picky eater?

Question

my two and a half year old is a very picky eater she will only eat thing like pasta and rice. She wont try any new things and I'm concerned because she is a very small child. I would like suggestions on how to experiment with food

she is underweight for her age group seen the doctor about this and have to keep her monitored

Answer 1

feed her the same things that you are eating. let her see you and the rest of the family eat it too. she has to learn the its okay for her to eat these other foods. she is just comfortable with the pasta and rice. make she she tries everything at least once. let her eat off your plate to understand that what you are eating is okay for her to eat too. you need to get her out of her comfort zone on food.

Answer 2

My 5yo son is picky. He eats with his eyes. I never sneak something onto his plate. Although he doesn't many food he eats (pasta, rice, peanut butter, some fruits and veggies) he does have a representative from each of the food groups. We talk about taking care of our bodies and he knows that he needs good food before any junk. I continue to offer new things on a regular basis, but I never make him try anything. Our rules are that he never complains about what is put on his plate, and that it stays on his plate. He's healthy and growing, even if he is on the small side. The big thing I woudl say is patience and love. You can't make them eat, they will always win that battle, but you can help to teach them what is healthy. I always tell him with great confidence that one day he will like (fill in the blank) and that tastebuds can and do change.

Answer 3

well small as in how? those should actually make her gain weight if thats all she's eating.

my daughter is a picky eater as well. sometimes adding ketchup, cheese to things help. and maybe make something like fetticiuni alfredo and that might get her to eat chicken and brocolli.

with rice you can come up with so many foods to put on top of it so she at least gets a taste of it from the food being on top.

she might be in a phase also. but just trying a variety of things and showing her that it is good and that (insert fav charactoer i.e. elmo) eats it too might help. I know on the Wiggles it shows I think Murry or wahtever eating a bunch of different foods if she watches that at all.

Answer 4

You can add powdered milk to those foods so she gets a bit more calcium and protein. Maybe try a rice pudding, letting her add the rice to the recipe so she sees that's what's in it. Try different sauces for the pasta, adding some powdered milk and/or melted cheese or finely chopped cooked egg white to them.
Try giving her one piece of a new food: a small cube of cheese or a cube of apple or a cube of chicken with her favorite foods. Let her eat the cubes with one of those fancy thick toothpicks. Will she drink milkshakes or puddings or other such things to which you can add some powdered milk or make with another supplement?
My kids used to love to have tea parties and serve tiny bits of food and drinks on their play dishes. They'd have frozen peas and other tiny pieces of cooked veggies. We'd also make a big deal about having something new or delicious at dinnertime, so they'd want to try just a piece. I wouldn't make a big deal out of her fussiness in front of her. Sometimes things like food become part of a control thing, and if she's getting a lot of attention by not eating or by refusing food, she may keep it up. Be patient; she'll gradually expand her menu.

Answer 5

Have you tried making food "Fun" I know that sounds silly but if you want her to at least try the food try making it fun. For example let her help you make the food. My son likes to help make pigs in a blanket and ants on a log. It could be messy but it gets them involved with food and trying new things. My mom actually bought a watermelon and a whole ton of fruit this past summer and had my son help her make a ship out of it with people (i know that would be considered to teaching your kid to play with food- but he knows the difference) and after they created this ship with all this fruit they sat and ate most of it outside with a bunch of his lil friends. It was healthy and fun for all of them! And yes my son was very picky. He is now 3 and I don't have to go all out to make food fun because he would much rather just eat it now. Good Luck I hope some of my answer helps!

Answer 6

my son now 8 was always a picky eater. Only ate yellow foods for about 6years. needless to say he is still alive. I found if i explained to him what each food value was he loved that. ex. carrots=good night vision etc. Or he would eat anything even veges in a soup. how about sneaking things in to foods she likes you can take baby food(full of vitamins) and mix it w/ noodles or rice. she'll never know.

Answer 7

maybe try to make the food look fun such as "ants on a log" which is celery with peanut butter and raisens. Also make a point that when you eat different foods, it taste really good and she is missing out on it. Also, don't cater to what she wants. My mom did for me and I was the most pickiest eater ever. Tell her she eats what is being served and that's that. She will eventually eat what you serve her because she has no other choice.

Answer 8

Puree vege's in cheesy pasta sauces or bolognaise. Make cupcakes & grate in apple & carrot or mashed banana. Make milkshakes & throw in a little pureed fruit & bran. Give your daughter vitimans. Could you make a really red & sweet juice that looks like cordial (ie beetroot, carrot & apple) & put a fancy straw in it. Use your blender & put a blob of pureed fruit or vege's in all your pasta/rice dishes & hide with the taste of cheese or meat. Good luck.

Answer 9

Grind up veggies and put them in the sauce of her pasta or rice. Maybe try looking up suggestions to how to make good food look good to young kids. Like different ways to arrange foods to make it look like animals or such things.

Answer 10

Stop giving in and giving her only what she likes. Give her something, if she doesn't eat it don't force her but don't give in. Let her up from the table, do not allow any snacks...if she goes to bed hungry she goes to bed hungry, next day offer her the different foods and you may find she has changed her minds. Children will eat what is in front of them when they are hungry enough, and they won't starve if they miss a meal or two.