What do you do when you have a really really picky eater? I need help!
Some background: I do not force any food on my children, and respect their food choices whatever they may be. At home their choices are pretty good - lots of fruit, cut up veggies available in the fridge, cheese, yogurt, etc. I do, however, keep some snack foods around because they are handy for taking with us when we go out. I try to keep these as healthy as possible too, but still, they are snack foods...granola bars, rice crackers, whole wheat graham crackers, dried fruit, trail mix, spelt pretzels, that sort of thing.
My dd has done beautifully with this system, eats a wide variety of foods, and doesn't overdo the more 'snacky' carbohydrate-type foods. Ds (3), however, is the problem. I can usually get something decent into him in the AM, like oatmeal or scrambled eggs, but after that all he wants to eat are the snack foods (mostly the carb foods) and fruit. Some days this works, but other days he has complete meltdowns because (I think) he simply hasn't eaten enough. He doesn't want any of our food, and so he just doesn't eat. Or, he'll wait until we meet up with friends and mooch off of their carb snack foods. I really think he's not getting enough protein sometimes, in which case we get meltdowns.
So, my question is, how can I continue to respect his food choices when, IMO, he often doesn't eat a balanced diet? And even if I eliminate the carb-heavy snacks from our house, he's still going to get plenty from our friends (we have always shared food when out and about). Help!!!!
Some background: I do not force any food on my children, and respect their food choices whatever they may be. At home their choices are pretty good - lots of fruit, cut up veggies available in the fridge, cheese, yogurt, etc. I do, however, keep some snack foods around because they are handy for taking with us when we go out. I try to keep these as healthy as possible too, but still, they are snack foods...granola bars, rice crackers, whole wheat graham crackers, dried fruit, trail mix, spelt pretzels, that sort of thing.
My dd has done beautifully with this system, eats a wide variety of foods, and doesn't overdo the more 'snacky' carbohydrate-type foods. Ds (3), however, is the problem. I can usually get something decent into him in the AM, like oatmeal or scrambled eggs, but after that all he wants to eat are the snack foods (mostly the carb foods) and fruit. Some days this works, but other days he has complete meltdowns because (I think) he simply hasn't eaten enough. He doesn't want any of our food, and so he just doesn't eat. Or, he'll wait until we meet up with friends and mooch off of their carb snack foods. I really think he's not getting enough protein sometimes, in which case we get meltdowns.
So, my question is, how can I continue to respect his food choices when, IMO, he often doesn't eat a balanced diet? And even if I eliminate the carb-heavy snacks from our house, he's still going to get plenty from our friends (we have always shared food when out and about). Help!!!!
: I'm desperate to get my son to eat, he is so cranky and miserable all day because he won't eat. Yesterday was so bad I cried for an hour after he finally fell asleep. Sorry, just wanted to commiserate and look for advice.
I also remember seeing some bowls with build in straws at the grocery store (I think they were supposed to be for cereal - so you can drink up the milk)
:
I have had several points over the last year where I have cried (in another room) out of pure frustration that this kid is just not interested in eating! It is really hard and I am trying to find my way through it. I am going to watc this thread in hopes of getting some advice.
