How do I get my child to eat healthily?

Question

He exists on milk/milk-shakes, cereal, wholemeal bread, fruit juice and french-fries. I worked out that he probably meets his nutritional needs, but there's so little variety! I do try to set a good example by eating plenty of veg, fish, etc., but he won't comply. Occasionally I get him involved in the meal preparation, but he STILL wont eat anything. Nevertheless, he is gaining weight and doesn't appear to be undernourished.
Whenever I get strict and ban biscuits, sweets and other treats, he loses weight, so I cave in. The only whole fruit/veg he'll eat are apples, carrots, and broccoli occasionally. Can anyone advise, please?

Answer 1

YOU control his food. You've got to tell him that if he's hungry, he has to eat apples or whatever, not the sweets. Do not buy the sweets and treats. If you don't have them, then he can't eat them. Have the fruit, etc. readily available within easy reach of everyone. He will eat when he is hungry and get used to it. Grapes, pineapple, and other fruits are sweet and taste good. You're doing much better than most people; don't lose heart.

Answer 2

I have 4 children who beg me to make rice and grilled veg with a side of salad but when they were very young I did not give them a choice eat what you are served or go hungry.
Much of the food they ate in early childhood was grown by me or I raised my own chickens and fished and hunted for our meats.
Food was very fresh and well seasoned.
We eat dishes from all over the world so variety is good, I still to this day make most meals from scratch and my wife bakes.
It is possible to do this and have a career my wife is a nurse and a degree student, I used to work in IT and now run my own business.
So it doesn't really take more time but it does take patients.
be firm don't give in.
Force change by not buying things you don't want them to eat.
make the change compulsory if it is the only thing on offer when they get hungry enough no matter how much moaning and complaining they will get hungry and eat whats on offer.
Mine complain to me if I buy to much snack foods if it isn't on the healthy side I hear complaints, we can't buy enough fruit and fresh veg ever.
Never thrown out left over rice.
mine are 13-13-14-15 years old and have been this way for years.
This doesn't mean they won't destroy a container of ice cream they are still kids
I also involve them in cooking my daughter can make rice just about identical to mine and my 14 yr son is handy with 9 or 10 pasta recipes, the oldest makes some mean Chinese veg but they still leave smoking salmon and curing meats to me.

Answer 3

Start with Pedia Sure. He will get more vitamins that way. Then ask him things he likes. What veggies, fruits, meats, ways to make eggs, what milk and dairy, and write it all down. Create menu options that he can eat, that he will like. Then gradually start sneaking in healthier ingredients into his food, that he won't notice. For example, mix red pepper, broccoli, and spinach puree into spagetti sauce and he won't notice it. He will get all the nutrients though. Then as a side dish, feed him something healthy that he may not enjoy, but leave the things he does like on his plate. If he puts up a fuss, tell him he isn't going to leave the table until he finishes his food. Then gradually give him more healthy items. He'll get used to the fact that he has to eat them, or else there will be consequences.

Also, for recipes: on food network there is a great show called healthy appetite with Ellie Kreiger. I highly reccommend her recipes. They are good for you and they taste great.

Answer 4

Well...It sounds like he already eats better than most children. I would suggest buying 1% milk so when he does drink it he is getting a healthier dose....or soy...but most likely he will not like that. Also, make fruit more fun by making fruit platters and serving them for breakfast...my dad used to make faces out of fruit and then sprinkle a little sugar on it...it was a good start. Maybe teach him how delicious a yogurt smoothie can be or a protein shake instead of ice cream. Ultimately it is his decision on how he will eat as he gets older...all you can do is put the good things in front of him and he will hopefully acquire a taste for them.

Answer 5

I suggest take all of the bad foods away and only offer him foods and stuff for snacks such as bananas, oranges, yogurt etc.

I told my five year old that french fries are bad for your tummy and will give you pimples, and when she wants to order them I tell her no and get her something else. To this day she will tell everyone that french fries are bad and to eat veggies instead. If you were to offer her fries she would say no Thank You. This came after pulling fries from my kids diet period.I also heard giving fries to young girls could promote breast cancer in Adult age. We have to protect kids and eating healthy without junk food is important if the next generation is gonna survive cancer, diabetes and all these nutritional problem diseases.

Make sure when you say no to something bad, you have something healthy as a replacement to offer-

I also got a water cooler dispenser so my kids are encouraged to go up to it , pull the trigger and get nice cool water without all the chemicals that tap water has. My son now loves water. A year ago if he didn't have pop or sugary drinks he would throw his cup and whine whine whine. Well when we took those bad drinks away he eventually got thirsty and drank the water. A week later all he wanted was water-

It will be hard at first because he will cry whine and stomp his feet but eventually he will be hungry enough to go ahead and only eat the good stuff-

We went through this with our kids and in the beginning it was draining. We pulled all the junk food from our house and my kids went crazy. However about 3 days into this craziness the whining and moaning calmed down. My kids only get water instead of pop and they eat healthy and ask for healthy things. While doing this you must stress to your child how bad junk food is. Eventually it will click in. Its more up to you to stand your ground.

Our kids are products of what we allow them to have.

I knew I had to make the choice because I wanted healthy kids and I was being lazy by giving them what they want

DO NOT CAVE IN, NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS
IT IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF YOUR CHILD

Hope this helps
ps- stay away from white breads, white pastas, bleached flour and white refined sugars
Subsitute always with whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta etc
If you keep giving him white refined sugar and white breads his craving for that stuff will never go away. So getting into healthier foods will be harder because of the cravings.

Answer 6

ok ok if he is fat, then the losing the weight is a good thing and cave in with a packet of biscuits a week or something, then he won't get so bad next time. Also, if he likes apples and carrots, then that's fine at his age assuming he's young. Also, milk is good for him , and try the slimfast milkshakes which have most vital nutrients you wil see on the tin.

Answer 7

the childs testing you he isnt going to starve he will make sure he will eat, if you keep caving in to his nedds he will continue to test you. Children are smarter than what most people think, you provide him these bad foods like fench fries its ot something he has direct access to without your help, fix healthly meals, if he refuses to eat let him know if you dont eat you only get water for the rest of the night or untill the next meal. Eventually he will learn that you mean business and he will start eating correctly.
Remember he wont starve dont give into his demands

Answer 8

those veggies are enough, just keep him eating them, try lemon pepper on the broccoli and a little brown sugar when boiling the carrots and maybe he will eat more, you can use artificial brown sugar sweetener too. if he likes fruit juice you are ok there, hes getting what he needs to survive, thats about all you can expect because you have to set the requirements for veggies and fruits and a variety of meats from the moment they go on solid food.

Answer 9

I'd try to make interesting recipes with that stuff. For instance, if he won't eat his vegetables, try making beef stew, and throw the vegetables in there. I'll bet he'll be more willing to eat that. Serve tacos and throw in lettuce, cheese, tomatoes; again, I'm willing to bet he'll eat those happily. Be creative, and try to make stuff that looks like it'll be good to eat (yeah, sometimes it's hard, like making him eat liver, even I never liked it).

As for cereal, try the stuff that isn't loaded with sugar, like maybe Raisin Bran. If he's into comics/video games/cartoons, see if telling him that his favorite superhero eats it too might work (unless he's over 10, then maybe not, but it's worth a shot).

Try not to force it too much on him, or else he'll probably start hiding junk food around the house to eat while your not watching. And try to get him to excercise as well (and again, try to make it fun. Playing baseball is fun; making him run around the block probably won't be).

And let them eat a little junk food once in a while, like maybe once a week or so. It probably won't hurt him any, and it'll show that you still like to give him tasty stuff, but only if he'll eat what you give him the rest of the week.

Answer 10

How old is this child? If he's like under 3,you can still introduce different veggies and get him to like them. Try celery w/peanut butter,other veggies w/ranch dip,my 5 year old will eat anything dipped in ranch dressing,lol Nix the milkshakes,and alot to drink prior to a meal,that will make them feel full,thus,they will eat less. Peanut butter and jelly is actually good for them. If he's that picky,make certain he gets a vitamin supplement . The key is variation and make it fun. Yogurt dips are good,too for fruit. Good luck,I know it's not easy,but my 5 year old eats almost anything,and broccoli and asparagus are her favorites,no lie.