When my 4.5 year old daughter started eating solid foods, she could eat brocolli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts for three meals a day and be completely happy. She really ate everything I gave her: all veggies, beans, fruit... I don't think she even tasted sugar until she was two.
So imagine my surprise to find that #2 is SO picky! He really doesn't like ANY vegetable - even sweet potato or carrots. He does like beans and rice, so I try to hide some mashed steamed veggies. He will sometimes try new foods, but then won't eat them a second time. He will eat highly processed soy products (we are vegetarian - think "chickenless nuggets"), which doesn't really thrill me. Just about anything else he throws on the floor, with a big smile. He likes my buckwheat pancakes and bran banana bread. He will sometimes eat fruit, applesauce or yogurt. He won't even eat almond butter and jam on bread anymore or hummus (he did eat this a few months ago).
I try to only present him with healthy foods figuring that if he is really hungry he will eat. But he will absolutely hold out - for hours - until he gets something he likes (which is often a pretzel from daddy). I am worried that he is not getting nearly enough veggies, and I've just plain run out of ideas. I've also run out of energy trying to prepare special foods that he just throws on the floor.
I am trying not to sweat it, but I do worry.
Any thoughts or ideas out there?
So imagine my surprise to find that #2 is SO picky! He really doesn't like ANY vegetable - even sweet potato or carrots. He does like beans and rice, so I try to hide some mashed steamed veggies. He will sometimes try new foods, but then won't eat them a second time. He will eat highly processed soy products (we are vegetarian - think "chickenless nuggets"), which doesn't really thrill me. Just about anything else he throws on the floor, with a big smile. He likes my buckwheat pancakes and bran banana bread. He will sometimes eat fruit, applesauce or yogurt. He won't even eat almond butter and jam on bread anymore or hummus (he did eat this a few months ago).
I try to only present him with healthy foods figuring that if he is really hungry he will eat. But he will absolutely hold out - for hours - until he gets something he likes (which is often a pretzel from daddy). I am worried that he is not getting nearly enough veggies, and I've just plain run out of ideas. I've also run out of energy trying to prepare special foods that he just throws on the floor.
I am trying not to sweat it, but I do worry.
Any thoughts or ideas out there?
