If it were up to Sara, she would have cereal 3 meals a day. Which, until dinner tonight, she had actually had cereal for 3 consecutive meals. She is over the whole finger food stage and now eats really well with a fork and spoon, but isn't as adventurous as she used to be. She doesn't like to try new things and I'm running out of ideas. I cook meals for Cameron and I, but continue to give her what she'll eat: hot dogs, noodles, PB&J, cereal, oatmeal, lunchables...
At what age can you really give your kid the option: Eat this or don't eat anything at all? And what are some tricks to getting your kid to eat new things?
I wrote about this in one of my early posts. I don't use the "Eat this or starve" option because then food becomes a control issue. My doctor said not to use that option. He said have things as part of dinner like fruit or veggies they like, so they can have some things they like. And, even if they don't eat their dinner they still get their bedtime snack. THis way there is no control issue.
ReplyDeleteI make my four year old try everything (we started when he turned three and a half) and he gets to take a "no thank you bite" which means he has to taste it. HE doesn't have to like it or eat more, but he has to try it. We always offer the kids what is for dinner, and just last week he ate something he had never eaten before and liked it. Keep offering by putting it on her plate.
Also, at our house, if we take our no thank you bites and don't complain we always have the option of a peanut butter sandwich.
Good luck!
I totally forgot you posted about this, but now I remember. I went back and read your post again. Great ideas! Last night I offered her a chocolate chip for every bite she ate. She eventually ate everything, but had about 10 chocolate chips. ;) Thanks for the ideas, Brandi! Sometimes I'd like to transport these super mom brains in to mine for a day and see how different it feels to actually know what to do.
ReplyDeleteSara might be too young for the "eat or stave" route...and I like the "no thank you bit". I grew up in a family where my mom was basically a short order cook and with 6 kids some nights made 6 different things because a few of my siblings are SUPER picky. I think that you need to keep introducing her to other foods and not let her always eat the 4 things that she is comfortable with because then she will be a picky eater always. My sister is 30 and still a picky eater. Going out to eat with my family is a JOKE because of picky eating adults. My mom has said multiple times that she wishes she would have MADE them try more things and branch out a little. It would have made her life as a mom easier and ours as eaters better in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI have heard of parents introducing new foods in a fun way - like watch a movie together and have a picnic of salty (pretzels, popcorn, veggies with salt) or sweet (fruit, candy) or fluffy (mashed potatoes, whipped cream) or sour or hard or hot or cold or other textured foods. Make a plate of those foods (a small portion of each, so it isn't asking too much for her to eat everything prepared) and then have a movie picnic. Maybe if it is a fun snack at first the taste buds will grow fond of the foods more.
Be careful of always giving a reward or she will always want a reward for just eating. And if she wants it for eating, she is going to want it for other things that are just as small.