my son just wont eat his veg?

Question

my son will only eat peas and no other veg. he'll only eat certain fruits eg; grapes,banana and orange. am i worrying over nothing or should i be trying harder?

Answer 1

Two pediatricians told me that if the child eats fruit, that is sufficient. My kids don't touch vegetables either.

Answer 2

It's easy to worry, I don't blame you. On the bright side, he is eating some fruits and veg so he is getting some vitamins and active enzymes that way. Keep trying. Offer something new every day. It's really good to get into this habit; make sure you eat it at the same time with him making very obvious "oh wow, how yummy I LOVE THIS" noises - seriously, You might feel silly but you can't over-do it. Lay it on. Love the veg. If he doesn't want to eat it, don't make a big deal out of it or he can use not eating veg as a bargaining tool. When he does eat it praise at the end of the meal, so he just sees that it's normal to eat veg and eating or not eating it doesn't earn any special treatment negative or otherwise.
You could grow some veggies like tomatoes, beans and carrots in the garden or other fruit and veg in window boxes if you don't have a garden. Then eating the food will become part of the activity, and he will begin to perceive enjoying fresh food as something fun and pleasurable. Take him grocery shopping so you can choose new vegetables to try together. Giving him some control may make him more willing to co-operate!
In the meantime there's no harm in giving him a child's multivitamin just to make sure he's not deficient in anything.

Answer 3

The more you worry and fuss about it, the more your son will refuse to eat it. From now on do not mention it but at every meal time put a small amount of a different fruit / veg on his plate. Don not say things like he has to eat it but if he mentions it just say this is what is for dinner today. The first few times he might just leave them which is fine, do not comment. However after he has seen them on his plate a few times and you have not commented he might try touching / tasting them. Eventually, if all fruits and veg are included in all meals as part of normal daily life with no fuss made he should start eating most of them. You could also involve him in choosing, buying and preparing the fruit and veg - you could make faces with carrot sticks etc and this fun might encourage him to taste them too

Answer 4

well it depends on how old he is as to what you can do and what to expect.
Let me say that only eating fruit and 1 veggies is not sufficient just b/c its in the same food group. every veggie and fruit has different vitamins nutrients and benefits.
If he is over 2 he will be able to understand this: when its time to eat put a very little amount of 3 things on a plate. 2 things he like and one that he doesn't. once he eats the things he likes and asks for more say "ok, one bite of carrots (or whatever) first. He will say no and say ok, done. try this everyday, lunch is a good time b/c they have had breakfast and you dont want to start out doing this at dinner b/c you dont want him to go to bed hungry. Keep doing it everyday!! He will eventually try it! At first require him to take just one bite, after he does that require 2 bites, then 3.... it works!
also, some other things you can do for him to get the V8 fusion juice, its 100% juice and it has fruits and veggies, theres a full serving of both! just make sure you get that's 100% juice. try putting veggies in pasta and making a smiley face with veggies. My kids love to make pics and eat the trees and clouds (broccoli and cauliflower)
good luck

Answer 5

Hi,
My son is two and a half and like yours would only eat peas and the occasional fruit up until not long ago.
We persisted with other veg, by putting it on his plate and eating with him to show him that mum and dad eat their veg!
It seems to have worked, he now eats veg put on his plate (not everytime but more often that not) and last week made himself gag as he was trying to get his salmon, new potatoes, broccoli and runner beans down his throat too quickly.
I think persistence is the key.
Good luck.

Answer 6

We see all these programmes on telly about how your child should eat vegetables and you should give them and not other things etc etc. But I think more children don't eat vegetables than do. I would serve a very small amount with every meal and maybe one day he will try something but if he won't eat it he won't eat it. I always think how would we feel if we were forced to eat something we didn't like. Over the years there must be millions of people who didn't eat veggies as a child and they are fine. I don't think you should worry, give him the fruit etc that he likes and one day he will eat other stuff. I'm sure there are lots of adults who love vegetables now but hated them when they were a child

Answer 7

Mabe add some mash spud either on it's own or with mashed pumpkin. But add this to the side and not have the peas mixed in with it. If you add the vegies all together, he will come to expect that his vegies are mashed together all the time... I have a friend whose 3 kids only eat their vegetables when they are mixed up to a brown vitamised sloppy mix. It looks like pig slop.They are 5,7 and 8 yrs old. These kids should be chewing their vegetables, not drinking them. When they go to friends houses, they won't eat their vegies because it isn't the pig slop. People say that at least they are eating their vegies, but this isn't teaching them social manners, or table ettiquette. And how about when they get older and go out to dinner and pig slop isn't available.There is an importance as to why kids should use their teeth to eat.
... Please try to introduce one vegie at a time in it's true form.
Have more vegies on the plate than other food. They will soon learn that eating is better than being hungry.

Answer 8

Try disguising them - carrots and courgettes in a spaghetti or pizza sauce for example, then whizz them with a blender, so he thinks it's just tomatoes. Or get a smoothie maker so if he still won't eat his veg, he can still get his 5 a day from fruit. It's hard, as many vegetables taste really sour to children who have different taste buds to adults, but he'll soon grow to like them if you persevere, and when he grows up a bit. Best of luck!

Answer 9

my son came anemic at 2 1/2 because he wasnt eating any fruit or veg.a good tip is if he likes tomatoe sauce..then when making a big sunday dinner blend carrot and turnip into his mash.and it will turn into a bright orange tell him you have made him something special you made mash mixed with tomato sauce.its the only way i can get veg in to my son.

Answer 10

Bananas and oranges are good. I still mix defrosted frozen spinach nuggets in the mash, add parsley and tell them its parsley. I only just told them and have been doing it for years.
Try sweetcorn, most kids love it. And make sure you sit down and eat the same stuff with them. Son't make a huge deal about how yummy it is, just eat!
Make sure stuff like broccoli is cut up small, not a pile of huge stalks; mix it up with other stuff or add a sauce or gravy and don't tell them its there. No point in making a fuss about it.

Answer 11

With his dinners, give him the fruit and veg he does like and make up the nutrients he will be lacking with multivitamins.
There is no point cooking food that he won't eat, it's a waste of money.
Don't force feed him because it will make him hate meal times.
Good luck with it, stop worrying.