Need Help Getting Son to Eat Other Food Besids Spaghetti

I am very fortunate that my daugter likes a wide variety of food. However, a few months ago she stopped wanting to try anything new. When she saw it, she would automatically say she didn't like it. I would tell her to just try one bite and if she didn't like it she didn't have to eat it and could spit it in her napkin. Nine times out of ten, she would like it. I am also finding that things she didn't like last year (like shrimp) she loves this year. Just keep trying. Their tastes change. If he still refuses to eat anything other than spaghetti, then he can do as the other moms say and go without. Good Luck

He's more than old enough to be expected to eat what the rest of the family eats. Some kids just don't like meat, though, so try to offer other sources of protein. Just stop catering to him, explain that you're not running a diner and give him a plate with a variety of protein, starch/pasta and veggies/fruit on it. Be nice and give him at least one thing that you know he likes/eats. If he refuses, he goes hungry. It's your responsiblity to offer a wide variety of healthy food. It's HIS responsibility to decide how much he eats. Remember the 3 things you can't make a child do - eat, sleep and poop. He'll eat when he's hungry. Don't feel guilty, don't give in and in a few days he'll be fine. Remember it's HIS choice, not yours. You did your job by giving him a variety of healthy food. I bet he doesn't do that when he goes over to a friends' house, or at school. He knows better - he just knows he can get away with it at home. Heck, I stopped with the special meals after my kids' 1st birthday! Kids are part of the family so they eat what the rest of the family eats.

We have a "you eat what's fixed" rule in our house that doesn't always work either, but it helps to show our kids that WE'RE the boss, not them, and I've learned how to alter that rule to better apply to our family.

My oldest son is not overly fond of red meat- he never has been. But we've recently discovered that he loves salsibury steak, instead of bursting his "I won't eat red meat" bubble, I try to include it in our dinner menu at least once a week. The one thing that I refuse to do is to fix 2 seperate meals, that was just giving him power to be picky, and if he had his way, we'd have nothing but chicken nuggets, french fries and mac-n-cheese every night.

What I will do though, when I can, is to alter whatever I'm fixing so he will eat it. For example, if I fix spaghetti for dinner, I will hold some extra sauce to the side and not put any meat in it, if we have broccoli, I make sure that his is steamed with cheese, while I make sure his younger brother's is raw. What I will not do is to fix him a peanut butter sandwhich while the rest of us have hamburgers or make him chicken nuggets if we're having lasagna. I don't mind "altering" what I'm fixing to suit his taste, but I refuse to fix something totally different from the rest of us.

He is more than old enough to not be throwing tantrums at the table any more. As cruel as it sounds, if he doesn't eat what you fix for him, let him go hungry, it's his choice. And when he comes to you later, offer to warm up whatever it is that you fixed for dinner. Praise every time him for trying new things without a fight, and occasionally reward him for actually eating without a fuss. (Don't reward him EVERY time, or you'll have a whole new battle on your hands.)

M.,
I thought of my cousin, Joel when I read your post. His favorite food was spaghetti also. He would eat other food but preferred spaghetti. They found out from the dentist that his teeth were not alligned properly and it made it hard for him to chew meat. Just wondered if that might be the case with your little guy. Will he try different sauces/pastas at least? Best of luck.

I have been there and done that. My 8 year old went thru a time where the only thing he would eat was peanut butter. I was worried sick and even called his doctor. The doctor laughed and thought i was a bit crazy because the day I called I was in tears. But he then told me to go ahead and feed him peanut butter for every meal and to act as if it was no big deal. I did and in about two days he was begging for anything other than peanut butter. Worked like a charm after six or so jars of peanut butter he went on to eat what ever I cooked. As long as your son is eating enough and drinking enough that he is not getting dehydrated he will be fine and get sick of it fairly quickly! Good Luck!

M.,

I am soooooo agree with Deb and Shanna...I think that is the way to do it..I have a very picky eater; he is 7 and, I started to make him eat what is fixed at home short time ago, and it is working! I made the mistake to have meal choices for him...wrong! So, after realizing that I was making a huge mistake and helping him to be more picky, I decided to make him eat what it is fixed that day. I started to prepare a weekly menu together with him, and then have something he likes once a week, and cooking it a little bit healthier, like instead having french fries, I have baked potatoes and butter. Other thing that helped a lot, in my case, was to let my kid has lunch at school certain days. He usually takes a lunch box to school, but now twice a week I let him has lunch and he has to eat what is there even he likes it or not. At the beginning he didn't like broccoli, in any way, now, he likes raw broccoli.
H. I am talking about a kid who does not like most of the meals that his friends or kids of his age like it. For instance, PB&J, broccoli&cheese, maccaroni&cheese, fruits, green vegetables.
So...you have a hope..do not worry and be consistent and strong..The first couple of days he will not eat too much, but later he will be better and better...The hard thing is to make the kids try a new thing, that's why I prepare tha weekly menu with him and put some foods he likes it combined with those he does not like too much...Little by little..

Good Luck
Ale

when i was growing up we ate what was fixed or we didn't eat. he's not going to starve to death if he misses a meal. he's only doing what you are letting him get away with. if you fix something he doesn't like, tell him he can sit quietly at the table with family, but he gets no treats or privileges if he doesn't eat. as long as he getting adequate nourishment from breakfast and lunch, he will be fine. just let him have water or milk and do not excuse him from the table till everyone else is done and continue with the evening chores as usual. after a few nights of this he'll come around and start eating with the rest of you.

He's old enough not to dictate what you make for meals and to learn that if he doesn't eat what's in front of him, he goes hungry. Skipping a meal or two won't hurt him (ask the doc, they will agree). If you always let him have what he wants, he will grow up to be very picky. Let him help cook dinner, he may be more interested in eating what he's halped to prepare.
Good Luck!

OK, I'm just taking a stab here because I was blessed with a child who will eat just about anything. The things he won't eat are things that disagree with his system.

Maybe meat doesn't agree with your son's system. Have you ever tried a high protein vegetarian meal for him like maybe rice and beans?

http://www.allrecipes.com has a lot of vegetarian recipes. Maybe you could even replace his spaghetti with spaghetti squash?

M.,
He doesn't have to eat meat. Does he like peanut butter? That is a good source of protein. Does he eat the sauce with speghetti? This is also very healthy.
I know it's a pain but speghetti is not that expensive and it is easy to make a lot and save in the fridge for other nights.
Good luck.

this may sound mean but dont make it, tell him hes going to get what you make for everyone or he doesnt eat. or you can try putting veggies and meats in the sauce like ground turkey chicken and meat good luck!

Remember that you're the adult. If you let him eat a different meal than the rest of the family, he'll learn to accept it. I agree with the other moms. He'll eat when he gets hungry. If you don't make him eat other foods now, he'll grow into a picky adult. If he does try the food after a time, it's not because he doesn't like them. He's at the age where he's testing your boundaries. He wants to know what he can get away with. Just keep feeding him what the rest of the family eats. He'll eventually eat it. If he throws a tantrum, ignore him or send him to the other room. Eventually he'll get the picture. Good luck :-)

One of my friends grew up this way. His mom would let him eat anything he wanted, which consisted of chicken nuggets, every night. Now as an adult, he branched out a little. He eats chicken nuggets, hamburgers, bread, chips, and french fires. He refuses to eat any veggies or fruit! And to top it all, his girlfirend is a chef! The girl is an amazing chef. Moral of the story: habits start young.

How old is your son?

Hey M.,
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At 8 he understands that there are rules in life that he doesn't like. If you want him to stop just eating one thing for dinner you have to stand your ground and not serve it. He has to realize that he is getting only what is served to everyone else and if he chooses not to eat it that is fine. I would make sure there is at least one thing he at least likes served for dinner but don't make is something special for just him. It should be something that everyone is served. He will not starve because when he is hungry he will eat. As soon as he realizes you are serious and not going to give in he will probably start eating with everyone else. He just has to know that you mean it.