Picky Eater! Food Rut!
No, you don't say?!? You've got a picky eater on your hands? Well, I'm certain many of us can commiserate. Peggy's looking for yummy meal ideas that might ignite the foodie in her 5 year old. Any ideas?
We are in a total food rut. Our 5 year old would love to live on starches - potatoes, noodles, bread and crackers. It is nearly impossible to get him to try anything new. He had extensive food allergies (dairy, soy, wheat, corn, legumes, many fruits and greens, etc) and while he's outgrown most or all of them we really missed his window of learning to enjoy new foods. His 2 year old brother will, and does, eat EVERYTHING.Regardless, we are in a complete rut when it comes to mealtime. If bean and rice burritos didn't exist we'd be up a creek! I swear they live on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mac and cheese, berries, smoothies, and yes, the occasional chicken nugget. Well, the two year old eats much better than this, but you get the idea.Does anyone have yummy meal ideas? Hits that work for their kids? What do your kids love for snacks? What are their favorite foods? What is their favorite protein? I'm just drawing a blank these days.
My picky eater who also loved pasta really went for a concoction we call "Green Noodles" (aka noodles with spinach-ricotta sauce).
1 onion, chopped, sauteed.
1 bunch fresh spinach
1/2 container of ricotta
After the onions have sauteed, add the spinach and cook just till it wilts.
Put spinach, onions and ricotta in a food processor and process till you have a nice, creamy sauce. I like to add a little nutmeg and pepper.
For some reason, the spinach taste completely disappears. Mix it into noodles and top with parmesan, if you like.
Posted by: Zinemama | September 06, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Contrary to recent news reports, picky eating is a learned behavior. It's easy to see how food allergies have compromised your child's early learning to love all foods. The good news is -- It's not too late to transform your picky eater into a healthy eater!
It's not which healthful foods you offer your child, but how you do it. First, hold back ALL favorite foods until the new (or refused food) is explored. Don't expect that it be eaten the first, second, third, or even the tenth time its offered. Talk about the food's attributes: color, aroma, texture, etc. Explore the food with all the senses. Lastly, ask that a bite be taken. Patience is key. Constantly expand your expectation for what your picky child will taste. Also, NEVER allow negative remarks about food at the table--by anyone (not even Daddy).
You'll want to check out my website for more information about my book, "Baby Bites: Transforming a Picky Eater into a Healthy Eater" (www dot babybites dot info).
Blessings,
Nonna Joann Bruso
Posted by: Nonna Joann Bruso | September 06, 2007 at 08:54 AM
I also make Jackson try one bite of something. Fortunately, this is something that is also required at his school. The consistency is helpful. Jackson loves green beans that are sauteed with olive oil, a little bit of garlic and some salt. You can add pasta and tofu (or chicken) to the beans and make it a balanced meal. I also find that there are some veggies that he prefers raw, like sugar snap peas, tomatoes, and carrots. He likes chicken noodle soup with bread for dipping (I make sure the bread is whole grain).
Jackson really likes the baked tofu that they have at Trader Joe's. My neighbor was saying that it is really easy to make, too (marinate tofu (extra firm) overnight and bake the next day...much less expensive). It is a tasty source of protein and can be hot or cold.
Posted by: Erica | September 06, 2007 at 12:19 PM
I've been really benefiting from 'taking the fight out of food,' a book I've been meaning to review for urbanMamas! essentially, the book tells you not to worry; to keep offering a varied diet (a bowl of green beans or glazed carrots or blueberry spinach salad or whatever on the table; offer it to them and then eat your fill when/if they say 'no') and then don't stress if they stick with the beige foods. it could just be a developmental stage, and as the author of the book says and claims that many pediatricians agree: children WILL get enough vitamins to keep active and growing! the only time to worry is if your child is really running out of energy when they're playing, or falling off the growth curve, or some other obvious sign of malnutrition.
I've found my children, who've both flirted with pickiness, are nonetheless occasionally persuaded to eat extremely healthy food for a meal or a day. sometimes I'll discover they both just ate two bananas, a half-cup or raisins, and are gorging themselves on carrots... and other days, it's like the food king has decreed that children shall only eat chocolate and funyuns (my husband's weakness).
if I'm feeling desperate, though, my favorite trick is to peel and chop zucchini and add it to tomato sauce; simmer, spread on pizza dough from trader joe's along with some mozzarella cheese and presto! hidden veggies :)
a mushed up banana in pancake batter is my other go-to vitamin infusion.
the boys adore meatballs, so I prepare them a number of ways (often chopping up carrots and onions and mixing in with the ground beef/chicken/turkey), or buy them frozen (ikea has delicious swedish meatballs, and trader joe's has several kinds) and serve with organic ketchup for the boys and some sort of gravy for the adults.
my favorite way to prepare vegetables is sometimes surprisingly successful; take fresh veggies (snap peas, beans, broccoli, sliced carrots, sweet pepper spears, brussel sprouts, frozen corn or peas, or whatever you like), simmer them until just cooked through, drain, and add a very healthy pat of butter, salt and pepper; saute just a bit to caramelize some of the edges and serve.
lately, though, i've just been offering much and remembering how much i LOVE broccoli sauteed in butter and garlic, when they say no...
Posted by: sarah gilbert | September 06, 2007 at 02:02 PM
My daughter went through a picky eating phase, too...all she wanted was "noodles with snow cheese." (She called Parmesan cheese "snow cheese" because it looked like snow when I grated it!). She still loves noodles and all things carb, but is branching out more.
Nutrition experts say that it sometimes takes 8-12 exposures to a new food before it will get eaten or enjoyed, so be persistent. And please don't be a short order cook! Make a healthy meal for the family and serve it. No extra food after dinner if they are still hungry. If they finish their starchy side dish and want more, politely explain that they need to eat the other "growing" food on their plate first.
Since I teach healthy cooking classes to kids, I am approached all the time about what types of foods to feed families. We finally started an online menu planning service for families (called What's Cooking Weekly) that has a focus on bringing the kids into the kitchen to help prepare each meal. Kids are more likely to eat well when they are involved. Our service gives families recipes, organized grocery lists and nutrition information for 5 healthy and seasonal family meals every week.
Give our sample menu a try before you sign up. If you tell your friends, you will get a free month added to the length of your subscription when they sign up! It's a win-win!
Posted by: Michelle | September 06, 2007 at 05:47 PM
So many great ideas for food! Lately I've been re-reading a book by Ellyn Satter called Child of Mine, which was a big recommendation from Mary Breithaupt who runs the new mom classes at Providence Portland. Satter is not a fan of the "no thank you bite" - making a child try a bite of something before they turn it down. Her bottom line rule is that parents are responsible for offering a variety of healthy food that appeals to the whole family (not just the child) and that the child is responsible for how much they eat, if they eat at all. We haven't reached the age where we'd even be talking about "no thank you bites" in our family, but so far, this book has been spot on about everything we've run into - she spent days ignoring tomatoes, then spitting them out, and tonight she's eating them - but spitting out the peels. All without me saying word one - it was only my responsibility to put them in front of her and enjoy her companionship at the table. Satter's got a bunch of books out, but this is the only one I've read. It really is great.
Posted by: catmom | September 06, 2007 at 09:02 PM
vivian is usually pretty easy to feed, but she does go through stages where she will hate things that she loved last week. i've had good luck "hiding" veggies by grating them into chili or spaghetti sauce, which she loves but will sometimes pick out the zuchini chunks etc. "cooking for the whole family" is a pretty good book with some recipe and feeding ideas.
growing seeds is also hosting nutritional counselor cheryl alto on sept. 26 at 6:30. she will be leading a class on developing healthy eating habits with a focus on a good parent-child relationship.
their should be more info on the urban mamas calendar.
Posted by: maia | September 10, 2007 at 10:01 PM
Interesting NYT article on the topic today - it's genetic! Sigh of relief. it's not that I have neglected to offer a wideenough array of food, like brussel sprouts and broccolini, at age 2! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/10/dining/10pick.html?ex=1349755200&en=51045ae881c09efb&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
Posted by: Lisa | October 10, 2007 at 11:35 AM
Has anyone seen Jessica Seinfeld's new cookbook, Deceptively Delicious? I'm watching her promo on it with Dr. Oz on Oprah...I'm seriously intrigued. Anders does not eat a lot of food, but what he does eat is fairly varied and we're lucky that he does love peas, broccoli, carrots and salads so I always feel like I have veggies on hand to feed him. But she's putting veggie purees in everything from mac n cheese to chocolate chip cookies, so it seems like a neat way to make everything we eat a little healthier...
Posted by: Leah | October 10, 2007 at 02:33 PM
I'm pretty lucky...my boys will eat most fruits or veggies I put in front of them. As long as they are "plain" (ie. green beans are OK, green beans in a casserole--not gonna fly), or they involve a "dip" (peanut butter, ketchup--gross, I know, but, hey...--ranch dressing, etc.)
I make a cucumber salad my older son asks for almost every night. Basically, whisk together about 2 TBS mayo (although I usu. use Veganaise), 2 TBS apple cider vinegar, a pinch of nutmeg and black pepper (to taste). Add 2 or 3 medium sliced cucumbers, mix to coat well. Eat now, or refrigerate for up to six hours. (Can be eaten the next day, but sometimes cukes get a little soggy). If it tastes too vinegar-y, add a little water, until you like it.
Also, the book "Pretend Soup" by Mollie Katzen is a big hit here. To be honest, I find the food a little "eh" but the boys love it--basically a kid-centric cookbook. Apparently, some kids like to cook with their moms. Mine seem to like the parts involving dumping the ingredients into the bowl, and maybe a little stirring, but usually (and thankfully) leave the bulk of the work to me. They will,however, eat whatever we make (provided they had some input into the recipe selection).
When I was growing up, my friend's little brother would only eat things that were orange. For about a year. He's 27 now, and completely healthy (and refuses to go near a cheese doodle). Picky eaters will eat eventually.
Posted by: KMat | October 10, 2007 at 03:45 PM
The orange food reminds me of my habit as a toddler....I demanded milk and water, mixed together. I got teased about it incessantly when I was older by my brothers. I would sit at my high chair and chant, "milk and water" over and over and over. This was in the days before 1% and 2% were available. I think if I had had a more broad vocabulary at age 2, I could have been a millionaire!
Posted by: Debby | October 10, 2007 at 03:56 PM
I have the same problem with my kid right now. I try as much as possible to sneak a vegetable or 2 in his favorite mango smoothie. That's the only thing he added new to his usual fries,biscuits,cookies and milk meals. But nevertheless I am not giving up and will try to introduce something new to him everyday.
Posted by: Carol | August 13, 2011 at 09:47 PM