What Kind of Eating Phaase Is This?

At least he's hitting the major food groups! It'll pass. My son went through a black food phase--black beans, black olives, raisins.

It is a phase. Keep trying to give them new things. I did with my daughter and finally she started trying things. Sometimes by accident. We were out of her favorites and she was hungry and tried it. Don't fret though. At least what he is hooked on is healthy. I was worried about my baby not eating breakfast. The doctor said "Does she look like she is missing meals?" I said no and she said "Then don't worry about her not eating". What can you say to that? Good luck and relax. This too shall pass.

My son went through this phase - yogurt and fruit and maybe an occaisional piece of toast or toaster waffle. Just continue to offer a variety of different foods. Eventually he will grow out of it. With my son, now 3 1/2, we would ask him "how old are you?" He would answer 3. So we'd say okay, then you need to try three bites. It got to the point where he would ask to get down from the table and we ask the age and bites question - he would eat his two or three bites and then end up cleaning his whole plate. Just be patient. As long as he is growing and happy he'll be fine.
Good Luck.

C.-

This is a totally normal phase. I have a 2&1/2 yr old boy who would live off of cereal and pbj sandwiches if I let him. The only thing that is working for us is that I simply put a new food on his plate (usually at dinner) and praise him if he takes even the smallest bite (without making faces or going "eewww!") This is a long, slow ongoing process for us, but patience seems to be the key.

You know the saying "you can lead a horse to water..." Well, the same applies to kids and their food. All we can do is offer them a healty variety to pick from and wait. Just think, in a few years he'll probably be eating anything that isn't nailed down or locked away! (and even then I think he'd find a way around it!)

Good luck to you!
-B. M.-

C.,

I am the mother of four, ranging in age from 5-20. What has always worked for me, even with four very different personalities, is to use their favorite foods as a reward for eating something healthy and balanced. I'm very consistent and very firm. It only takes a few days, if you remain firm, for them to get the idea that you won't budge. They have to have a small balanced meal, then a yogurt in the morning is a great healthy reward. A small balanced meal for lunch, then popcorn for a reward, also semi healthy. A reasonabley sized healthy dinner, and watermelon for desert. And yes, as long as he likes his veggies, give them to him anyway he'll take them. All these stages will pass, but it's ever so important to choose your battles.

Good Luck,

D. P.

I have a four year old that went through this phase. It started with apples and peanut butter, then it was only blue foods, then red. After 5 weeks of this, her doctor told me that kids this age like to test which areas they have control over. she told me that if my daughter demanded specific foods and refused to eat anything else, I should give it to her for every meal. I even gave her the same foods a couple of meals after she asked for something else. She stopped being so picky after 2 days of this, and she has not done it since.

I mine to try one bie of something new, but to try 2 or 3 bites of things she used to like before she gets the things she loves. It is working really well. she is now eating eggs and bananas again. She still has days when she only wants to eat one things but at least she tastes things and gives it a chance. I praise her for trying it.

don't make it into a power struggle! he'll eat soon enough if he's hungry. i'd simply continue to offer him a wide variety of really healthy foods, like fresh ripe organic raw fruits and vegetables, and stop offering him the not healthy stuff, and not make a big deal out of it. he may protest if you take away some of his less-healthy favorites, and you can empathize with him, but have no fear, he will eventually eat! and, if he's offered only healthy foods in a wide variety, he will be able to follow his own instincts and choose a balanced diet.

Kids can only eat what we buy =)

Toddlers often key in on favorite, familiar foods. That's totally normal. But I think it is important to offer small portions of everything you eat during meal and snack times because you want to keep him exposed to a variety of different foods. Yogurt and watermelon are fine. I would have no problem offering him a small portion of each of these at meal times, but I'd make sure he got other things as well. I wouldn't buy or make popcorn, though.

He WILL eat when he's hungry. Just make sure to offer him small portions of a variety of foods. One of my boys has to be offered a new food at least twenty times before he'll even taste it. (And he still believes broccoli was invented to poison him - the fact that his two brothers gobble it down amazes him!)

With regard to your follow-up question about baby veggies, I'd ask you a question in return: Do you want to be a short-order cook for an incredibly picky child for the next ten years? That your 2.5 yo son hasn't touched a veggie in his life is puzzling and disturbing. Do you offer him a veggie once and NEVER offer it again because he didn't enthusiastically gobble it up? I wasn't kidding about offering a new veggie to my middle son 20 times before he'll even put it in his mouth. And even then, it has to be on his plate many more times before he decides he likes it! He's just very cautious about trying new foods - but all that means to me is that I have to be diligent about exposing his to new things! (Otherwise he'll end up like my husband who'll only eat peas, carrots, corn, and onions!) I've also found that changing the way veggies are prepared can make a big difference! Who would've thought tjat baked cauliflower with garlic and parmasean cheese would've been such a big hit!!??

Buy a bag of frozen peas and carrots - and serve a very small portion with every lunch and dinner for at least a week. Give your little guy an opportunity to get comfortable with them! The early servings will almost certainly end up on the floor . . . but I'll bet he tries 'em sooner or later!

Just stay calm and consistent. Continue offering him a variety of foods. My pediatrician always told me he's NEVER seen a kid starve to death with a plate of food in front of them. If he's hungy enough he'll eat. It will get worse before it gets better if you've been caving in and eventually giving him the yogurt/watermelon/popcorn because he'll be thinking "wow that fit didn't work, well wait until she she's THIS one." This is the perfect time for him to see who the boss is in your house (without it being ugly). Calm and consistent...you will eventually win.

L. H

PS I'm a married sahm to 9 and 5 year old girls. I did NOT do the above w/our first one and believe me it's a nightmare to correct later on.

C. - My two girls (3 and 6) have been good eaters, and I think it's because we followed the advice we were given by family members with good eaters: Make small healthy snacks and meals. Make the child try everything, every time. If they eat what they are required to they are praised. If they don't they get down from the table and go find something else to do while the family enjoys the meal together. We do not make another snack/meal for them, they just make the choice to try the food or not eat. If they don't like what they've tried they say, "I'd rather not finish this" and we thank them for trying it.

If your child will only eat yogurt, watermelon, and popcorn that's okay, because those things are healthy. But I would say try having him take one bite of the food you want him to eat, and then let him have one of his favorites after that bite is gone. Rewards are usually effective at this age! Good luck!

My son loooooved yogurt and little else when he was a tot. I used to trick him into eating random things (even asparagus!) by covering it in yogurt. Sounded gross to me, but it worked for him.

Good luck!

S.

Julie is right on the money with her advice. I would just like to suggest adding a supplement and vitamin if you're extra worried. Our 2 1/2 year old little girl has ALWAYS been small (currently she only weighs 22 pounds) and is a picky eater. I find that the more we offer the same food we eat, the more she'll try new things. When I cater to her requests all the time, she actually eats less and less at mealtime.

She doesn't like chocolate, so I found that she likes the strawberry Pediasure drinks and I try to give her 1-2 a day along with 1/2 a chewable vitamin. I make it fun by calling it a "Strawberry Shake" (even though she's probably only had a few sips of a real shake once or twice). :-) If you want to try out Pediasure, I would recommend buying them at the store so you don't have to buy a bunch and you can test out flavors first. Then save money by buying them in bulk. I found a medical supply place online that sells cases of all flavors for the best price (http://www.allegromedical.com/emergency-preparation-c5023....

I also agree with no popcorn. It's going to fill him up so he won't be hungry and, most importantly, it's one of the worst choking hazards for kids (and isn't recommended for toddlers).

Good luck! I know eating has ALWAYS been an issue in our house and has been compounded by regular toddler behaviors. :-)

C.,

Many toddlers get very picky! I have a friend whose child stopped trying anything new and wanted only mac and cheese, hot dog, and water...lasted for a long time. She occasionally got him to eat other items off her plate.

My own son has done this to a smaller degree. He went two days eating only yogurt, cheese, water, and animal crackers.

If you get really concerned and your child doesn't take small bites or try off your plate, call the doctor to seek the advice of the nursing staff.

Good luck,
T.

I buy those kind of plastic plates that have sections divided up into 4 seperate areas. I put thier usual foods and add one or two different or new foods to try. Try applesauce, cottage cheese, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, cheese sticks, mashed potatoes, etc. Yes, it is a food phase, BUT I do not know how old your toddler is? My girls also will eat salad with ranch dressing. My 2 year old has trouble with texture, for instance, she tried to eat corn on the cob but couldn't chew it down enough to swallow and spit the little kernel skins out, BUT the good thing is she tried and was chewing on it enough to get the nutrients. If your child is over 3 they should be eating what you are eating along with a few of thier favorites.

My almost 4 year old is also very picky, enough to drive me nuts most of the time! The best advice I have is to always offer choices that are healthy. Even if he only eats a few select foods, at least you gave the choices and sooner or later he will choose to eat something else.

He won't starve himself, that is for sure and most likely he will make up for lost time one day and eat an entire plate of pasta or something. That is what my son does. So I make sure I give him whole wheat pasta and also pasta that has veggies in it.

Also, make sure you lead by example, eat lots of colorful healthy foods and he may become interested. Toddlers are a strange bunch, but the good thing is that they too grow up and so do their taste buds.

Kids go through the strangest phases. My son's phase has been PBJs for the last year. He refuses anything else for lunch. Earlier on, my son just wanted PBJs ALL the time. I was so worried about him eating like this so I took him to his doctor. The doctor told me not to worry. He'll grow out of it and if he's hungry, he'll eat. He also told me about the nutritional value of what he was eating: protein from the PB, fruit from the jelly, and grained item from his bread. Plus, I'm always packing him a cheese stick and some veggies. I didn't even realize he was still eating good. :D At least your child has two out of three items that are healthy for him. Just keep trying to encourage other foods. It will take time, but eventually he'll grow out of his phase. :D Hope this helps. :D ~B.

Hi C., Here are my thoughts. I have three kids and they are all pretty good eaters. Here is what I do. I offer them everything that we eat at our family meals. My motto is: This is a kitchen, not a diner. :) So, if my kids don't eat what is on their plates, then they will be hungry. It makes them hungry for the next meal. I do the same with snacks. I make a snack, if they choose to not eat it, well, that is their choice. Again, it will make them hungrier for their next meal. Low and behold, they infact ARE hungrier for their next meal and tend to eat more. Plus, we teach our kids to always try new foods. If they don't like it, we praise them for at least trying it to see. If they love it, then we praise them and say "Aren't you glad that you tried it? You would have never known how much you liked it if you didn't try one bite! Good Job!" It works pretty well. My daughter asks me all the time about new foods. She wants to try pumpernickle bread and ratatoulle now! It makes me proud. One last thing. Are you being an example for your child? Do you eat a variety of foods and try new things? Just a thought for you....
Good luck. Meal times can be so frustrating. Always some sort of challenge.
Take Care,
Ang