my 4 year old wont eat new foods!?

Question

let me start by saying this my 4 year old was abused & neglected by his birth mother, so i know thats why he wont eat (he usually insists on eatting a little debbie snack cake - which is what she would always feed him because she had the munchies) we finally convinced him (by the hardest) to eat a few foods mac & cheese, rice & gravy, mashed potatoes, nuggets. but if its not the exact same brand (ex kraft mac & cheese) he wont eat it. does anyone have any tips that i can try to get him to try new foods, it just sucks becasue not all places serve what he eats, & when we go eat out he wont eat & its so embarassing.

most of the time when we offer him new foods he starts to cry & causes a huge scene yelling abouthow he doesnt eat that!

oh & vitamins, he wont take them unless theyre in liquid form.

Answer 1

To start with get him some higher quality foods that taste better. Shape his food into an airplane shape. Begin with some spaghetti covered in cheese sauce (to resemble the color of mac) . Be creative and cut up foods a bit later. Dont feed him for the whole day until he gets hungry and has to eat some green beans & a cheesy burrito !

The foods your having a toddler eat need to be fruits.

Go cold turkey with him.

You've got to say NO more and set the vittles of fruits and steamed veggies before him. Head shaking aside keep offering him apple sauce for days until he breaks down and whimpers trying some then as he sucks up his tears nod and say GOOD aint it yeah mhm.

Instead of the mashed potatoes cook your own wedges.

This child needs for fresh fruits and try apple sauce !! Hell want that that with some strawberries cut up on top !

Always offer children cut up grapes and raisins and cheeses and colorful tray of wedges of cantaloupe.

Place a final end to those unhealthy gross little debbie snack cakes.

Answer 2

I would like to wish you all the best with your family first and foremost.

Also I have to point out that his dislike of new foods is not unique my 4 year old refuses to try new food he had pizza for the first time last week and I wanted to rent a hall and throw a party!! Its a phase every child goes through. There is nothing to blame it on and when a child is hungry they will eat. If its only liquid vitamens then give him liquid vitamens. If its a certain brand of food then try to be flexible and make sure you have it available. It shouldn't be a battle and you shouldn't drive yourself mad about it. As long as he is eating be greatful. Your love and patience is what he needs most especially considering his background. Don't be embarrassed everyone that has a child knows there are going to be difficult times. Might not be a bad idea to get counselling too! Good luck!

Answer 3

Well, dealing with such a delicate situation, this will be tough, as you don't want to make him feel the way his birth mother probably did. Try picking a meal to fix at home, and let him help. Pull a dining room chair into the kitchen for him to stand on and let him tear the lettuce up for a salad, or after you have cut some vegetables up, let him transfer them into the dish. My daughter is almost 4, and has always been a real picky eater, and now that she is in preschool, and getting ready for kindergarted, this is a real problem. They don't fix 2 meals, like I would, so she is given the same amount of time to eat as everyone else and if she doesnt she will have to wait until snack time and she also gives up desert. It will take time and patience, but it always helps at dinner time if she knows that she helped prepare it, she is proud of what she has done, and looks forward to enjoying it. You can also try starting to use desert as a tool, but offering something different every night, and let it sit on the table in plain view, and once he has eaten dinner, let him go to town. Explain to him that if he eats his dinner, then he will for one, grow to be a big strong boy, and he will also get a sweet treat in the end. I know how frustarating this can be, best of luck to you.

Answer 4

That child should be going some where for counseling. I know they are only 4 but there are really good child programs for kids who have been in situations of neglect.

2nd.. I think all kids are a little picky when they eat. Some won't eat veggies.. some wont eat meat unless its breaded..

Start small and feed fruit and veggie snacks through out the day between meals that way if they dont eat dinner you know they will be fine because they eat good throughout the day.

Snacks should be a fruit bowl of grapes. cut up apples, oranges and maybe banana's.. and switch it up every now and then and try pears. mango, tangerine, etc..

Veggies are sometimes hard to get into kids. Thankfully you can buy juices that taste like fruit but have every vegetable you can think of like celery, spinach, etc... and it will taste like strawberry and banana juice lol..

Just think out side the box and take it one day at a time. Always supplement. Make vitamins fun and try the gummy bear kind.

Answer 5

Have you tried taking this little guy shopping with you? Have him pick out some foods that he might like to try. Or start with trying one bite of a new thing every couple of days. Ex when you feed him his kraft dinner, have one bite of something new before he has his kraft dinner. Then the next time try two bites first and so on.

Have you tried to reward him with something like a sticker or a smartie or something when he tries something new? Try maybe a reward system where if he gets 5 sickers or something like that he get's to go and choose a toy or a surprize.

best of luck

Answer 6

It would take some extra effort but try to make his food into shapes or designs that he might like. Find some cookie-cutters to cut out his food and tell him a story about it. I was going to answer this question by saying just keep offering him different things on his plate and tell him he has to take two bites before he leaves the table but this seems like a much more delicate situation. Best of luck to you. I hope you figure something out.

Answer 7

Well what i do is i some times mix stuff in and half the time kids don't notice! Say he likes yogurt but won't eat fruit cut the fruit up tiny and throw it in the yogurt. Try to introduce him to new foods by setting with him and showing him how good it is! It can be tough but if all else fails go to the doctor and tell him your concerns they might have a better answer! Good Luck!

Answer 8

I feel so badly for what your poor little boy went through! I'm thankful he's with you now, a mommy who's obviously concerned about his well-being!! :)

Anyway, my older boy (5) is the same way. He is real against eating new foods. However, we started talked about health and the foods that make you big and strong. We talk about how the Power Rangers must be eating healthy foods like chicken, vegetables and fruit because they can beat up bad guys! Sounds silly but it works. Now we have constant dialog about what foods are healthy and what are treats. We discuss that treats are okay sometimes, but healthy foods are what will make you big and strong.

I hope this was helpful and good luck to you!

Answer 9

Sounds like you are working hard to make the best out of a bad situation. Think that is great. If you go out to eat bring his food they will heat it up for you if you ask. Try making a game out of eating new foods. Let him name them whatever crazy word comes to mind and then eat it with him. Example: ask him what he thinks it looks like it should be called and if he eats it with you you have to call it that from then on. Don't rename the stuff he already eats, it has a name, just the new stuff gets new names and he has to eat it. Worth a shot. Good luck with this, you will make it through. Sounds to me like you are a great mom!

Answer 10

Congratulations on being brave enough to ask this and take this problem on. There has been some good advice given aleady so read it all and try it all. (Give different ones a chance to work though)

My son has a 12 year old friend who has a similiar problem and it's a nightmare inviting him over or trying to take him anywhere. We tried to get him to eat one bite of a hamburger and he almost gagged.

Keep trying and good luck!!!