fussy eater-help!

Hi all,
My "used to eat loads of anything" eater has become a very fussy eater.
He is 14 months old and even though I read that this can be a particularly fussy age, I kind of hoped he wouldn't be this bad as he used to eat anything put in front of him.
He will eat banana only, as far as fruit goes (used to happily eat a whole cut up pear, peaches, grapes etc)
As far as veges go, I am still having to give him mashed vege, but he will only eat it with fruit mixed in, gross I know. Each day I try to give him pieces of cooked veges, varying it each day. I'm just hoping that one day he may just decide he likes something. So far, he squashes it in his hands, occasionally has a lick then quickly drops it, screwing his face up or even shivering in disgust (quite funny to watch).
He does love meat chicken and fish of any kind and he also lokes a bit of rice and pasta. When I add some sneaky veges to dishes, he spits them or eats around it.
Basically I'm hoping that if I keep offering, that he will come around. I was just wondering if anyone with an older child, has experienced this and can reassure me that it is a phase and that he will learn to like veges and fruit.
I have heard that likes and dislikes are hereditary, I love my fruit and vege but my husband on the other hand has only grown to enjoy them in the last 10 years or so.
I also heard of a mother who had identical twins, boy and girl. The girl loved fruit and vege and the boy wouldn't eat any of it. They were both treated the same and offered the same. Who knows!
I always imagined I'd have the "eat your veges" kids, but you just can't make them, they have their own little likes and dislikes.
I'd appreciate any stories others have.
Thanks!
Laura

Hi Laura,

When I read your post, I thought I had written it myself!!!

My son is 18mths and is exactly the same, I have found lately that he is starting to eat some of the food he used to not eat. I have spoken to my sister about this, she has a four year old & 11 mth old and she said that my nephew did this from around this age until he was 2. She suggest just keep giving them the food every now and then and eventually they will learn to enjoy the food again.

This advice she gave me has worked. Hope this gives you some hope.

Sal

Hi Laura

Isn't it funny that no matter who's child it is, there are just phases our little ones go through.
Paige (now 2y3m) still has her fussy days, most of the time at home with me or at her dads. At day care no problem will eat most things put in front of her.
I remember she went through a stage where she would only eat fruit, usually bananas, tinned peaches or stewed apple and custard. This went on for a month or so, she would eat it lunch and dinner times.
She still is not a breakie girl, no matter what I give her. I have justed started to cut her toast into shapes with cookie cutters to try and get her to eat it!
I agree with Sal just slowly re-introduce the foods.And try not to stress they will eat when they are hunger.

Hi, Laura1
I don't know, if you find my words encouraging or not but anyway...

Fussy eater's stage can last the whole life. That's a bad news.
The good news are that fussy eaters still tend to change their menu, so it's quite likely that offering him food he dislikes from time to time gives you a chance that one day he will switch onto peas and carrots and will live on them smile

Hi, I also have a very fussy eater. My daughter is now 2 years old and for some time now she refuses to eat fresh fruit or vegetables. She used to eat anything I gave her and now doesn't. She will only eat pureed fruit (Goulburn Valley Fruit) and spits out any vegies we give her. She eats fish, meat, chicken, but will only eat one thing. If I give her nuggets and chips, or meat and chips, she will only eat the nuggets or meat. But if I give her just chips she will eat them. I also hope that she grows out of this, but I'm not holding my breathe. She loves her vegemite sandwiches. She eats weetbix for breakfast and eats her lunch (including a whole tub of yoghurt) but doesn't eat a great deal for dinner. I was concerned for a little while, but it doesn't change a thing, she doesn't eat any better. She isn't losing weight, she seems to be quite healthy, so I have given up stressing about it. I think that if she is hungry, she'll eat. Anyhow, if you get any more ideas, please also let me know.

Eva.

evabrennan@yahoo.com.au

Hi Blue Eyes

Joshua is 16 months old. We have now seen the doc about the severe constipation.

Have put him on parachoc for two weeks and now things are back to normal. He has started all of sudden eating vegetables at night and this appears to have helped. He is now walking and I think this too helps.

Cheers.

Justine

from my experience and what i have wathed my nephew do who is now 3 and a bit it seems to be a stage that they go through both kids ate like a horse the first 12 months then slowed right down but they arent growing as much in their second 12 months but i was told that as long as their is food available when they are looking for it not to worry because you cant make them eat if they arent hungry the other ting you might like to try is to make what you are eating sound really good like mmm thats good yummy and you will find more often than not they will come over and possibly eat some or just sit a plate of food next to you and dont say anything and tehy will look and then when they are ready come to eat my little girl when she wants something goes to the fridge or whatever cupboard what she wants is in and asks to open it afetr 2 1/2 3 they usualy start eating again in another 10 years you will probably be finding yourself wishing they didnt eat so much

Hi Laura. You aren't on you own with this.

My daughter went from eating like a horse, at least toast, cereal, yoghurt (sometimes 2 tubs), a glass of juice, a breastfeed, fresh chopped up fruit (one morning she ate three mandarins not 3 pieces, 3 whole mandarins) for breakfast alone.

Then she would have a large jar of baby food for morning tea, a drink of milk, a few of the farex biscuits.

Then at lunch time she would eat two large jars of baby food, more cut fruit, and a drink of mik again.

At dinner time she would normally be exhausted but most days she would eat as many vegetables as me (and I love my veges too) and whatever meat i was having (but about the third of the size I would serve myself).

Then she would have a breastfeed and go to bed.

She would wake at least twice in the night for a breastfeed. Once at 11 ish and then again at roughly 4am ish.

Now however, she wont eat cereal, unless it is cocopops and dry, she wont eat toast, she will eat yoghurt, but doesnt really eat it, more paints her face and legs with it, she wont eat jarred baby food (or even the tins they make for older children aged 1-3), she wont eat vegetables, and nor will she eat meat.

All I can currently get her to eat is fruit, cheese stick, juice and milk.

Occasionally she will eat a jam sandwich, and on the odd occassion I can get her to eat some two minute noodles. Some being the operative word.

ALTHOUGH...... last night I made some meatloaf muffins from chicken and veges. I grated some onion, potato, carrot and zucchini, and mixed it in with the (already cooked) shredded chicken. I put it in muffin pans and baked it in the oven as you would muffins or meatloaf, and wham when they were finished after about 40 minutes, I pulled them out, made some dipping sauce from a variety of spices (eg ginger and garlic, and parsley) mixed it in with some worseshire sauce (cant spell that word) and a bit of mayonaise.

For a child that wont touch meat or vegetables, she ate 5 of these muffins and loved the sauce.

I was thinking of doing this forever now, cos they werent bad, I ate the other 7 from the pan, and you could do it with any kind of vegetable and any kind of meat!

Dont know if that is of any help to you, but I can understand the situation you are in, I am there and have been for nearly 6 months!!

Best of luck.

Kara

My 'nearly' 1 year old has decided he doesn't want to eat the things he used to love. He has discovered he can close his mouth and on the occasions I manage to get anything in there he can now spit it out. He loved fruit and veg but I can only get him to eat veg if it has melted cheese in it and even then it's a struggle to get him eating it. He has also gone off the fruit he used to love which is what I don't understand. Help! All I read is about giving a balanced diet and cheese and porridge doesn't seem that balanced to me!

Hi Bubblesox and everyone!
I know this post may be out of date for you now, hopefully Kai is eating better now but I too have an 11 month old Jay, has learnt to close his mouth, stick his hand in the air just as I am about to bring the spoon to his mouth-flicking food all over the place( my 4 dogs LOVE him for doing this, at least they clean up most of the mess for me ha ha ha). ITS LIKE OVERNIGHT HE HAS GONE FROM EATING ANYTHING LIKE A HORSE TO EATING LIKE A "FUSSY" BIRD, I know its been hot lately but still! i did the melted cheese thing but this only lasted a little while, he hardly eats his cereal yoghurt, fruit and veg anymore. I have also found that he NOW doesn't like to eat anything I feed him with rather he may take sandwiches/fruit/steamed veg etc only if he can hold it himself,(if I am lucky he will eat it in his highchair otherwise whilst holding onto the gate when I am in the kitchen) mind you 90-95% of the time he drops it, squashes it everywhere and the dogs end up having it if this happens.
Have you or anyone had better luck now???
Any pointers will be most appreciated guys!!!
Jodie and Jayden

Hi Jodie,

Lucky you having dogs! I have to clean up the mess myself!

We were still having no luck with Kai until Xmas Day when we whizzed up some roast dinner and gravy which he wolfed down! We tried him on 'normal' veggies the next day with gravy and from then on he ate anything as long as it had gravy in it! I thought I'd do a sneaky the other day and give him veg with no gravy and he ate it! He is also eating fruit like he used to as well so I'm hoping this is the only feeding phase he will have!?

Let me know if the gravy worked for Jayden! Good luck - it's a frustrating time I know!

Hi,

My daughter is now 19 months and unbealiveably fussy! This has been going on sice she was I think 14 minites old! She doesn't like her veges much, same with friut. She'll eat a bit of banana and just loves her dairy food, she'll also eat crakers and loves cruskets. I'm lucky if I can get a bit of meat in her which isn't often. Gave her some cod cut in to bite size fingers for her that I crumbed then fryed, she ate 3 out of 4 which was great, she wouldn't eat her veges though! Ahhh! She like sauguages now and again and they have to be tegel. Nuggets go down the hatch now and again. There's not much she will eat and her weight is not good so I've been told. But lision to this she'll eat nana's veges and meat when she's there! All nana adds is butter. I added it to mine but no she wouldn't have a bar of it! Can't win can I! So try taking your child to thier nana or Auntys, it might just work!