3y/o vs Fruit and Veggies

[cacasey1981]

How do you get picky eaters to eat fruits and veggies?

FTR, I did all the smarmy stuff - I BF'd while eating a varied diet, made homemade baby food, and have the worlds second pickiest eater right behind me as a child.

Unless you go all USDA and count pizza sauce and ketchup - my son eats no fruits or veggies at home. Daycare says that he will eat some there but absolutely refuses at home.

We put veggies on his plate at dinner time and he wants nothing to go with them. We tried the "try one bite" and nada. We did no seconds on meat or bread until he tried a bite - it was hilarious when we caved and tried to give him seconds (that he asked for) and he cried "I have to eat a green bean first!", gave him a green bean and he cried "I don't want a green bean!".

I tried the deceptive dinner thing where you add pureed veggies but that was a lot of work for not even a serving of veggies being eaten.

He will happily go without dinner, if he doesn't like what we're having we don't make him a separate meal.

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[tallanvor]

I simply explain to my children that they need a balanced diet and that fruits and veggies are part of that. We still have times when veggies arce put on the plate first, when snacks are limited to fruit or veggies. Have you asked him what he's willing to eat? Maybe if you gave him a choice he would be more willing to eat them.

[cacasey1981]

Originally Posted by tallanvor I simply explain to my children that they need a balanced diet and that fruits and veggies are part of that. We still have times when veggies arce put on the plate first, when snacks are limited to fruit or veggies. Have you asked him what he's willing to eat? Maybe if you gave him a choice he would be more willing to eat them.

Yep - he is the one that picked green beans, his DCP said he liked them and he agreed.

I've even done stuff where he helps make it and he still won't eat it (unless we make cookies or cupcakes)

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[Pyrodjm]

My 3yo wont touch a veggie. Actually gags/chokes/vomits when forced to eat them. She is so picky I was convinced it must be symptomatic of some sort of undiagnosed allergy. I was wrong. She is the most food aversive child I've ever encountered that did not have some sort of diagnosis. It's not just veggies, she won't eat things that have other things mixed in ( rice and beans for her), not pasta with cheese or sauce, no casserole, hates meat and most fruits and so much more. She was bf'd till 20 months then stopped gaining weight.

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Vitamix blender. My girls get a green smoothies for "dessert" on days when I feel their diet sucked, which for DD1 is pretty much everyday. At least they get a full serving of fruit, veggies and protein every darn day and it's more than I was managing before. They love the smoothies and drink them willing most of the time.

[danner]

I don't have a picky eater but what about shredding zucchini or carrot into a pasta dish?

[nonipie]

I don't necessarily have picky eaters but I know that depending on the texture what they will or will not eat. Have you tried roasting veggies? I have yet to have them refuse anything as long as it's roasted. The other thing is if I don't want them to eat it, it doesn't ever come into our home. If they don't want the fruit there are no snacky crackers or similar to have instead and they know this. We also make green smoothies and I chuck a whole bunch of fruit, greens, flax seed oil, yogurt etc. into them and they will drink them happily.

[CountryChicMama]

I have a picky eater and it drives me and DH BONKERS!! He eats no vegetables, no noodles/pasta and very little meat (mainly chicken nuggets which we don't buy). It's easier for me to list the few things he will eat, than what he won't, lol. We also don't cater to him at supper, so 4-5 days a week, he doesn't eat dinner. :/ He is made to sit at the table though while the rest of us eat. However, I do make sure he eats a good breakfast (normally yogurt or an egg and nut butter toast) and morning and afternoon snack (fruit, pretzels, popcorn) and I make him a vegetable pancake for lunch (normally butternut squash/cinnamon or spinach pancake; no syrup). It's difficult, particularly when you don't think they're getting enough, but our Ped isn't concerned. So far he's still around average for his weight/age (30lbs at 2.5yo).

[Crankenstein'sMama0709]

I have no advice, just wanted to say that my 3 yr old ds is exactly the same way.

[CM6755]

What does he want to be when he grows up (this week)? DS wants to be a cement truck driver, so I took him to a job site, asked if the driver had 5 mins to appease my son and asked him questions like did he eat healthy foods to help his muscles grow, what would have happened if he didn't eat good food, did he listen to his parents,teachers,etc. Did hw do well in school...etc. He was AMAZING! I couldn't have asked for a better response if I had provided him with a script! DS eats BETTER, not great, just better...i am happy. He will try things....like CHIA SEEDS!!! LOVES TO LICK HIS FINGER, STICK IT IN THE BOWL OF THEM AND SUCK THEM OFF!!! ROTFLMAO!!! I give him spinach smoothies with yogurt and he also gets vitamins and a pediasure drink mixed with milk (1/2 and 1/2 of each) for lunch. I hope this helps. Oh another thing we did (advice from nutritionist) is let him ask for food when he is hungry and we also don't force anything on him. That was he learns his hunger cues and full cues and food does not equal power... Kinda like how you can't force your kid to poop in the potty, you can't force them to eat either...impossible! HTH GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU!!!

[cacasey1981]

Grr...multi-quote isn't working ....I'll be back...