my 16 month son doesn't eat many things?

Question

He'll eat most fruit, bread things like pizza crust, waffles, crackers, dry cereals and yogurt. No meat or veggies, what should i do about it? i try everyday to give him something like that and he refuses it each time. any ideas?

Answer 1

OK - Journey must not have a child... if only it was that easy!

My son did (and still does to some extent, still does) reject the same things. If your son will not eat the vegs and meat on their own, try mixing them into foods he likes. For example:

- mix pieces of veggies into soup
- make casseroles and fill them with meat and veggies
- make a veggie dip and spread them on his crackers (and waffles)

My best luck was with shakes! I got my son interested in drinking shakes and mixed the foods he wasn't eating into them. He's like your son and loves fruit. So I would take fruit, a bit of yogurt, milk, ice and whatever veggie you wanted and mixed it up in a blender. Pop it in a sippy cup and he's got a yummy (and healthy) treat.

I still use the shake trick several times a week, since my 2 yr 9 month old son has decided that veggies are "boring" and "icky".

Oh - and make sure you get him on a multi-vitamin so that he's getting the minerals he needs elsewhere. :)

Answer 2

I kept my friends daughter after school and her mom told me repeatedly how picky she was. The funny thing about that was she ate a lot of foods with me she wouldn't eat with her mom because she was always making a big deal out of it. I would not give her choice. She had to eat what i prepared and 80% of the time this worked. For the 20% when she didn't like something i would dress it up with a dipping sauce are make a dish and disguise the ( unwanted food) as some thing she did like . I think casseroles and soups are a good way to get your son to eat veggies (don't really worry about the meat right now it will come soon enough). Also give him a multivitamin and maybe try Pediasure it helps give children vital nutrients.

Answer 3

Be the leader here. You are bigger than he is right? At 16 months he's not the one buying the pizza crust, crackers and such. Bring into the house good quality food and offer him good quality foods. When he gets hungry he will eat. Meats are no problem as they are extremely harmful anyway. Fruits and veggies are the best. He can get all the protein and calcium he needs from veggies. Make them fun. Make faces on his plate with the stuff. Mashed potato base, carrots for eyes, green beans for mouth, etc. For a snack you cannot beat the nutrition in cheerios. Sugar/cereals, not good.

I feel for you, a dear friend of mine really had a hard time with her son. Strangely enough when he came to my house he ate like a little piggy. I think it was because she made such an issue of his eating.....he fought her on it. At my house the food was there but I made no effort to get him to eat. He just did it.
Good luck

Answer 4

Is he otherwise normal weight and height, active, curious about his world? Then don't worry too much. Children go through food phases where they will eat the same thing day after day and then refuse that very food. Since he really likes fruit and bread things, give him his protein and veggies before allowing him to have the things he prefers. You are the parent! Try finger foods like roll-ups with some deli ham or turkey; chicken nuggets; cheese chunks; baby carrots raw; peas, cucumber...things he can manage himself as finger foods. Limit the amount of snack foods he eats between meals. You might also bring this question to your pediatrician

Answer 5

Okay well definitely don't listen to people who tell you to yell at him. It's so normal at his age to do the things he's doing, my son did the exact same thing. My doctor just told me to keep trying, although it may be frustrating at times and you worry that he isn't getting the proper nutrition, but just add a multi-vitamin to his diet (just ask your pharmacist which would be best). Eventually he'll come around and try new things, it took my son until almost 19 months to start eating "real" food, now he'll eat just about anything I make for him. So as long as the doctor says he's healthy, just be patient. Good luck.

Answer 6

Try:

A savoury yogurt. Just grate a few little bits of whatever veg you've got around the house into it.

Mini quiches

Putting the food on a little table, and letting him pick at it as he wants to.

Grating carrot into baked beans

Savoury scones

Pizza is a good one. You can make it at home, and add all sorts of different veg to it.

A fruit salad with little bits of veg added here and there. I doubt he'd even notice

Answer 7

Okay well first tell him that meat gives you protein and he will be a grown strong man if he eats it and that if he doesnt he wont grow up to be strong so tell him all the fact okay good luck

Answer 8

Who gives a care what he wants to eat, your suppose to follow the food pyramid! If he says no to meat/veggies, then you yell at him, not to hard, but a little scold. It's important for a child to have a balanced meal.

Answer 9

Give him the things he likes with a multi vitamin!
(most kids don't like veggies!)