Moms of toddlers

Vinny08

I know I should post this on the Bump, but I don't wanna.What do you feed your kid?Despite Andy's very sturdy figure, he is becoming a ridiculously picky eater.His daily diet is quickly turning into nothing more than carbs and cheese.I tried to sneak bits of chicken with his Goldfish yesterday (yes, healthy I know).  I got a couple in, but then he was on to me.  I started putting the chicken under his Goldfish on his tray.  He ate one.  With the next one, he sat there pointing at it, looking at me, and doing his little "hey" noise.  He was not amused.

KayRI

no advice since my kid just eats Similac, but "sturdy figure" made me laugh.

jbloom

I have no answers, but Fitty is a whiz at making foods that you wouldn't think a bebe would eat, and yet FBM gobbles it up.  Can you do with toddlers what you do with pets?  Only give them foods you want them to eat until they eat it?

mashedpotato

One of the only ways to get my son to eat veggies at that age was to make a can of low-sodium veggie soup and drain off the liquid.  Probably not the healthiest but better than nothing.

noisy_penguin

Will really likes pasta with tomato sauce, so I've started cooking up vegetables and throwing them into the sauce. When I make a cheese sauce I cook the veggies, then puree them in the magic bullet, then throw that in with the cheese sauce. He's not a very picky eater, but sometimes he'd just rather eat something other than veggies. Do you think Andy would eat a little quesadilla? Hide the good stuff in with cheesy tortilla?

Vinny08

We are actually still transitioning from baby food.  I've been sticking with it because I feel he is getting a better balance of food that way.  However, that is pretty much a hit or miss opportunity.He loves tortillas.  Dinners have been consisting of cheese and turkey rolled up in a tortilla.  But, even that now is becoming a challenge.A sub question, how do you have meals with your toddlers?  Do you all eat together?  Does your kid sit in a highchair?Here is an entry on the "things I said I would never do" list.  I have been letting him crawl around and play while I occasionally pop some food into his mouth.  He is showing such little interest in sitting and eating if we are not in a restaurant.  At least when he is playing, I can sneak some food in without protest.  Where do I pick up my mother of the year award?  

ootmother2

not the mom of a toddler now but I've been there.garlic anything worked.  cream or saute chopped spinach in garlic.  Turker meatballs, also with garlic.  Pates with smooth consistancy such a truffle mousse on a little cracker.  Smoked salmon, goat cheese, the odder the better.  I found more unusual foods worked better than usual.  Just experiment to see what he likes bestDoesn't like veggies?  Fruits such as blueberries & strawberries are an adequate replacement, the vitamins are there, yogurt tubes (berry flavored) you can find at Trader Joes.

buddhagouda

[i]Pates with smooth consistancy such a truffle mousse on a little cracker.[/i] OOT makes me smile deep down in my smiling place.

ootmother2

I'm happy to make you smile buddha!M's little boy had an iron deficiency and refused most meats.  I brought him duck liver mousee from Agata & Valentina and he loved it.  M's H hates me now.

mrstarawalsh

Will can be picky if you let him. I only give him what we eat at the times we eat. He has 3 meals and one snack during the day. That's it. If he doesn't eat what's put in front of him, I don't cook him anything else. We sit at the table for every single one of our meals and we eat as a family (breakfast and lunch is either all three of us together or him and his daddy).  I always at least offer him everything we're having prepared exactly how we're having it. Even if he doesn't eat it, he has the option to. For example a few nights ago we had grilled chicken, collard greens and cornbread. I had a pretty good idea he probably wouldn't eat the greens, but I put a small ammount on his plate anyway. He TRIED them and that's really all that mattered to me. There are some nights he doesn't eat dinner at all, that's OK too. If he gets hungry enough, he'll eat what I put in front of him. Also I always, ALWAYS use positive reinforcement when he does eat something I know he normally wouldn't. Like with the greens he tasted them and I said "Good boy! I like the way you eat your greens!". That way he knows I'm pleased with his beahvior at the table.

KristenBtobe

She also says that they are learning they are separate people from us at this age and like to do things and make choices by themselves. So when I give Maggie her bowl and spoon to eat and she doesn't seem to be doing so well with them and I step in to help, it makes her mad. She feels proud that she's doing it on her own and then when I intervene it makes her feel "ashamed" (in the words of the author). All very interesting.

mrstarawalsh

Kristin, That's a good point. Many toddlers like to be independant at this age. I find it best if I mess with my son's food when he's not looking but make it easy to eat whether it's with his hands or with a fork. He freaks if I so much cut his meat once he's seen it in front of him. Also I don't repremand him or insist he uses utensils, rather I praise him when he chooses to do so.

ftnups

Well I don't how helpful I will be here, I have myself a good eater. As funny as oot's advice sounds - it's true. I shake my head at some of the things Matt loves (curried lentils, tofu enchilada casserole, split pea stew for example) and turns his nose up at (vegetarian chicken nugget? cheese quesadilla? not a chance). Just keep trying stuff... I also agree with using garlic. Garlic and onion. He has always loved these flavors, and as a bonus they are excellent for his immune system. Every kid is different but have you tried different meals based on beans and grain/rice? I have found that he enjoys these so much that even if he got picky and ate nothing but bean/grain dishes, he would get a lot of nutritious foods. Especially if he is transitioning off baby food, the texture might really appeal to him. Let me know if you would like some ideas.Does he eat a good breakfast? Matt pretty much eats plain oatmeal, fruit and yogurt every day, plus he might have some o's, a waffle section, a whole wheat english muffin, etc. On the weekends he has and egg/potato/cheese type of breakfast.