Hey everyone,
My 16 month old son won't even try meat. When he was first started on solids, my pediatrician advised waiting on meats until he could actually eat the real thing, instead of a meat paste from a jar, so that's what I did. Only now, he has no interest in the meat. I've tried turkey, chicken and beef, and he'll place it in his mouth and promptly take it out. It may be a texture thing more than the taste, but I am unsure of how to get him to just try it. Is there any way I can get him interested in eating meat?
My son is the same way! He'll eat chicken nuggets (healthy ones from Whole Foods) if they are smothered in ketchup. I'd try that - ketchup. At least then he's getting the protein. Otherwise I give him protein in other forms - cheese, baked beans, black bean soup, peanut butter, etc.
It's very normal and he'll grow out of it eventually.
Dear Lona, is it the meat you want him to eat or the fact that you need him to get complete protein (a protein that contains all of the nine essential amino acids)?
Our society has made animal ‘the most prominent’ protein out there so we continue to maintain a diet rich in animal protein.
Typically meat has been the most viewed as complete protein but there are many other food items that supplies complete protein like soy, quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, eggs from cage free organic chicken, wild caught fish, whole grains etc. You can also combine organic beans and organic brown rice to make whole protein.
Please contact me at www.yuumyspoonfuls.com if you need more help. Your smart baby doesn't need to eat meat to get his daily protein fix.
Have a healthful day
Cheers
I had the same problem with my son. I cut pieces of meat and cooked and then put it on the blender (with out the juice)then I mix it with the veggies or with the soup. He can not tell the difference and he loves it.
Have you tried dipping the meat in ketchup, bar-b-que sauce, or honey mustard? My daughter LOVES dipping the meat.
My 12 month old is a vegetarian (by my choice). It's important to ensure he has enough protein, but it doesn't necessarily have to be animal proteins. You should try feeding him the extra-firm, cubed, organic tofu. It's very inexpensive and ready to serve. You can heat it up if you choose, but my son eats it straight from the fridge. That along with organic cheese and yogurt is how my son gets his protein requirements.
Try fish. Our little girl eats salmon like crazy
also maybe try sneaking a little bit in with something he likes and then the texture may not be too much of a shock/displeasure. Does he eat beans at all?
My son is 17 months and he goes through spells when he will not eat meat either. I think it is the texture too. When he does that, I chop it up really good. Not puree, just cut in tiny pieces and mix it with sweet potatoes or something creamy that he likes. My son likes most of his stuff to be creamy. So he gets lots of potatoes or beans & peas. That may make the meat a little easier to handle. I hope that helps. (-:
Dont worry about it. My son was just as bad. He wouldnt even eat the baby meat. He finally tried a chicken nugget around 2 and ate the whole thing. That was the last time for like 6 months. I finally figured out that he would eat spaghetti with meat sauce. So until he was almost 3 he only would eat spaghetti. He finally moved onto cheeseburgers at mcdonalds but no where else. At four he is now eating my chili, chicken nuggets and cheeseburgers at mcdonalds, chicken fingers from a few places, spaghetti lots of places, and has actually tried pork, bbq chicken, bbq pork, etc. I still wish he would eat more of the things i cook but i am happier the menu has diversified alot more than a couple of years ago.
You may be able to try giving him dishes that are a complete meal all in one. For Example, Banquet has a meal in a box that contains the meat, veggies and bread. That may be a way to get him interested. Or even something like a potpie. Just a suggestion....hope it helps.
It might be worth a try to incorporate meat into sauces and the like to get them in his body. I would read up on vegetarian diets so while you are trying all of these ideas you are getting, he can still be getting the protein he needs until he decides to start eating meat.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. It is most likely the texture. My 3 year old wouldn't eat meat until he was about 2 1/2 and now only eats certain kinds, usually chicken. Most of my family thought it was because I didn't eat meat but I did feed it to him, he just wouldn't eat it. He was real particular about the textures of certain foods but that is improving as he's getting older so it may be the same with your little one.
Hi Lona, my son did the same thing. I couldn't get him to eat any meat at all. Now he'll be two in one week and he is starting to eat alot better. He even ate some of my fish the other night. He'll eat almost anything now. He still spit it out occasionally and he may only eat alittle but at least he's starting to eat it. So I would say, don't stress about it just keep trying it and give him some time. Good luck!
With my son it's veggies so sometimes I fix things that combine meat and veggies like a stew or soup and have him eat it that way. When you give it to him don't make a big deal out of it just feed it to him and see if he eats it. And like the other mother said try making it a little fun by giving him something to dip it in and showing him how to do it.
