How to convince my 4 year old son to eat?

Question

My son is a picky eater; he doesn’t eat anything else beside foods that are fried, such as fish stick, chicken nugget, and French fries. Is there anyway to encourage him to start eating fruits and vegetables? His older sister have no problem when comes to eating healthy. Please help!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful response. My son is really stubborn, I will try all this tips and hopefully he will come around.

Answer 1

Kids absolutely love things that are fun and colorful. You can arrange veggie sticks with dip on a platter, or fruit with dip, or even buy a platter. If you make your own, you can try making shapes out of the fruits, or make a face. Kids love dipping things.
Also, you can have him help make something. Kids like to eat things that they had a hand in making (i.e. when kids make cookies). Another thing is to cut them in fun shapes. You can make a sandwich, and use a cookie cutter to make it in a cute shape for him.
You can look at these tips too: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/childrens-health/HQ01107

Answer 2

What you have to do is not have those things at home to give him. My daughter is the same way, but instead of fried stuff all she wants is breakfast cereal and cookies! So, I don't buy those things anymore and just make her participate w/me while I make dinner. She sits in the kitchen counter while I'm seasoning the meats, cleaning the veggies and washing the rice. Make him participate, even if he's a boy! That'll make him feel proud that he helped w/dinner and it might help w/him eating it too! Good luck!!!

Answer 3

Let him get hungry. It will be hard for you as a parent to deny your son but that really is the only way to change his eating habits. My 3-year old refuses to eat lots of things. So when I cook something she doesn't like for dinner either she doesn't eat or she eats way later than usual 'cause by 8pm she's starving and will eat whatever I give her. Try the following:

1.) Don't have the fried/fatty foods available to him at home.
2.) Let him help with dinner preparation - even if its just stirring a bowl.
3.) Let him see you eating the meal you've prepared.
4.) Don't compare him to his sister by saying things like, "See your sister loves brocoli." Kids do not respond well to comparisons.
5.) Fruits are a good substitute for veggies. If he won't eat brocoli, let him eat an apple. If he doesn't like peas, give him an orange.
6.) Don't let him have anything to eat or drink up to two hours before dinner.
7.) Try using raw veggies as a snack option. Kids usually like celery, carrots, etc especially with ranch dressing.
8.) This is a hard one but... If he won't eat what is prepared for the family DO NOT offer him an alternative. Tell him that this is what's for dinner and if he doesn't want it, he can go to his room without dinner. Trust me, he won't do that but two or three times before he gets the message.
9.) If all else fails... Make sure he has a multi-vitamin everyday.

Best wishes!

Answer 4

Just Take a Bite-Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D. and Tania-Stegen-Hanson, OTR/L.

This is a great book for helping parents with children who are challenging feeders.

General advice:

-Mealtimes should not be longer than 30-45 minutes.
-Meals should be at table with tv, other forms of distraction off.
-Praise eating/feeding behaviors; Ignore refusal behaviors.
-Be specific-Thank you for taking a bite of your bread.
-Use foods the child likes as a reinforcer for trying new foods.
-Do not give child water, juice, milk about an hour before meals. Otherwise, they will fill up on liquids.
-It takes most children at least 10 presentations of the food to tell if they will like it. So, just because they don't like it on the first try, don't give up. Try it again another time.

Edit: I want to add that there is a common misconception out there that all children will eat when hungry. This is simply not true. I work in a hospital setting and have seen many children with feeding tubes because they will starve themselves.

Answer 5

Quit feeding him those things everyday. If you don't make chicken nuggets then he will have to eat soemthing else. I am not saying to give him a plate of carrots and say that is all you can have, but don't give in and he will eat what you give him. The ideas about him helping you cook are really good as well.

Answer 6

First, don't make a big deal out of it. Kids are naturals at regulating their own diets. They only get messed up when us adults interfere. I would put things on the table and hope that he gets curious enough to try them. Veggie sticks with dip, fruit with dip. Kids love to dip things. You can also have him help you prepare the foods. Kids tend to eat things that they had a hand in making. Another thing is to cut them in fun shapes. Don't forget to try things like trail mix and raisins and nuts. Keep offering them with no pressure and eventually he'll try them and probably like them. Good luck :)

Answer 7

don't offer fried foods, give carrot sticks and other veggies with a dip your child is not picky he is 4, that is how children are please don't label him, keep offering different things he will eat when hungry cambells chunky soups are good, rice, whole wheat toast, sweet potatoes can be made a lot of ways dry cerial, whole wheat noodles with a variety of sauces, instant oatmeal, all fruits, beans, yogurt, cheese sticks, not fried, whole wheat english muffin pizzas he could help make himself, melon, cooked or raw green beans, roman noodles,

Answer 8

just make him what you are eating and tell him he has to take 5 bites . Then if he still wont eat it make him something different. you dont want your kid to go hungry.

what i do with veggies is i hide them in mashed potatoes.

I take 3 table spoons of peas,corn or carrots and mash them in the blender then mix with potatoes. kids think they are cool because of the different color just dont tell him their is a veggie in there.

Answer 9

make him sit still until he eats whats on his plate and no desert or fun until after its gone...worked on my step-son