Any ideas in getting more fruits and veggies in my 3 year old?

Question

She has a sensitive gag reflex and really looks at everything in her plate. She's a very picky eater! Any suggestions?

Answer 1

I hide frozen (heated, of course) veggies in my daughter's grilled cheese. I also make her PB sandwiches with thinly sliced apples or bananas in them. She drinks the V8 fruit juices. To better disguise veggies so they won't be seen, try making spaghetti and mixing some baby veggies (yes, the gross kinds in the jars) in with the sauce. You can do this to soups, too. I did this and even my husband didn't taste a difference.

Answer 2

Let her choose from several options. If her gag reflex is for taste then ask her which tastes she likes the best and just offer her those items. She has a lifetime to adjust to new tastes. If it's size then let her stick with toddler foods or make your own by cooking veggies til they are soft, chopping them into small pieces or even pureed. Soft foods like bananas, peaches, applesauce should be good - sweet and easy to swallow. You can make smoothies with fruit juice, banana, berries - any sort of fruit. Veggies can be more palatable in soup. But don't try to trick her or force her to eat or she may develop eating disorders. Three-year olds don't need much food. Just be sure that each mouthful counts - don't offer sweet cereals or junk food. Keep offering a variety of nutritious foods - and eat them yourself. She'll soon want to copy what mommy does. Lighten up and don't worry about it so much - but be sure you discuss this with her doctor too.

Answer 3

A child usually eats like the parents... My kids have never had a problem eating fruits and veggies, but I started them young and I make ONE meal a night - if they don't like it - they eat cereal or a sandwich.

A chef/mom can always control picky eaters in the family by controlling what is served.

I used to call Broccoli, trees and cauliflower, flowers, I always made it fun, however we eat one to two veggies with each meal, so it's now a habit.

I bring in fresh apples, strawberries, berries, oranges and they love it!

It's also important to cook things that everyone likes... I noticed that when myself or my husband says "I don't like this", often the child mimics the parent, creating this hard habit to break.

Answer 4

If you eat fruits and veggies she will too.
I notice the oldest kid gets away with being picky eaters. After the first one getting away with this if one has more kids the other kids are no so apt to be able to get away with this. It gets old. My oldest and two of my friends oldest were all picky eaters. I feel it is because we let them be picky eaters.

Anyhoo you eat fruits and veggies as snacks the kids will follow. They learn by example.....

Answer 5

I know this may be time consuming but try to make shapes out of them while teaching her. My girls always ate what was put in front of them. Even now with the baby she wants to eat everything we have. I have a self feeder and i mix it up with fruit and veggies and she loves it. Hope that helps.

Answer 6

Make her brocoli into a "forest of trees". The put ranch dressing all around it for snow. For fruit you can make her a face. Use and apple slice as the mouth, grapes and the eyes and nose, and then you can put celery (even though its a veggie) as the hair.

Answer 7

Try carrot sticks with a dipping sauce. You could tell her they are carrot fries. Try hiding veggies in mashed potatoes or making a casserole and putting very finely chopped or pureed veggies in it.

Have you had her checked for food allergies? I didn't find out until later in life that my adversion to oranges was because I am allergic to oranges.

Answer 8

Try hiding them in other foods. I used to take my blender and blend a mixture of different vegies and add to my meatloaf for instance. I would puree them so the kids didnt see them. As far as fruits go most kids like one or two kinds. Just serve her the kinds she likes.

Answer 9

V-8 Juice is always a good option. If your child wouldn't like the vegetable flavor, they do have a fruit version which is actually quite delicious.

Answer 10

i just heard the other day from a friend about letting their picky eaterstart using those long toothpicks to pick up their food,they thnk its a treat.she said its working....good luck,been there,done that