Toddler food picking eating help

[Jalapeñomel]

Tell me how to feed my picky eating child. She doesn’t seem to want to eat anything as of late, including things like strawberries, PB&J, or chicken nuggets.

Today, I managed to get some Mac and cheese in her because she wanted to eat out of her Frozen Thermos.

I bought sandwich presses to make things into stars and cats and hearts.

She’ll also decide to like something, eat it for a meal, and then be over it forever.

[Jalapeñomel]

Oh and I also follow that person on IG someone suggest…eating in color? I bought the book Lunches for Littles.

I’m guessing she won’t starve, but it seems like she’s trying!

[katfco]

We did a lot of Cheerios at that age.

Sometimes it does help to let them choose how they eat it--special cups, bowls, etc.

[tiki]

If she helps make it, is she more likely to eat it?

Also our whole family likes protein shakes of various kinds, and it's pretty balanced nutrition so I worry less about what else my kid is eating. She reliably consumed Orgain kids' shakes as a toddler and has since graduated to their adult shakes.

[joy]

::cries in chocolate chex, granola bars and pasta::

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 1, 2024 16:00:35 GMT -5 tiki said:

If she helps make it, is she more likely to eat it?

Also our whole family likes protein shakes of various kinds, and it's pretty balanced nutrition so I worry less about what else my kid is eating. She reliably consumed Orgain kids' shakes as a toddler and has since graduated to their adult shakes.

This is a good idea. I’ll see if she’ll help make food.

I drink a ton of protein shakes, not sure why that didn’t occur to me to feed her one.

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 1, 2024 16:06:56 GMT -5 joy said:

::cries in chocolate chex, granola bars and pasta::

So you’re telling me it’s a phase or this is my life now? 🤣🤣🤣

My son was normal picky, this is a whole other level (I’m guessing this is how I was a child, and I hope it’s not an indication of OCD).

[felicity]

Nov 1, 2024 16:06:56 GMT -5 joy said:

::cries in chocolate chex, granola bars and pasta::

I'm over here wallowing around in a sea of teddy grahams. Toddlers!

[joy]

Nov 1, 2024 16:10:48 GMT -5 felicity said:

Nov 1, 2024 16:06:56 GMT -5 joy said:

::cries in chocolate chex, granola bars and pasta::

I'm over here wallowing around in a sea of teddy grahams. Toddlers!

My kid is 8. lolsob

She has some neurodiversity/sensory things going on and is just picky as hell. I can only pick so many battles so this one is not on the list. Is she growing okay? Then fine. Here’s a granola bar.

[meanie]

We did (and still do) a lot of snack type meals - a little bit of everything. Use a divided plate or even an ice cube tray with a bit or two of each thing.

Now DD will get hooked on something - uncrustables, turkey sandwiches with goldfish, ramen....and eat it for all her meals until we buy it in bulk and she then decides she is "sick of it".

[wise_rita]

Do you sit with her to eat? I didn't for a long time, and my kids (now 4 and 2) were kind of picky.

Since we made the effort to sit with them half the time and eat (something - not necessarily our real meal) both kids eat so so so much better.

Also with #2 I didn't have the capacity to care what she eats, at all. Something unhealthy? Nothing? Whatever, you'll live and we can try again tomorrow.

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 1, 2024 16:42:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Do you sit with her to eat? I didn't for a long time, and my kids (now 4 and 2) were kind of picky.

Since we made the effort to sit with them half the time and eat (something - not necessarily our real meal) both kids eat so so so much better.

Also with #2 I didn't have the capacity to care what she eats, at all. Something unhealthy? Nothing? Whatever, you'll live and we can try again tomorrow.

We sit with her, but I don’t normally eat. So maybe I’ll try having a bit while she’s eating.

[wise_rita]

Nov 1, 2024 16:57:47 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Nov 1, 2024 16:42:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Do you sit with her to eat? I didn't for a long time, and my kids (now 4 and 2) were kind of picky.

Since we made the effort to sit with them half the time and eat (something - not necessarily our real meal) both kids eat so so so much better.

Also with #2 I didn't have the capacity to care what she eats, at all. Something unhealthy? Nothing? Whatever, you'll live and we can try again tomorrow.

We sit with her, but I don’t normally eat. So maybe I’ll try having a bit while she’s eating.

Just make random other stuff you want to snack on that she can try.  I like onion rings in the air fryer, edamame in the shell (HUGE hit), sliced big ball of mozzarella, brie on crackers.  

We started this because our kids could not handle a single meal out when we were traveling in late July, but we implemented this and in early October we had a really impressive meal out.

[katfco]

Nov 1, 2024 16:09:50 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Nov 1, 2024 16:06:56 GMT -5 joy said:

::cries in chocolate chex, granola bars and pasta::

So you’re telling me it’s a phase or this is my life now? 🤣🤣🤣

My son was normal picky, this is a whole other level (I’m guessing this is how I was a child, and I hope it’s not an indication of OCD).

Possibly both? 

Honestly, it is a normal phase, but it can also be an indicator of neurodivergent or sensory issues. DD used to love strawberries at that age, but now can't stand them because of the texture. She would (and sometimes still does) go through phases where she loved a certain food, and then just....stopped eating it. 

So consider this whole post a gigantic shrug with commiserating hair pats, I guess. 

[underwaterrhymes]

Our kids used to eat so much and then they got picky and stayed that way. I have had to change my mindset. I figure I am not forced to eat the things I don’t like (mayo and mushrooms, largely), but I was as a kid and it affected my relationship with food for a long time.

So I’m trying to roll with it. We try to get them to try new things and sometimes we make new discoveries but H has really had to push me into a place where I’m not blaming myself or stressing that they will spend their lives only eating nuggets and / or pizza. I’m not 100% there yet, but getting there. It’s hard.

[rhian]

Nov 1, 2024 16:57:47 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Nov 1, 2024 16:42:16 GMT -5 wise_rita said:

Do you sit with her to eat? I didn't for a long time, and my kids (now 4 and 2) were kind of picky.

Since we made the effort to sit with them half the time and eat (something - not necessarily our real meal) both kids eat so so so much better.

Also with #2 I didn't have the capacity to care what she eats, at all. Something unhealthy? Nothing? Whatever, you'll live and we can try again tomorrow.

We sit with her, but I don’t normally eat. So maybe I’ll try having a bit while she’s eating.

We try to eat together and our toddler tends to eat a bit more when we do that. I was also going to suggest having her sit in your lap while you eat. Sometimes mine will refuse something when it's on his plate at his chair, but then he'll sit with me and want what's on my plate, even if it's the exact same thing. Toddlers!

[gretchenindisguise]

At that age if it was my food - my kids wanted it. Even if it was the same food on their plate - they wanted it off mine.

My youngest also refused to eat pancakes until I gave him a fork, then he ate the whole thing. I think it also happened with meatballs.

My 15 year old still goes through the nd thing of eating one thing for 3 months and then it becomes an ick. Her current food want is a special sandwich from mendocino farms. Last one was pad thai. Kid has expensive obsessions.

Nearly 10 year old eats ramen almost every single day after school.

[macmars45]

Nov 1, 2024 16:16:12 GMT -5 joy said:

Nov 1, 2024 16:10:48 GMT -5 felicity said:

I'm over here wallowing around in a sea of teddy grahams. Toddlers!

My kid is 8. lolsob

She has some neurodiversity/sensory things going on and is just picky as hell. I can only pick so many battles so this one is not on the list. Is she growing okay? Then fine. Here’s a granola bar.

Mine too, he's autistic. I don't call him picky though because he doesn't control it; that's how his brain is wired for food. That's the difference to me. *shrug*

ETA:Jalapeñomel I made a lot of muffins with DS' help from 2-4. Muffins with bananas, yogurt, peanut butter and chocolate chips. I can send you a recipe if you want.

[livinitup]

You are doing great, mom.

It’s your job to offer food, it’s her job to eat it. I know it’s frustrating to hear. You want so badly to do something and see some eating!

It is absolutely not your job to get food into her. I know that’s hard and you want to so much! In fact, the more you make it a thing, the more it can and will backfire.

Keep doing what you’re doing. You sound engaged,
Motivated and lovely.

[wanderingback]

As you know) our daughter isn’t picky, but she’s still a toddler and has her moments, so sharing in case helpful, but you’re doing great!:

We have one of those learning towers we got off buy nothing. She really likes to watch us prep things and help a little. She loves then standing there to eat after it’s done.

Eating together the exact same thing she’s eating.

If not eating together, still sitting with her. If she says she doesn’t want something we usually say "that’s ok, can I have some" then she says yes, we take 2 bites and then magically after that she will often start eating it

Giving 2 choices. Do you want pasta or rice?

After giving options and putting the food on the plate sticking to it and not bringing out a million other items as they refuse each one. Every once in awhile she really won’t eat anything so then I ask her 1 time if she would like X other item. Right now she is obsessed with fruit bars from Trader Joe’s and bananas. So I’ll say would you like banana? If she says yes I’ll give it to her and if she says no then I’ll say that’s ok, we’re going to clean up now.

[rhian]

Something else, sometimes we can convince our toddler to try something he's not initially interested in by asking him something like, "do you think the green bean will be crunchy or soft? Sweet or sour?"

He's also currently into what foods different people like, especially if my partner and I have different preferences. Tonight it was cilantro: "Mama likes cilantro, but Dada doesn't like it. Do you want to try it and see whether you like it?"

[dreamcrisp1]

How old is she?

It really is likely a phase. My middle went through this from around 2-2.75. It sucked. A lot. He only wanted bread or chicken schnitzel. Sometimes fried fish.

And then I just quit trying tbh. I cooked what I wanted for us and offered them that and also just had something they liked. They could eat whatever they wanted. And then all of a sudden he came out of this phase. And in the last 3-4 months, he’s actually eating a variety of things now. He’s started to like eggs (never ever ate it before even as a baby), pasta (same thing), burgers, curries, fried rice, etc. like to say I am shocked is an understatement.

I also follow feeding picky eaters on IG and I really like her account.

[SusanBAnthony]

We did a lot of watching the Daniel tiger episode about trying new things because they might taste good.

We offered variety at meals but the meal was the meal, no other choices. The meal contained at least one thing he liked (milk, bread, rice, etc) so he wasn't starving.

We always ate together (same meal) and he helped prepare it often (not actually helped obviously, but on the learning tower in the kitchen like wandering back said). Famously when he was 3 I put DD down for a nap and came back to him sitting on the counter "making cookies" so that can backfire 🤣 that was a huge cleanup job.

Overall the most important thing was myself getting over it and not stressing about it.

[Jalapeñomel]

She’ll be 3 next week, so maybe, hopefully it’s a phase!

I’ve tried asking if I can eat it, and if she says no, I’ll try anyway (or not at all). If I eat it, she doesn’t care. lol

[meowmaps]

My 3 year old used to eat berries like they were candy. Now I’m lucky if I can get her to eat a banana. She basically lives on carbs right now. But I’d suggest trying some new/random things you might not expect her to like. For instance, despite being really picky right now, she loves seaweed. She’s the only one in the house who eats it. And she’ll have hummus with pretzel crackers.

[Jalapeñomel]

Thanks y’all for all the advice, commiseration, and anecdotes . I appreciate it all!

Tonight she ate a vegan corn dog and pirates booty!