Question:
I am desperately seeking help! My four year old son refuses to try new foods. We had thought he would grow out of it, but dinner time is a ridiculous battle. We have tried everything we can think of but he throws monster tantrums, chooses to go hungry, etc. Nine nights in a row he has turned down dinner. Bribery doesn't work. Him eating with other kids watching them try things doesn't work. No meat, chicken, fish, or vege passes his lips (except chicken nuggets or fish fingers and very occasionally hot chips). I have created the monster but how do I tame it? Help please!!!
Hmmmmm does he eat sausage rolls? Maybe you could try ad make your own fish fingers and nuggets and slip some grated vegies in them, could be a bit of work though, using minced chicken and some vegies then batter or crumb them yourself. With the fish fingers, break up real fish and slip some grated vegies in and then again batter them or crumb them. Same could go for sausage rolls too. I'm going to try some sausage rolls when I go shopping. My lot love mince and I can slip vegies in there but make sure he doesn't see you making them, so make them up at night while he's asleep or during the day if he's at day care or something. Even if you do heaps at a time I'm sure you could freeze them Hope this helps some
Thanks for the suggestion. I wish I could get mince into him. I've tried making my own chicken nuggets, etc and failed to get them eaten but I will try again. Sausage rolls could be good. I'll eat them even if he doesn't.LOL
Jess I think we all go through this with our kids at some stage and I feel sorry for you and just want to tell you that this will pass.
What Angie has suggested are great ideas.maybe when you make him hot chips you could try adding a few sweet potato chips as well .they are really yummy.
Another thing I found really successful is to offer a selection of cut up food (fruit, veges, meat, cheeses) on a plate.this way they feel like they have some control of their choices.
Lastly if you really are concerned that he isnt getting enough nourishment you could speak to your pharmacist or doctor about it.I know that there are drink mixes you can buy to increase their kilojoule intake etc.
Hope this helped a little and good luck.hang in there
I have to chop and hide veges as well, although my DS is only 20 months old (he will eat mince though, so I often put veges in that for shepherds pie or whatever). I am going to try the recipe for Yomamma's savory muffins and I'm also going to try making savory pikelets and see if I can sneak some veges into him that way. Oh, we have some success with sausage rolls and things like that, and hiding veges in mashed potato - although he is getting cleverer at pulling them out or just swallowing the potato and spitting the veges out
Try pouring cheese sauce over the vegies, that about the only way i eat mine.
The gravox one is really nice its about $1 pk or you can get a tin for about $2.60, its quick and easy and tastes great!
I know how you feel, and I have no advise at all, as I have a daughter who is now 18 years old and still meal times are a nightmare and quite frankly I have now given up she dosn't eat meat, or veges, just stuffed potatoes, potatoe salad, roast potatoe, and chips Oh and every six months back on iron pills, be glad when she marrys and is not my problem good luck
our chemist here sells these little packets of powder vitamins,can't remember what they are called but I can find out. There are two varieties one is vegies and the other is something like a salad vegies thingy. you mix the powder with water and drink it. One a day and you have all the vits you are supposed to have and they taste good. Rosie is very picky and is just starting to realise that she is not liking going to bed hungry, some times i still feed her like a baby though.
My three and a half year old boy has suddenly gone off vegies too, but he loves spag bog, so i try to sneak vegies in there. I also mash him sweet potato and we call it lolly potato - that works most of the time. He eats before his dad gets home from work so i tell him he has got some of daddy's peas and we make it a big secret! Don't tell, Dad! but you've got some of his peas!. He does love lettuce and cucumber and cherry tomatos so he helps me make it into a face, amazing how much better it tastes if they think it is a nose and not a tomato!! My son loves cauliflower raw as well, he has it as a snack during the day, nice and crunchy, just don't tell them that it is good for them!!
Hope some of these ideas help!
Based on Manda's suggestion, I am going to try using steamed vege sticks and call them 'chips' and give him a cheesey sauce to dip them in (he loves dipping). Hopefully he'll get a mouthful or two of the veges as well as the cheese sauce.
Answer:
Hmmmmm does he eat sausage rolls? Maybe you could try ad make your own fish fingers and nuggets and slip some grated vegies in them, could be a bit of work though, using minced chicken and some vegies then batter or crumb them yourself. With the fish fingers, break up real fish and slip some grated vegies in and then again batter them or crumb them. Same could go for sausage rolls too. I'm going to try some sausage rolls when I go shopping. My lot love mince and I can slip vegies in there but make sure he doesn't see you making them, so make them up at night while he's asleep or during the day if he's at day care or something. Even if you do heaps at a time I'm sure you could freeze them Hope this helps some
Answer:
Thanks for the suggestion. I wish I could get mince into him. I've tried making my own chicken nuggets, etc and failed to get them eaten but I will try again. Sausage rolls could be good. I'll eat them even if he doesn't.LOL
Answer:
Jess I think we all go through this with our kids at some stage and I feel sorry for you and just want to tell you that this will pass.
What Angie has suggested are great ideas.maybe when you make him hot chips you could try adding a few sweet potato chips as well .they are really yummy.
Another thing I found really successful is to offer a selection of cut up food (fruit, veges, meat, cheeses) on a plate.this way they feel like they have some control of their choices.
Lastly if you really are concerned that he isnt getting enough nourishment you could speak to your pharmacist or doctor about it.I know that there are drink mixes you can buy to increase their kilojoule intake etc.
Hope this helped a little and good luck.hang in there
Answer:
I have to chop and hide veges as well, although my DS is only 20 months old (he will eat mince though, so I often put veges in that for shepherds pie or whatever). I am going to try the recipe for Yomamma's savory muffins and I'm also going to try making savory pikelets and see if I can sneak some veges into him that way. Oh, we have some success with sausage rolls and things like that, and hiding veges in mashed potato - although he is getting cleverer at pulling them out or just swallowing the potato and spitting the veges out
Answer:
Try pouring cheese sauce over the vegies, that about the only way i eat mine.
The gravox one is really nice its about $1 pk or you can get a tin for about $2.60, its quick and easy and tastes great!
Answer:
I know how you feel, and I have no advise at all, as I have a daughter who is now 18 years old and still meal times are a nightmare and quite frankly I have now given up she dosn't eat meat, or veges, just stuffed potatoes, potatoe salad, roast potatoe, and chips Oh and every six months back on iron pills, be glad when she marrys and is not my problem good luck
Answer:
our chemist here sells these little packets of powder vitamins,can't remember what they are called but I can find out. There are two varieties one is vegies and the other is something like a salad vegies thingy. you mix the powder with water and drink it. One a day and you have all the vits you are supposed to have and they taste good. Rosie is very picky and is just starting to realise that she is not liking going to bed hungry, some times i still feed her like a baby though.
Answer:
My three and a half year old boy has suddenly gone off vegies too, but he loves spag bog, so i try to sneak vegies in there. I also mash him sweet potato and we call it lolly potato - that works most of the time. He eats before his dad gets home from work so i tell him he has got some of daddy's peas and we make it a big secret! Don't tell, Dad! but you've got some of his peas!. He does love lettuce and cucumber and cherry tomatos so he helps me make it into a face, amazing how much better it tastes if they think it is a nose and not a tomato!! My son loves cauliflower raw as well, he has it as a snack during the day, nice and crunchy, just don't tell them that it is good for them!!
Hope some of these ideas help!
Answer:
Based on Manda's suggestion, I am going to try using steamed vege sticks and call them 'chips' and give him a cheesey sauce to dip them in (he loves dipping). Hopefully he'll get a mouthful or two of the veges as well as the cheese sauce.