i experienced in the last few months. let me know how he does and good luck with that

My kids are very picky too, but they eat more at daycare than they do at home. You may be surprised what he will eat when you are not around. If he is hungry enough, he will eat. Pack some of his old favorites. See what happens. Good luck. I know it is stressful when you worry about your kids eating enough nutricious foods.

I wouldn'tchange his diet with the rest of his changes. It sounds as if he is getting healthy food, even if it is the same every day. He will probably notice that other kids eat other stuff, and maybe that will lead him to try new things. But since he's about to start daycare, I would let that change happen with his food staying consistent --esp if he likes it. :-)

When my kids went to daycare, the daycare provided the lunches, so I've been kind of surprised to hear moms talk about providing lunches for their kids in daycare. I never worried much about lunch. The kids got a healthy breakfast and supper at home, and daycare provided whatever daycare provided, but there was always an attempt at a balanced meal. Unfortunately for my 2 younger kids, balanced means that there's the offering of protein, carbs and veggies at the table, but they don't tend to eat out of all the offerings. They are still healthy, and both below average weight as teens, so I'm not worried. The older two, whose diet I worried about more, I fed very carefully, with all wholesome healthy foods, and both of them are overweight. Go figure.

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