Picky Eater - East Hartford,CT

Keep doing what you are doing. He'll eat when he's hungry. If you start catering to him now it will never stop. He is not going to starve himself. My son only ate lunch for an entire summer with nibbles here and there for dinner. They go through phases. But trust me, if you don't want a picky eater for life, just keep putting the food in front of him and if he's hungry enough he will eat it.

Almost 70 years ago, my mother pleaded for the same advice to her doctor about me. I didn't seem to want to eat much, and she was worried. He said, "Leave her alone! She's healthy enough, and when she's really hungry, she'll eat."
My mother went home, but she couldn't stop trying to make me eat. So we were both upset. I hated having to sit at the table until I could force myself to finish what was in front of me, night after night.
Eventually, I got older, and developed a good appetite. Luckily, I didn't develop problems with food, other than being a lifelong slow eater - which gives other people at the table a lot of time for conversation.
So - as long as your doctor says your son is healthy, I'd say, don't worry about starving him! As long as good food is available when he is hungry, he is likely to eat enough to stay alive until he develops his own appetite. The whole family will enjoy meals more if one kid isn't being pestered to eat more than he wants.

The book "First Foods" has some great recipes for picky eaters. I've tried everything I've made from it and love it!

Hi C. - Don't worry, he'll eat when he's hungry.

C.,

It would help us to help you if you provided more info. How old is your son ? Is this a new problem ? Is your child happy, healthy and gaining weight ? What does he like to eat - if anything? To respond to your fear that you are starving him - don't feel bad or worry too much, as long as you are offering him healthy foods and snacks throughout the day. Also be aware that it can take a child a long time to accept and like new foods - something like 12- 16 exposures. Try to get him to take one bite of a new food or every food on his plate before allowing him to reject it outright.I'd be happy to help more if I had more info. re: your specific needs and situation. L.

My youngest daughter was and still is a picky eater. I made the mistake of often giving in to her desires as I just had too much stress to deal with -- many other battles to fight. I'm not sure that was the best thing, although she was always healthy and would eat well when hungry, she's now a young adult and realizes that her bad eating habits are catching up with her.

I'd suggest that you limit his options and if he doesn't want to eat at all, don't stress it, just don't allow any junk food snacking or allow him to have what he wants all the time. Like I said, if he whines for hotdogs when you've slaved over stroganoff for the whole family, be firm and tell him he will eat what the rest of the family eats or that's it. That was the rule when I grew up and I can tell you, one night of going to bed hungry was all it took for me to change the idea that mom was a short order cook!

Again, if he just doesn't want to eat at all, don't force it, his natural body responses will kick in when he's hungry; that's the time to offer healthy foods.

Hope this helps.

C.,
I'm a mom of 4 year old twin boys and am blessed with good eaters, but a suggestion may be 1) get you son involved im making his own food to empower him. 2) Also, Arbonne makes a great childs supplement (all botanically based, no chemicals, synthetics or dyes!) that you can make a fruit smoothie with or even mix with water/juice that will help fill his nutritional needs. If you are interested check out my website wwww.susanlala.myarbonne.com. It is listed under the nutritional hybrids. Maybe after your email I'll highlight it to make it easy to find. If he is a teen or tween we also have nutritional supplements that are like starburst candy that are great for kids. I know supplements only compliment a good diet, so have fun with food & let him make it!!
Best of luck!!
Sincerely, S.

Hi C.,

You might be interested in a new video featuring Robin Miller, author and Food Network host of Quick Fix Meals. Created in conjunction with Tyson Foods, the video provides suggestions to help provide balanced nutrition and please even the pickiest of eaters. View the video and learn Robin’s tips by visiting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GScN-dDr64I

C. (Tyson Foods)

I feel the same way as Lisa S. I think we need to have more information before we can have an opinion, his age for example is a big part of it.

What things are you offering him? Is it in large amounts?

My daughter went through a period were she wouldnt, well now I should say that she COULDNT eat foods because she had a constant upset belly from a milk allergy.

Is he gaining weight appropriately?

Is he drinking enough fluids (ie:milk,formula, breastmilk, juice, water)?

Are you sitting down and eating with him and/ or eating the same foods?

Does he snack at all during the day?

Does he go to daycare? If so, does he eat well there?

so far, 2 out of my 3 kids have done this. (the third isnt old enough for this yet.) dont worry. they will eat when they are hungry. i know its frusterating, but it will pass. i think my oldest did this for a year. just keep offering food! good luck!

He'll eat when he's hungry! Toddlers do this all the time.
M. =)

Sounds like you are doing the right thing, keep it up! My pedi reassured me that kids will mot starve themselves, they will eat if really hungry. It takes aobut 15 tries of a food for a kid to get used to it and like it. The only other thing I do is insist on a bite per year of age and after that I will allow a fruit or a veggie. But I think what you are doing is great, hold firm! It will help your son in the end!

How old is your son? What are you feeding him for dinner that he does like? You don't have to serve typical breakfast foods for breakfast. You can try pasta, chicken and rice, hamburger with pasta, soup, cheese on bread. Have you tried having him help you prepare some food like sandwiches, mixing good for you cookies with oatmeal, raisins, etc? That might help. I have two nephews one is 2 1/2 and one is 4 1/2 and they love helping to prepare salads and other meals, they don't usually eat the lettuce, but will eat the cut up apples, craisins, mandarin oranges, cut up peppers and the shredded cheese. Get him involved and see what happens. Good luck!

Hi C.,

You didn't say how old your son is, but if he is little, under age 3, that's a pretty normal phase for your son to be going through. As long as he is thriving (growing/gaining weight), he will be fine, and will eat when he is hungry. You are not depriving him. Just keep doing what you're doing and when he is hungry he will eat.

Think about adults, we're not always hungry at the same time each day every day, right?

Good luck and keep us posted!!

If he's just picky and there's nothing wrong with him physically, it will pass someday.

y son was SOOO PICKY. Would eat half a Pop Tart for breakfast, NO lunch and then ONLY chicken nuggets and mac and cheese. Now at 13 he eats E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G in sight. His food, my food, anything not nailed down. He eats more dinner than all of us combined, then has dessert, then has a snack then 3 bowls of cereal before bed! And he's a rail. A growing rail, though :-)

There's also nothing he won't try (which is expensive when we go out to eat)

He will eat when he's hungry and when he does! Look out!