Picky eaters and a TF diet

[Mere]

Ds1 has always been picky, but over the years, as we have gone more and more to a TF diet, he has eaten fewer and fewer foods. He is now 6, and eats - quite literally - maybe 20 foods total. Now, the foods that he does eat are good foods and he is exceptionally healthy and growing so I'm not worried from that end. I am just needing a little reassurance that someday he will eat more variety...

His "selectivity" is manageable at home, but it's just so hard to go places with him and have him not eat anything but yet be tempted by junk food. Travel of any kind is a nightmare in terms of food b/c even his tried and true 20 foods usually taste slightly different and thus are rejected (he has survived entire vacations on yogurt more than once). I'm tired of worrying about making sure the few foods he does eat are good TF-type foods...




I'm embarrassed to say that the other day I even offered to pay him $5 to eat 5 bites of dinner - he took one sniff (it was veggie chow mein) and refused.)

[velcromom]

I found with my first that when he got a little older, he was strongly influenced by his peers - this can be good or bad of course! - but just to say if you can, use that to your advantage by orchestrating play dates with some kids who will eat anything and serve them all together at the table. You never know.

Ha, the subtle (or not so subtle) bribe, I don't exclude that from my tool box... dessert can be a good motivator around here, perhaps make something tempting for dessert on a night you are serving something outside the 20 foods? If money isn't his lever, it must be something else...

[Fi'sMom]

Ugh... Yeah, my 2 year old daughter will only eat "daddy" food - anything white! Anything green is "mommy" food, which she won't touch. The best I can get into her every day is sheep yogurt with a green powder stirred into it (Garden of Life's Perfect Food), CLO and fruit. Oh, and I can get her to eat Ezekiel toast with butter. But yeah, it's so discouraging!!!

[Mere]

Thanks for sharing your stories. It is really discouraging to see him eat so little, although sometimes I think it's more of a problem for me than for him.

Velcromom, he's an incredible holdout and will pass up dessert if there is nothing for him to eat. I try to not to cater too much to his pickiness and don't cook him special meals, although come to think of it he really doesn't eat anything *cooked*...maybe he's a raw foodist!