My daughter doesn't eat much, any tips to get her to try new foods?

Question

She is 6 years old and all she really eats is rice, french fries, breads & noodles. We have trried to get her to try new things and have had no luck. She has found a fruit or 2 she'll eat and green beans, as far as meats go...bacon!

Here's another issue...with the things she does eat, there is no really have a way to "hide" other things in it. Plain rice, plain noodles, mac n' cheese, grilled cheese, cheese pizza etc. I have NEVER met a kid as picky as her! We're currently trying a rewards system, but that doesn't seem to work either.

Answer 1

As a mother of 3 (all grown now) I've been there. Here's the thing- the harder you try the more she'll resist. Let her eat what she likes, at least she's eating SOMETHING. She certainly won't starve. Don't fret over it, she'll more than likely try other foods as she gets older. I had one that wouldn't eat any meat then only ate PB&J and cereal for months.

Answer 2

Oh my gosh is it my kid you are talking about? He is also six and he's real thin. He's actually severely allergic to many foods but foods he can eat he chooses not too, he is so fussy. Look you have a few things to work with and just slowly try to introduce other things. The noodles and rice is good. For dinner my son often just has a meat like sausage or cutlet and a big bowl of plain noodles. I get pasta of all different shapes and cook it altogether so it looks interesting. Have you tried reward charts, if she has a try of a new food she gets a sticker kind of thing and keep encouraging her to try it, it doesn't work for us but you never know. Does she drink alot? If so is it water. If she drinks too much especially cordial etc...she may not feel hungry at meals. What is her weight like? Is it okay? If her weight is okay and she is healthy then I wouldn't worry she is getting all the nutrition she needs but just keep encouraging new foods, don't give up. I mean for a kid, a bacon sandwich is very nutritious so give her lots of them! It's interesting what she is eating because the bread, rice, noodles and beans are all failsafe foods, foods that severely intolerant children can eat because they have less chemicals etc in them (even 'healthy' foods can be very unhealthy for an intolerant child). I would love to know if she has other issues like poor health etc....because there may be an underlying reason why she is only eating these foods. My friends child was diagnosed as anorexic at the age of 4 but it turns out it's not that at all, he had severe reflux and they didn't know and when they did a scope his insides were a mess I think, and they could tell he had reflux. He had been very specific about what he ate because other things made him feel bad! Worth thinking about.

Answer 3

I have a very preferred 8 year old eater. She may have a sensory disorder such as mine does. Let her eat what she likes even if it is a very limited menu. Make sure she gets a multi-vitamin. Stop making a big deal over it too. When I stopped asking and offering and such my child asked for some new things. In the past few months we have added 3 new items to the menu for him. It's not much for some but it is a big step for him. Stop the battle and make meals fun by talking about stuff she likes while eating.

Answer 4

good luck i have a 7yr old thats a picky eater. He eats no meats at all.He only eats french fries,pizza,bread and junk foods. The peditrican told me its just a phase they go through they'll out grow it. My sons been like that for atleast 5yrs now. Good luck

Answer 5

my daughter is also 6 and she is the same way i always tell her don't knock it till u try it so when she refuses to try it we play with her at dinner and daddy will plug her nose and i will put a small piece on the fork or spoon and put it in her mouth it turns out to about half the time she ends up liking it and the other half she don't but i dont let her just say she dont like it she has to try it first and it turns out her favorite sandwich is peanut butter and miraacle whip just like us lol. if she refuses to even try it then tell her u r gonna take something away like her favorite toy or something until she does try it. that usually works for me. P.S. i dont make her try anything that we would not eat though.

Answer 6

Make a special trip to the market with her and let her pick out the "something new" to try. You may have to do some research on how to prepare it. Then make a chart with a picture/name of item in one column, make two more columns, Like and Dislike. If she doesn't like it let her put an X, if she likes it let her put on a sticker. That is just an idea.

Answer 7

Get her a colorful COOKING book...have her flip through it and pay attention to what dish catches her eyes.. Food is all about presentation..if you can't make it like the picture, she'll probably still eat it because she already belives it's tasty.

Another way is to have her eat with friends her age maybe that would get her appetite going.

Answer 8

We have a rule in our home... Everyone has to eat one bite of a new food. Just one. They are not allowed to spit it out. After they have tried one bite, if they do not like it, they do not have to eat the rest of it. My kids have found they like more things than they think they will. The next time I prepare the dish, they have to try one bite again. They may eventually love it. Tastes change over time!

Answer 9

try puttin ham or turkey or hotdogs into the macaroni and chees cut in small pieces
pizza is good for her try putting baccon on the pizza try making things like baked potatoes with ranch or add spices to the veggies i put a little garlic and season salt and my kids eat it
make her taste the food no matter what it is i tell my kids at least one bite
watermelon is good
chicken strips

try giving her vitimins kids eat more when they take vitimins

Answer 10

Well, that's a lot of starch. Get her checked out by a doctor and rule out childhood diabetes, first. If that comes out clear, keep a strong watch and careful balance on those foods she will eat.

Seek the help of a pediatrician's dietician.