How can i get my 3 year old daughter to eat a more varied diet?

Question

She is happy eating just spaghetti hoops!!! She refuses anything else savoury.

Answer 1

She will eat when she's hungry.
Stop the hoops!!!

Answer 2

So if spaghetti hoops didn't exist, she would starve? I wonder how humans have lost their lives throughout history just because spaghetti hoops didn't exist at the time.

You must choose what is a good diet and just give her that. She may not like it but you must persist with it. Don't make a big deal out of it, no raised voices. If you do make a scene she will definitely not accept what you give her out of defiance. As some 'expert' on the radio once said "your child will eat anything once they are hungry enough" and you owe it to her to make sure that you don't give her crap like hoops in a can.

Answer 3

Make it fun! Buy a plate with 3 sections (our draw a peace sign on a paper plate) and save up ads and coupons. Practice going through the ads and learning the names and colors of the foods as you cut them out. Separate entrees, fruits and vegetables, and starches and pile up all the different types of food into the sections of the plate. Then (I know this sounds like work, but I promise it's fun) get 7 pieces of paper and put together 3 piece meal plans for each day. On an 8th piece of paper, compile all the other things you'll need like milk and butter as well as a special treat she's picked out. When you go to the grocery store you'll have a little helper! Associating the pictures, words, and foods is an excellent exercise for growing minds and bodies (did I just write that, how corny)! Also, now that you have the meals purchased and planned for the week, let her help you choose which day you'll eat what. The reason she always wants one thing is because she knows that thing and thereby controls it. Give her some "control" over the meals and make her your helper.

Answer 4

Kids that age love to copy their parents. If you are eating good food and showing your daughter that you are enjoying it then she will want to do it too. Give her exactly what you are eating, if she doesn't eat it, take it away and don't give her anything else till next mealtime. Hopefully she will be hungry and eat it. If not take it away again and carry on like that. She won't starve herself and if you don't give in then she will get the message. Try making food fun and getting her involved in cooking the meals too, ie making home made pizza and letting her decorate it etc. Finally feed your daughter at the same time as the rest of the family, best if you all sit round the table so she feels included.

Answer 5

She will change but keep trying to get her to try different things along with her favourites! You may have to say there is no more spaghetti hoops just what is on her plate and go through the tantrums a bit - you can try bribing by saying if you try this you can have some hoops.

Don't worry it will change.

Answer 6

Okay...I am seeing alot of good tricks (telling her not to eat it, covering her food in spaghetti, not pushing the issue-all good ideas) but I am also seeing alot of ideas that can lead to eating disorders later in her life.

I was one of those kids who was forced to clean her plate and so food became a control issue. I have been through hell & back since I was a kid. With my daughter-I let her eat what she wants when she wants (within reasonalble bounds). Half the time she chooses peaches, bananas, graham crackers, yogurt, raisins or string beans. The other half the time she eats mac & cheese, gummy worms, goldfishes, cheese doodles, or cheese burgers. I don't force her to eat or try to manipulate her (though we do sometimes play around and I'll say "chew" everytime she chews-she thinks that's a hoot!). I don't want her to go through what I did.

You do what you think is best. And when all is said & done-you are the mommy.

Answer 7

Don't make meal times a nightmare for yourself. Give her the spaghetti as normal and try adding a small amount of something else that is healthy, but if she doesn't eat it don't worry.

If you think she is lacking in vitamins you could always speak to your health visitor about a vitamin supplement.

Make sure she drinks milk for calcium as she does need that for healthy bones.

But as long as she is happy and growing and is happily running around don't panic she will come round when she is ready.

Do cut back the sugery things though as her teeth are developing and they could suffer later. Instead of juice give water, even too much pure fruit juice is bad as the acid could damage her teeth.

Answer 8

Dont sweat it, get some milk and juice in her and let it go, she will like other foods later on. At this age what they eat and dont eat are one of the few things the really have control over. It really takes a kid an average of 7 times of being introduced to a new food before they like it.

Answer 9

Give her a choice, eat or go hungry. It doesn't harm them to miss a meal, but NO snacks in between. That way, the clear your plate issue never arises - the child chooses. Obviously, stop serving spaghetti hoops.

My parents tried the "starving children in Africa" with my sister. She started putting food in envelopes.

Answer 10

Pasta is good. Try cooking your own, any shape of dried, they even make little animal shapes. make your own tomato sauce with tinned plum tomatoes. Add grated cheese, or vegetables, or minced/chopped meat/tuna. Get her to help in preparing the food, it really makes a difference. Reward her with a nice desert, such as real fruit yoghurt, banana and ice cream, fruit chopped up etc. Persevere, it really is worth it. Once she's mastered pasta, try similar recipes but use rice as the base instead. Hope this helps.

Answer 11

I make it a point to eat in front of my grand children (twins) and savor my meal with lots of 'mmmm' and lip smacking.

They will always ask for some. One will love it, the other won't.

If you continue offering foods other than at the dinner table, this will help too. While you're preparing dinner, offer her raw vegetables like carrots, celery, even raw potatoes. Show her how to make it taste better, by dipping into peanut butter or even a little salt.