My son hate veggies ... and he loves junk foods better...?

Question

my 5 y/o son hate veggies... and he don't have appetite to eat... he loves to eat junk foods... which we always say to him "junk foods are not good for health"... but he still ask for it...
we had his annual check up and he weigh same as he weigh when he was 3.5 y/o... how can we make him love the veggies, bring back his appetite to eat and make him healthier ?

Answer 1

do not make "junk food" available. dont eat it infront of him, and tell him its bad.
make it fun. if anything, juice it up with strawberries, apples and bananas, where he will get the nutrients and all the goodies, without really noticing. im sure he likes juice.

my son is 2, he eats carrots, onion, spinach, apples, kiwi, watermelon - only because it is our normal, daily thing, and we dont expose him much to the "yukky" stuff...

so good luck...

dont give him too much fizzy drinks, sugary stuff as it fills him up which will probably mean no appetite.


Good luck, persistancy and compromise....

Answer 2

You must be able to discipline him. If he does not eat his veggies he goes to time out. Or once he eats his veggies he gets a little junk food, but only if he finishes his veggies. A 5 year old boy does not understand what things bad for your health do to you. You could also try giving him a variety of veggies and fruits to find out what he really likes. It is not that odd that he does not have an appetite. Many kids do not want to eat a lot when they are little, they just want to have fun. But, is he getting adequate rest and exercise? That could contribute to appetite problems. You must be able to restrict him from junk foods while encouraging him to eat healthy. If the problem gets out of hand consult a pediatrician.

Answer 3

Well, the thing is if I was offered a cookie and a carrot...I would take the cookie. Children need to learn the right way to eat, and parents have to provide that. I make sure my 2 and 3 year old get veggies and fruits daily...even if they don't jump for joy over it. And I won't let them leave the table until they have eaten them, at least a few bites and they don't get junk food.

Try cooking with veggies, like grinding carrots in meat or other things like that.

Answer 4

Wow, Very strange. Does he possibly have the sniffles, or does he have any drainage going on that you are Missing. Drainage can be in the back of the throat and go unnoticed by us parents, you may just hear some coughs from it but thats all. If this is so, then this could most definitely make him not really wanting to eat. I know when I am draining and I don't want to eat either as gross as that sounds. Even though I've read about Pediasure being more for helping to gain weight rather than the Actual Nutrients of it I think I would go this route a while? A Multivitamin as well for him so he can be getting something. My son is a VERY picky eater when he use to eat fine before to & its really a struggle for us to get him to eat just about anything besides his corn and mashed potatoes & a couple other very select food...Other wise if he had his way he'd live off from junk food. ugh Good Luck! Wish I could help you out more! Just try to watch him and bring anything unusual up to the pediatrician and demand he look into it. Yes he may just be a 2yr old who is a picky eater, & is standing by his decision but if you feel there is something more than 9 times out of 10 their might just be more. Look for itchy throat, coughing, pulling at his ears....anything that might draw attention and be different & speak with your Pediatrician about it.

Answer 5

All kids would rather eat junk food than healthy food... My oldest is 3 and he's underweight. So, I'm constantly trying to get any "good" calories into his diet. I cook everything he eats.. He and his brother both LOVE kraft macaroni and cheese so, I like to add in baby food puree to it... Butternut squash is a good add in because it's yellow and a little sweet. I also add in puree carrots or even frozen mixed veggies. Spagetti is another one you can go wild with.. if they don't like the texture puree is a good way to "hide" the good stuff.. I add puree carrots,peas, broccoli whatever. We all eat and you can't tell. Chili, stew just about any food you can "hide" some sort of fruit/veggie in.. I also give my children milkshakes.. However, they are made with Carnation Instant Breakfast whole milk and I add a banana to it.

I make pancakes but instead of adding oil to the pancake mix I add 1/2 c. of applesauce or a mashed ripe banana.. I also add instant flavored oatmeal.. Just make the oatmeal as usual and mix into liquid ingriedients (eggs,vanilla,applesauce)/ then dry mix. They freeze well and there's no need for syrup.

My children also LOVE scrambled eggs so I often make a frittata.. I beat 6-8 eggs, add about 1/2 c. sour cream... I cook bulk roll pork sausage, saute onions, garlic,green pepper let cool and add to a 13x9 glass baking dish. sprayed.... Bake 350 for 1/2 hour till eggs set and top with cheddar cheese.. It's got protein, dairy,veggies.. My kids love it....
Also, since you prepare the meals and buy the food children mirror what they see, if it's NOT in the house they/you can't eat it right?

Answer 6

If you continue to let him eat like this, he will have these habits for years to come. Stop it now. My sister's kids are like this, they only eat "snacks" and really junk. They're overweight, always tired & hungry, and I never ask them to come over for dinner!

Get the junk out of your house. Just don't buy it. Go grocery shopping on your own if you can so you don't have a kid screaming. Budget your grocery list, this will also save money. Go over the weekly grocery store ads, and set at least a few days of meals so you know what to purchase. When it's dinner time, sit down at the table to eat. Don't buy spicy foods (unless he likes it) or anything more adult-ish. My daughter hates casseroles, so I don't make it. When it's time to eat, sit down and eat your dinner. and talk to him. Just make it a routine. He will balk at first, but continue to do this every day and he'll get used to it. If he says "I want chips" "sorry, this is dinner. chips are for special days..."

My kids eat meat, veggies, noodles/rice, and a fruit for dinner. I don't trust them making the right choices at lunch so I make sure that they get one good meal a day. I make chicken & legs, turkey legs, beef tenderloin (easier to eat than steak), I grill mostly (even in wisconsin winters). My kids eat real food, because they're used to it. I spend more on groceries every week that I buy pizza, chips, etc. It's a major money saver to buy real food.

I heard once that if you do something 12 times in a row, it becomes habit.

Also I know that in the freezer section right now you'll find spongebob green beans. My son only ate canned french style green beans, so this was a great way for him to learn to eat another kind.

Answer 7

Keep junk food out of the house
Be a role model for him. If you like veggies and eat them, eventually he might come around. My daughter is three and she has learned that she eats what we make.
I know there are books that "hide" veggies in foods he likes but that is skirting the point, we need to teach children not lie to them!

Answer 8

Lol...they ALL love junk food! My daughter would live on chips and candy if I let her. At 5 you can explain to him that junky food is a treat and only for Fridays....make him a reward chart....for every vegetable he eats give hima star and when he has twenty stars get him a treat. Dony have junk in the house....only healthy food, lots of fruit and things so he can eat them when he likes....dont worry if he doesnt seem to eat much for a few days...he wont starve....he will eat good food if he is hungry enough.

Answer 9

if he wont eat his dinner, ABSOLUTELY NO SNACKS~ no junk food... he will eat when he's hungry... but if this becomes a really bad habbit and doesnt eat with the family, dont let him eat until breakfast. you have to be tough. but like i said he will def. eat when hes hungry!
one way to get him to try to eat veggies is to let him see you and the rest of the family enjoying them too, also let him help you prepare the meals, he will be more involved with dinner planning, and he might just take a bite of something that hes helped create. try being creative with his meals. not just plain ol piles of food. make his food have like faces or something fun like that. i wouldnt make a great big huge deal about him taking a bite or eatting them, it might embarass him. so just be patient with him.
You telling him junk food isnt good for health (thats good) but what are u showing him when you allow it in your house. your showing him adouble standard. ~ good luck

Answer 10

I went through this with my son. He didn't gain weight for years! I quit buying the junk food. Cook the food you want him to eat. If he won't eat what's fixed he goes hungry. He will come around when he gets good and hungry. It's a battle of wills sometimes still but he knows if he goes hungry it's his own fault for not eating what was offered.