2 Year Old Hooked on Crackers

I have had 3 children, breasfed all of them and had the same things with my kids. He will grow out of it, if that is any consulation. My 9 year old eats anything from venison to calimari and all the vegies in the world, and will try anything at least once. Same for my 7 year old. My 16 month old son is now getting into the phase of eating new foods, but still loves his basics-mac & cheese, crackers and cereal bars. They have ALL gone through the chewing and spitting it out phase. Vegies when refused were reintroduced with lite ranch dressing and still occasionally eaten that way. Also, a little FYI a child needs to be introduced to a new food on average 11 times before they will readily eat it.
Good luck

Sound like he's a two year old to me. My 5 1/2 year old was obsessed with mac and cheese when he was two. He would still eat fruit, though. Both my older sons would spit food out after it was chewed. They'd realize then that it was "yucky." I'd try to give him fruit and other healthy stuff for snack while you're prepping meals. Tell him he'll get a cracker with his meal, but he has to eat this now. Kids will definitely try more things when they're hungry. I'd ask the ped. when he has an apt, or even put in a call, but unless it lasts a while I wouldn't worry. You said it's hit or miss if he swallows other stuff, so he does swallow it sometimes, right? He just REALLY prefers crackers? I think all twos have definitel preferences, and he probably likes and needs the carbs at that age, and probably likes the texture and that he can hold it, and probably even likes the salt. I'd watch it, keep introducing the other,healthier stuff, and just accept that his eating habits are going to be tough for a year or so (or 10 or so from what I hear)! Good luck!

Hi- All crackers are not created equal. If I were you I would get some whole grain crackers with no junk in them. Then I would limit how many he gets a day. Offer other good stuff for snacks and just say no when he wants to eat excessive amounts of crackers. If he's still nursing he is not going to become malnourished and I bet he'll eat other foods when he's hungry enough. It may be a little stressful (and loud) at your house for a few days but 2 year olds have short memeories and when you break the habit he'll probably not ask for them as much.

He's just old enough to visit a pediatric dentist. I'd take him in for a visit to make sure there is no problem with any teeth he might be cutting. Children of that age group tend to chew on crackers when they are teething, especially when there is a tooth that should be breaking through but is taking it's slow time at getting through the gum.

If the dentist doesn't find any problems, then perhaps it's time to take away crackers completely for a short while until he's eating a better more diverse diet then slowly and gradually begin to offer crackers back into the diet.

I had similar concerns and still do even though my girls are 23yo and 13yo because their dad is a juvenile diabetic. I've had both tested every year since they were born because contrary to what many doctors, including pediatricians will tell you, diabetes does tend to run in families. Also, in a medical journal I read not all that long ago, diabetes is being reclassified as an autoimmune disease being that it acts like one in every sense of the word. I have lupus (SLE) and Sjogren's disease and with hubby having juvenile diabetes, we worry. My youngest has already been tested for a variety of autoimmune diseases just to establish a baseline because I am of Native American Indian heritage and autoimmune diseases tend to run in Native American, Asian, and African descended families. I have many family members on both maternal and paternal sides of my family with a variety of types of autoimmune diseases. I was the 2nd of my generation that tested positive. The one before me has juvenile RA. Now, there are several cousins who are just now or have been for the last couple of years become symptomatic of autoimmune disease so they are testing or have been diagnosed and are on treatment plans to help slow the progression.

Chewing up food and then not bothering to swallow it is not only not typical but I've never heard of that before. Please talk to his doctor about it! As for the cracker thing, is it the salt that he likes?

Does he have any GI issues? Behavioral issues? Getting tested for IgE for food allergies and IgG testing for food sensitivies may help you. Often our kids crave those things to which they have sensitivies. It is possible he may have some sensory issues as well. If he has oral motor issues (moving his tongue properly or swallowing properly) a good speech therapist can help with that. Just Take a Bite may be a helpful book.

I'm not sure from your post if you are concerned about his preference for carbs or his inability to swallow other foods? Does he EVER swallow any other kinds of foods? Sorry, it's not clear to me.
Also, O. suggestion...no snacks while a meal is being prepared! Then he's not hungry.
Now if he "cannot" swallow other foods, he may need some OT to deal with that. Talk to his pediatrician.

Sometimes, kids/toddlers will spit out their food, because they put too much in their mouths.. .and then it gets all pile up in their mouth and too much to swallow.
Toddlers, often times do this. Putting too much in their mouths. And it can then be a choking hazard. So it is good actually, that he spits it out.
My son, will do that, if/when he has too much food in his mouth. Then he tells me "too much..."

Use the crackers for his behavior. If he eats, whatever you want him to eat, he gets a cracker. He might be a picky eater or he may have a health issue. I would definitely talk to your Dr. about it and see what he thinks, and make sure everything is OK. Good Luck and take care.