My 3 year old son is a VERY picky eater. I mean he will only eat about 15 different things.?

Question

Of course, he won't eat any meat, fruits, or vegetables. He freaks out whenever new food is intoduced to him. He won't even let me sit at the table with him and eat my dinner if I'm having something he doesn't like. I have tried incentive charts, giving him no dinner if he chooses not to eat what I give him. What can I do to make eat more foods? It sucks to go to a restaurant and have to pack a meal for him to bring. Has anyone had experience with this problem? Thanks!

Answer 1

What do you mean "he" won't let you sit at the table. You need to get that issue solved first then work on the food end.

Answer 2

At 3 it's pretty normal to be picky, but the telling you what you can eat has to stop. You are the mom-he is the child, if he starts to be the boss now how can you guide him to adulthood? He needs rules and boundaries-when he says you can't eat something tell him tough you like it and he will have to deal with it. A tantrum will mean a time out. There are some good parenting websites, books and classes at the community center - look into them. You are not doing him any favors by letting him be the boss of you.
As too the food thing - I would get a kids cookbook - let him shop and create his own edible science experiments. Try building a broccoli forest on the edge of a ranch dressing lake and have a tuna sandwich castle so he is the giant devouring all he sees. Let him control the food adventure and you choose the food that can encourage better fantasy and creativity. Some kids will always be picky but the bossing you around has got to stop, because he will learn that adults are not to be respected and that will make his future education an even bigger chore. Good Luck!

Answer 3

That sounds right on target, age-wise. Around 2-3 years old, the shine is off being introduced new foods (once so exciting!) and they're exploring their preferences AND their ability to assert some independence. This can lead to all sorts of food quirks. It also tends to be a phase.

Keep in mind it takes 7 exposures to a new food for it to become familiar, so don't get disheartened if he turns his nose up at new foods the first few (or more) times. I wouldn't get punitive about it, either, as that can create all sorts of power struggles and food issues later on. I'd continue to make meals as usual, include something he likes and encourage him to try a bite of something new/different each time. If he does, cool, if not, let it go. If he gets upset by you eating something he doesn't care for, it's his choice to stay or go (this is where he can safely assert his independence). I wouldn't eat elsewhere myself, but I would give him his choices and let him make them (natural/logical consequences). If *he* chooses to leave the table, versus you taking dinner away, he's seeing the natural consequence of his choice rather than you imposing an illogical consequence on him. This will lead to less resentment on both sides and him learning to take charge of his own decisions.

Outside of mealtimes, you could take him grocery shopping with you and casually talk about healthy eating choices (exposure leading to familiarity). Ask his opinion and help him learn how to make good choices. Good luck!

Answer 4

15 things? Wow you are lucky,I wish my 3 year old liked that many things. She's almost 4 now and her eating has gotten a little bit better. Keep at introducing new things as nerve racking as it can be. At this age they can understand that if they don't eat this, there will be none of what they do like. I have mine eating applesauce,carrots and raisins for healthy foods. It's not easy but she has learned in order to have the chips and cookies (even mac and cheese),the good stuff must be eaten first. When it comes to going out,mine had one meal she liked (grilled cheese) so she was always allowed to have that (no carrots,etc). She knows it's a treat to have her "going out" meal. She will not eat grilled cheese at home..go figure!

Good luck.

Answer 5

Oh yes, but this will continue. What I did was make sure, even when macaroni and cheese was the only option. You could purchase pediasure. It is full of nutrients and makes sure your son is getting the nutrition he needs. This is very normal for kids, especially the picky ones. As for restraurants, we only go to the ones that the kids will eat at. Other than that we eat at home. Just make sure he is getting extra nutrition from secret sources, like the pediasure, daily childrens multivitamin which now I see come in gummy flavors. If your really concerned, talk to the doctor. However, the doctor always told me, they will eat when they are hungry. Great help, huh?!

Answer 6

Make food fun for him. Make vegetables/fruit with really bright colors and ask him to pick his favorite color to eat. You can also get him involved in "cooking" by giving him cookie cutters to put his food (works well with sandwiches, sometimes meat) into different shapes. You can also let him dye his foods or decorate his foods with different condiments and food dyes. If he creates something himself, he is more likely to eat it. Just make sure you cover the table with a plastic table cloth or mat for goofs. Take him to family friendly restaurants with kid menus and give him options so he will think he's picking his own meal. If all else fails, sneak a vitamin into the foods he likes or give him Pediasure to make sure he is getting the nutrients he needs. Good Luck!

Answer 7

You're crazy for letting your 3 yr old run you like that!! What do you mean you can't sit at the table with him??? YOU are the parent! You do not let him control you!! So what if he throws a fit? You better get control of him NOW or you are really going to have problems in the future. Put a plate of food in front of him, if he chooses not to eat, let him go hungry! He will eventually eat when he gets hungry enough! This isn't being mean, it is what is required to be a GOOD parent. He isn't going to starve to death. What you've been doing so far isn't working so you have to try something different. You are going to have to listen to him scream, throw fits and the whole nine yards, but you can't give in! YOU ARE IN CHARGE AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT!! Now go sit at the table with him, with whatever food you want on your plate! If he throws a fit, put him to bed. TAKE YOUR CONTROL BACK!!

Answer 8

Continue what you are doing and do not worry. My nephew, until the age of 6, only ate bread. Sometimes he would eat pizza or chicken nuggets or spaghetti noodles with nothing on them, but mostly just white bread. He was healthy so the doc said not to worry. Now he is 7 and eats a variety of foods. He even likes to help cook different foods.

Answer 9

15 different things isn't so bad. Let him eat them until he's tired of them. My son was picky too; he didn't like any of the usual kid stuff like mac & cheese, peanut butter, grilled cheese or hot dogs. He liked yogurt, pasta with just butter, tortillas and various other things. I let him eat pasta everyday until he had enough. He never liked plain milk, just chocolate. I let him drink a glass of 1% milk with chocolate syrup (not too much) almost everyday too. Kids won't starve themselves to death. On the other items, it's "your" table and don't you forget it. He can sit on the floor if he doesn't like what you're eating. Also, you might be surprised but most of us would prefer you pack your child's food and bring it to the restaurant; much better than a crying child.

Answer 10

HI, YES I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. MY SON IS 6 YEARS OLD, HE WON'T EAT MEAT. I BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE HE WAS 4 MONTHS OLD WHEN I STARTED FEEDING HIM THE JARRED MEAT. THE DOCTOR I WENT TO, TOLD ME TO PUT WHATEVER FOOD YOU ARE EATING IN THE PLATE AND TELL HIM THAT HE HAS TO EAT IT OR EAT NOTHING AT ALL. OF COURSE, AS A MOTHER YOU CAN'T LET YOUR CHILD GO TO BED HUNGRY. SO, I DIDN'T LISTEN TO HIM. I MAKE HIM OTHER THINGS THAT HE LIKES, MAC&CHEESE, PASTA,WAFFLES,PIZZA AND ETC. I KNOW IT IS A PAIN TO MAKE TWO DIFFERENT MEALS. IT IS WORTH DOING IT THEN PUTTING YOUR CHILD TO BED WHEN YOU KNOW THEY DIDN'T EAT. JUST LET HIM EATS WHAT HE LIKES. MAYBE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD HE WILL TRY OTHER THINGS. GIVE HIM SOMETIME. GOOD LUCK

Answer 11

It takes a child seeing a food 15 times for him/her to begin eating it. Keep the healthy food on the table.