Have you got any food ideas for a strong-willed 17 month old who would only eat noodles and chips?

Question

Breakfast is fine as he's happy to eat his cereal. Lunch/Dinner is a nightmare, I have tried a range of foods - boiled sweet potato, mashed potato, pasta, rice but he would not eat it. The amazing thing is he eats all of these foods and more at the childminders where he eats alongside 6 other kids

Answer 1

Don't force.
They go through stages.
Find a place where he prefers to eat for now.
He'll change his mind later. Noodles and chips are ok - carbs are good for them as they run about and grow so fast.
Sweet potato chips instead?
Make it fun too, like letting him put things on a plastic fork and allowing him to get messy with it.

Answer 2

You've had some sensible answers here already, so i can only re-inforce what the others are saying. YOU are in charge of what your child eats, not him! If you dont provide noodles and chips, but a range of healthy meals then eventually he WILL eat!

If he doesnt eat his meal, then nothing until next healthy snack/meal time.

It is not at all amazing that he eats what the other kids eat at the childminders. She doesnt care if he eats or not, she is not fussing over him, she is just dishing up the food and the kids all get on with it.

Truly you just have to be firm.... if he whines for chips/noodles just say Mummy hasnt got any, we are eating **** today, and try and sit down and eat the same as him.

By the way, it sounds to me like the childminder has too many children there. Are we talking about theUK? What ages are the children? I used to be a childminder and i didnt think you were allowed to have that many.

Answer 3

Maybe he enjoys eating with company. Try serving him at the same time you have your meal. He's old enough now to have small portions of whatever you're having. If the portion is too big he might be overwhelmed and just refuse the entire meal. You can always serve seconds!

Also, perhaps at the childminders there's more of a routine. Children like to know what's expected of them and generally conform. At the childminders he knows he's not going to get a different choice if he whines. At home, he knows you'll give in and give him his favourite food. So he's just living up to expectations.

Don't forget when starting a new regime there'll be opposition for a few days. So stick to your guns. You know he'll eat it elsewhere, so he should learn to eat it at home.

At our house we have the three bite rule. Our daughter must try at least three bites of each food or she can't have pudding. If she has three bites she generally eats the rest of it. If she really can't stand it then I don't feel too bad about insisting on three bites - it's not that much after all. She is now nearly five and eats a good range of food.

Good luck :)

Answer 4

Well Mum you need to be firmer you are the parent if the child wont eat it its because he has got used to you giving in to him!
You surely are more strong willed than the child don't just give in for a quiet life or your life will become hell ruled by your child.
Insist that your child eats the same as the rest of the family even if it is only a little and often cut out snacks in between meals also unless it is fruit or vegetables.
Also ask your childminder how she behaves at meal times when he is there and do the same consistency is the best policy.

Hopefully meal times will become easier in time .... just don't give in to him!
Best of luck Mum

Answer 5

I am assuming that this is a first child. I have 4 of my own and a step child as well. When I met my wife her son was 6 months old and she asked this question. Here is what we did. First off very few healthy babies will starve if they miss one meal at this age. Second they will cry to get what they want. You as parents have to set safe boundaries. At meal time we mushed up whatever we were having. There was nothing else offered. True we ate more simple meals instead of real bizarre foods but still regular meals. Yes, there was trial and error but VERY quickly he tried many things and ate most of them. Everything from smoked salmon to brie cheese. Most people were wmazed but if you look at what babies are fed around the world the diet is more extensive than you would think. Most times the old fall back is a mushed banana. Still add things slowly. It usually works. However do be ready for some crying and yes a mess as well. I loved watching my son suck in spaghetti strands. Nearly wet myself watching.

Answer 6

Put up all the snack food so that when you open a cabinet or pantry, he cannot see the junk foods. If you put out dinner and he eats with the rest of the family, it could simulate his daycare. Also, dont give in!! He will not starve. Be persistant. If he refused to eat, just put his plate aside and cover it up. He will be back to eat. Maybe not the first night, but it wont take long..

Answer 7

Mine always ate things for the childminder that they wouldn't eat at home.

It's a good age for stuff he can manage himself - cooked carrot sticks or babycorn that he can pick up with his fingers. Try it with a tiny bit of butter and honey on them. Sandwiches cut into small squares or shapes that he can pick up. Small pieces of fresh or dried fruit. Breadsticks with soft cheese for dipping.

Keep offering a variety of foods over time - it can take months for them to learn to eat something new. And whatever you do, don't make a battle of it. Try not to stress too much as he's not going to starve!

Answer 8

what about using a blender to mix up veg sauces, then add that o the noodles? try making your own chips, and what about bringing some of the food cooked at the childminders home just so you can see how he eats there?

Answer 9

How about roast parsnips, carrots and sweet potatoes - they look a bit like chips! Try mixing things in with the noodles, a bit like a stirfry. I agree that you ned to diversify his diet but as I am not a mother and am not qualified in this field I can't really give advice.

Answer 10

Give him what you want him to eat and if he doesn't he doesn't. When he gets hungry enough he will. It's a battle and he's winning and knows it. He eats with other children because the attention given to him is different.