My 11-Year-old Boy Is a Very Picky Eater

When our son tried a similar thing where all of a sudden all of the foods he used to like, he no longer liked, I started making him choose the menu for the week with the understanding that he had to have a variety and it had to be things everyone liked. So far he has been doing it well and I no longer have the complaining!

Hi,
You are right not to make separate meals for him...that will just help him remain a picky eater. Our kids are picky too, so what we have done lately is when I make meat, to provide some sort of dip. I usually put out barbeque sauce to dip chicken or pork. For vegetables sometimes we add a sweet sauce from the asian section of the grocery store or ranch dressing for veggies. Sometimes, I make two vegetables, for example squash for my husband and I and since I know the kids like carrots, I will also make that. If it is a dish they don't like, we have a rule to eat 5 bites and then they don't have to eat anymore. I make a note that they don't like it and omit it or prepare it differently. From articles that I have read , sometimes it takes serving a particular food 8 times before a child likes it, so it is a good idea to keep trying. I have also read and heard from children's food experts, not to associate negativity or rewards for food. For example : not punishing for not eating and not offering dessert if they eat their dinner (it's psychological and may teach bad habits. We used to offer icecream for bribery all of the time! Now I don't and just have that rule of eating 5 bites. Also you can try and enlist their helping in cooking. My daughter doesn't like pizza, but if she helps make it (she is 6) by spreading past sauce on an English muffin and adding the toppings and sprinkling the cheese, she actually eats it! There are some good kids books out there for that. I hope this helps because I know it can be frustrating!

It sounds like he enjoys the attention he gets from the drama he is causing. You are doing the right thing by sticking to your guns. It sounds like you are insisting on healthy food choices. Good for you! He will not let himself starve, and teaching him healthy eating habits now will affect his eating habits for a lifetime.

Have you tried letting him help to plan the menu and cook dinner? He is more likely to eat it if he helped to make it. He is old enough for some responsibility in this area, and he may even find that he enjoys it. You may also find that he may help plan it, then claim he doesn't like it. If so, you will know it's not about food.

As somebody else suggested here, have you looked into sensory issues with eating? Some children have sensory issues that prevent them from being able to eat a variety of foods. My daughter has Autism and has issues with foods. She only eats about 3 or 4 diffrent things for lunch and dinner and one a few for breakfast too. I have heard of kids dry heaving over not wanting to eat but my daughter has actually gagged from the look of certain textured foods. She can look at it and tell if she will be able to accept the texture in her mouth. Not only that, she will go without eating if we dont' give her foods we know she likes. Maybe your son has some sensory issues with foods and this is why he will only eat certain things. If your son does have sensory issues then the punishment of taking away priveledges for not eating is not appropriate. Talk with your doctor about this, they should be able to reccommend somebody for you to see to evaluate this.

If you've ruled out anything like a sensory issue (my son has that with some foods) then he's just being maniupulative. Do what your parents did - he eats what is put in front of him. Period. In my house if you give up your dinner, you give up all snacks for the rest of the night. My kids eat all their dinner because they don't have any other choice. Your son has too many choices. Don't give in to the manipulation of him feeling sick - it's his choice not to eat, he has to deal with the feeling of being hungry. Once he sees you're not giving in, he'll start eating. You are the adult and you are the one who has to make healthy food choices. Give him two choices for snacks, if he doesn't pick either one, he doesn't get a snack. It's not up for debate. Time to get tough!

Hi J.,

I sure can sympathize with your problem but I don't think it is about food at all. I sounds more like a control issue between you and your son and it makes things miserable for everyone.

I had a son that was also a picky eater and here are some things we did. First, don't make eating a big deal. If he doesn't want to eat don't make him. If he asks for a snack later offer him a healthy choice. You can't control whether or not he is hungry or if he is willing to eat, or not. I don't think food should be used as a reward or a punishment. Kids usually are hungry after school. I wouldn't take away the snacks, but I would offer healthy choices with maybe a treat once or twice a week. I agree that dinner should be whatever you fix and what everyone else is eating and I did not make a separate meal for my son either. If he chooses not to eat dinner, don't make him. If he ate a snack of fruit or a peanut butter sandwich as a snack then so what if he doesn't eat dinner. The same thing with an after dinner snack. If it is healthy he is getting the nutrition he needs. If he chooses not to eat at all, then an 11 year old will not starve if he misses a meal. Don't let him make you feel guilty because he wants a treat. You just want to take the fight out of it so you all enjoy dinner-time more. When he sees that it is no longer going to cause a fight, he will probably start to eat with you and it will no longer be a problem. You are not giving in to him, you are just offering choices that you can live with and eliminating the dinner time fight.

Good Luck,
K.

Have you tried saving his meal and serving it to him again the next night? We are currently going through this with my daughter, and went through it with my son before her- he now eats everything on his plate. Every kid is different though- I had to reheat and serve her meal a few times in a row before she got the point, and didn't give her anything to eat after dinner was over. If she chose not to eat what was in front of her, then we dismissed her from the table and let her go play if she wanted. The first two nights she went to play, and then came back asking for a snack later. I told her she could have her dinner(which was wrapped in the fridge), and of course she threw a fit, but I didn't give in. The next night the same thing happened. The third night she reluctantly ate her dinner- but she did eat it! I feel bad because I think a lot of her behavior was indulged by myself early on to avoid tantrums and because I felt sorry for her. If I had to do it over I would have probably not given her snacks after dinner time and when she threw a tantrum as a two or three year old gotten her down from the table to train her what was acceptable and what was not. But hey, at least i am learning in hindsight what works for us! Hope this helps.b

I think it sounds like he is definitely manipulating you.
I have never heard of someone getting a snack after dinner.

Since my kids were in Head Start I have used their one bite rule. No matter what. (I have one that acts like she will vomit((throws dry heaves)) if she eats veggies but she still has to have that one bite and swallow)

I have allowed my kids the after school snack up until 1 1/2 hours before dinner will be served. They are to eat what is made for dinner and are not allowed anything else. They have until 1 1/2 hours before bed to eat their dinner or they go to bed without.

It may seem mean to have these rules but they have to know that the rules are the same for all.

I think his dad has the right idea of stopping the drama... he is getting at an age that this needs to stop at school he does not get to rule what is for breakfast or lunch why should he get that privilege at home.

Stick with it. Good for you to not make him separate meals. If he is still hungry after dinner, give him his plate of food that you saved for him from dinner. Sounds like he is testing you to see how long he can get away with not eating what he doesn't like. Good to hear his father is supporting your efforts. I was a picky eater too. No special meals made for me. After a while I got tired of picking things out of my food and just ate it. And, your tastes change as you get older. We tell our kids that you have to try new foods. You don't have to like it, but you do have to try it. We don't make them clean the plate. We instead tell them to listen to their stomachs. Maybe your son should listen to his hungry one !

Welcome to my world. I have a 3-1/2 year old very picky eating boy. I can count in one hand of the things he will eat. He's are only child so I don't know the dynamics of multiple chldren. THat being said, this is a new generation. We don't force our kids to eat things they don't like. THere are a varity of easy foods to give a picky eater. I know it sounds unfair to the other children. My cousin Steven for a year would eat nothing but hot dogs. His sibling Tracey ate anything. His pickiness didn't affect her at all. Also, do what I am doing-supplement with those fruit flavored chewable vitamins. I also give him what is called Juice Plus. Get the capsules for him since older kids don't like the taste of the chewables. They come in two blends: Garden Blend and Orchard Blend. I use both every day because he'll get his day's fruit and vegetable requirements. Go to ebay for it because from the company they want to charge too much. THey have a deal that your son could get it free but only if both parents are on it too and you have to pay for yours. Not really a deal. Bottom line-don't fight him. The more you fight the less likely it is taht he'll grow out of it. It just makes his resolve stronger. It is a phase-trust me he'll get better over time just be patient. Remember to also OFFER ( don't push) him the food you make and several times he'll say no but keep it up.

Just make foods that are kid friendly. Tell him he has to eat as many bites as his age, so 11. Once he does that then he can get up. I would stick with it.

My boys are/were very picky eaters. I don't usually have a problem w/ the meats but more with the veggies. What I usually do is serve 2-3 different veggies and make sure that one of them is something I know they will eat, and then then have to try at least one of the other two. One bite, chewed and swallowed. My 12 year old is finally trying new things, I think that your son will grow out of it somewhat. We also had the drama w/ the gagging and heaving at the dinner table. I don't believe in making kids finish everything on their plate (that's an old fashioned idea and can cause eating issues later) if they are no longer hungry. I've wrapped up their plate in plastic wrap and placed it in the fridge though, so if they tell me they are hungry again shortly after dinner I can remind them that I still have their dinner in the fridge if they are really hungry. Good luck with this, keep us posted.

Alison

Dear J.,

Protein and fat quell hunger very well for a long time..much better than carbs, sugars or liquids...so if you can find something your son will eat that has those 2 things, you will cut the hunger issue.
Obedience/manners/compliance with your demand to eat what you have made is an entirely different issue. Some folks are born "super tasters" and are very sensitive. It sounds like texture is a big thing for him too. As an ex-special ed teacher who has seen kids who felt like their clothes were burning their skin so they needed to strip in my class, I tend to give folks the benefit of a doubt...we do not all experience the world the same way.
Has your son been like this all his life or is it a new thing? Was there a time when things were working out better? If so can you figure out why it was better?
My grandfather forced my aunt to eat a raw tomato (as a child) because she always refused them...he demanded compliance, but that did not make my aunt convert to loving tomatoes. Ever.
Being that your son is 11, can he be trusted to do some simple cooking of his own? That might be more "fair" to you...not to have to cook separate for him. (Once you find some workable healthful stuff he can make)
(Definitely keep fighting the sugar habit though!)

We have a firm rule that you have to eat what is fixed (and for the things all kids hate, like spinach, there is a one bite minimum rule). I always try to fix at least ONE thing, mashed potatoes for example, that I KNOW he will eat. Or I'll offer whole wheat w/ melted cheese as a side or something). Stop making it a battle. Draw the line. You are the mom and you make the rules. Don't fight. Just say this is what we're having for dinner and ignore the drama. Even leave the room if you have to, because if you're not his audience, he won't have ammunition.

My REAL suggestion is for him to cook for the family once a week (where he decides the menu) or to help you cook a few times a week. My 4 year old will cook- more like decide the menu once a month. When he helps me make a salad or something, he inevitably ingests his quota of fruit and veggies for the week (he doesn't eat lettuce, but we put cheese, cranberries, apples, nuts, etc in our salads). If he helps shop, or he helps plan, or he helps cook he will eat more. He will learn to appreciate the value of time and effort.