Dear Abby, (I mean, my blog readers)
and for whatever reason feel like I am the ONLY one with this problem.
AND I have no solutions.
A little help please ...
Here's the deal,
I have these two beautiful toddlers who refuse to eat ANYTHING I make.
I'm serious. It's pretty much ANYTHING.
I don't really pride myself on my cooking so I figure they can have some things here and there that they refuse to touch (as do I), but it is pretty much EVERY meal of EVERY day.
We've tried force-feeding till they gag, not giving them any snacks throughout the day and leaving their food out till they are hungry enough to eat it, only making things they've liked before over and over again in hopes of them eating something, etc.
Do you know what my kids will eat though? Get ready:
- Mustard and cheese sandwiches (seriously dripping with mustard)--prepared by Danna
- RAW potatoes as I cut them up for dinner. (And I'm not talking about one little taste either, it's like by the handful)
- fish! (okay, okay, this one really is a good thing, especially since their daddy likes it so much too. But get this, Mike doesn't do anything to season his salmon. So it's like plain. Which seems extra gross to me.)
- crayons, pencil erasers and crayola marker tips and paper. Uhhh ... really Carina? that's just disgusting-- (But maybe I should stock the freezer with them since you seem to have such a craving)
- rolled oats. Just. plain. old. dry. rolled. oats. (barf) Either out of the box with a spoon, or in a bowl on their lap while they're watching a movie like delicious buttery popcorn. And when one of the girls finishes before the other they start fighting over who gets the rest. Seriously. And no, they hate oatmeal, or oats that are actually IN anything.
It's not that I haven't tried to make things that they would enjoy ... they most often turn down mac and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches, quesadillas, PB&J, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, etc.
And they really do refuse to even taste some of my very favorite dinners: lasagna, chicken and rice casserole, scalloped potatoes, taco soup ... okay this list might last forever. Really it's most anything I make.
They'll pick from the food sometimes, a carrot or two here, a noodle or two there, maybe some rice (if it's plain) or the broccoli from something else. Taco soup night, they eat chips. If we have a salad, they eat only croutons. And on and on.
Both girls LOVE fruit. Of all kinds. But I tell ya, giving only fruit all day long (they seriously could each eat probably 10 apples a day) only gives their poor (recently potty trained) bums something of a wake-up call.
But it's the ONLY thing (besides candy) they ask for, and cry about and whine like a bad engine for. All. the. time!
and yes, we've tried using fruit as ransom for eating their meals. doesn't work.
okay, okay, I'm sure you guys are done listening to my rant ... what do I do????
Sincerely,
Stressed (and probably should be offended) that my kids wont eat the food I make,
AKA Tiff
p.s. a big thanks to my angel baby Brynn who will eat any nasty baby food I put in front of her. Maybe the chaos will end ...
here is what i do for cambree. and was actually a doctor recommendation for another friend. If she doesn't eat her dinner i wrap it up and that's what she gets for breakfast. if she doesn't eat it then she gets it for lunch an then for dinner all over again. just keep it rolling until they eat it. and don't let them have anything else until that plate of dinner is gone. It has worked really well for us and she is getting better at eating her dinner. luckily my kids are pretty good eaters, so i don't really understand the frustration but i can imagine. good luck. i hope you find something that will help out. ALso maybe if you let them help you make dinner everynight they might be more prone to eat it? it's worth a try!
ReplyDeleteOH goodness this is my LIFE. Camdon is always asking for "chocolate" (youd think he was a girl but no!) Chocolate milk, cookie, chocolate chips etc....i swear! I cant get him to eat anything it use to really bother me but then i got to the point where i figured if he was hungry he would eat. So i give him a flinstone vitamin and make him an egg for dinner because sometimes he will eat that....i dont think that kid has had a vegetable since the day he quit eating baby food its pathetic. To me it sounds like your kids like really bland food maybe try seasoning your meals less? Kids tastes buds are pretty sensitive and there developing. Maybe make things super bland? Not that it will help kids are just difficult! I mean who doesnt want to eat all day?!? I have to stop myself from eating all day!! Wish i had there problem!ha!!
ReplyDeleteYou're not the only one - Cecily is the same way! She likes ice cream (luckily we can usually pass yogurt off as ice cream though) but thats it! If you find a good solution let me know!
ReplyDeleteWell, Ava can be picky too...so I usually cater to her picky cravings (as long as they are healthy) and I have her take at least a bite of whatever she is turning her nose up at. Usually, she likes it and will eat it, but sometimes she just won't eat it no matter what. I have noticed though, that she will eat things if I put them in cool shapes or bite sizes. For example, she used to hate PB&J...until I started cutting them into "crown" shapes and started calling them "Princess sandwiches." Just a thought...but seriously, I don't think there is any full-proof way to get picky kids to eat their food.
ReplyDeleteAddison went through this stage where she would eat raw noodles, oatmeal and milk. That was it. I was having the same struggles you are...here's what I learned...you just have to wait it out. eventually they will start to eat more, it may take a while. I think Addison went almost a year! Different ages, different stages. It is just how life it!
ReplyDeleteTonight at dinner tell them if they each take three bites you will let them take a bubble bath with all their favorite bath toys! My girls eat fast on those night!
I wish I had some grand advice, the best thing I can say is when we get the chance to come over soon, I'll make sure not to bring candy.
ReplyDeleteman all these other comments are making me sound like a REALLY MEAN mom. Oh well at least my kids eat right! HA
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little kid I hated food. My mom told the doctor that the only thing I would eat was ice-cream, and the only thing I would drink was water. He said "then give her ice cream and water." I agree that they will grow out of it, but meanwhile try some creative things like Mickey Mouse ears pancakes (the suggestion for creative shapes is a good one), fresh veges - I used to hate cooked carrots, peas etc. but would always eat them raw. Also, try toast cut into strips that they dunk into a soft boiled, or fried egg yolk. Do they like Ichi-ban? Do they like spaghetti, baked beans, hotdogs? These things won't kill them, and will give them a little nutrition. Keep feeding them fish. Have you tried making baked sweet potato fries? Yum.
ReplyDeleteHey if they will eat oats, broccoli, raw potatoes, salmon and fruit-that's good...That is what I would call a pretty balanced diet, lots of calcium, protein, vitamin C, etc. Go Tiffany!
ReplyDeleteI think all these are good suggestions and I didn't think I had anything to add, but I do. . .I think structured meals and snacks help a lot. By structured I just mean the whole family (probably minus Mike when he's at work) eats together at a table for every meal and every snack. And have those meals and snacks close to the same time every day. I really think kids need to follow an example to learn how to eat. And. . . routines are always good for kids. Hang in there! That's got to be so frustrating, but I bet you'll see your efforts paid off in the long run. Never give up!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments/advice everyone. Seriously! I think I'll definitely be changing a few things around here!
ReplyDelete