Bad eating habits :(

[Kim Allen]

Okay I am going to admit this...


I have introduced some really bad eating habits into my children. I am not even going to list them because they are atrocious.

I am now trying to curve that bad habit. My son is Three and does not like trying new foods but does like his fruit and veggies. I also have an 8 month old that would eat anything you put in front of him so thats good. lol

I need some good ideas for introducing new HEALTHY foods!

I just made him a green smoothie with kale and while he liked to idea he would not taste it even though everything he likes is in it!!!!

So anyone else have this problem?? What did you do?? Please tell me there is hope for my lil picky 3 yr old!

[Alyantavid]

There is hope.

I know you don't want to list them, but can you make a homemade, healthier version of some of the foods he loves?

[ASusan]

What is the rule? That you have to present a new food 15 (18?) times before they'll accept/eat it?

That said, I have a hard time continuing to present foods that he rejects. My son won't do green smoothie. Won't do any smoothie. Just won't. So I stop offering. I need to KEEP offering.

AND, I discovered that he WILL try things for other people. My sister, who was with us last weekend, got him to drink (non-green) smoothie. She got him to eat sweet potato (which he rejects at dinners for us).

He eats things at daycare that he refuses at home.

He eats green beans and other veggies that DH shares with him, but rejects them when I try to share them.

He eats breakfast items at 5pm that have been sitting out all day (that he didn't eat for breakfast...and dad didn't clean up before making the daycare run!)

Try new foods while they're hungry. Try putting food on your plate, but not giving him any. My son always wants what is on your plate.

So, context matters.

[lil_earthmomma]

s

Kids are adaptable.

You are in charge of what choices they have, they are in charge of what actually enters their bodies.

Get rid of all unhealthy choices, and give them a wide range of healthy ones.

Try offering a snackplatter type of option for lunch. Lots of sliced fruit and veggies, cold meat and cheese, nuts, devilled eggs etc.

I always have one veggie option that I know the kids will eat at dinner, whether it's broccoli (their fave) or cut up fresh veg with dip. That way if they don't like the entree, they can at least fill up on veggies.

I offer healthy snacks often. My kids seem to like to eat 6 or 7 snack/meals a day.