Very fussy eater

[Laucu]

It's driving me bonkers. For about 6 months now, Jack's diet has consisted of mostly:

Cereal
Toast
Fig Rolls
Cheese or peanut butter sandwiches (no other sandwiches will get touched let alone tasted)
Beans
Bernard Matthews Dinosaurs
Bananas
Yogurt

I just don't know what to do. Breakfast is always a bowl of cereal and 2 slices of toast, lunch is always a sandwich. These get eaten fine. But the only dinner he does not refuse is flipping Bernard Matthews dinosaurs and beans. Which I refuse to give more than once a week (beans I don't have a problem with, but those processed dinosaurs....well... I dont like them!). He always pushes his dinner away without even tasting it! He does then have a yogurt or a banana, but I refuse to cook seperate meals.

I have tried cutting out snacks. In the morning he just has a Goodies bar or a couple of fig rolls, but I give him nothing in between lunch and dinner, except milk (but no later than 2pm).

I always remain indifferent as I don't want him to see that it drives me nuts. I never force him, if he says he's finished I'll just say 'ok!

Argh!!! Does anyone have any advice? I never had this much of a problem with Emma!

 

[jd83]

I have a really picky eater too, and we tried about everything. I would suggest adding the yogurt or banana to his plate, not giving after he refuses the meal. Itf its given with the meal, its viewed as part of the meal, not as a reward for refusing the meal, if that makes sense. He might continually still only eat those things, but giving it with the meal makes it so that those things are just normal items of the meal, and not something to refuse a meal to get. I always include at least one item on my son's plate that I know he likes. He's pretty picky, so he often does refuse the rest of the meal and eat just that one thing. But at least that's one thing, not outright refusal to eat at all, which we did face with some meals before. Keep portions pretty small, so its not so much wastage too. I've actually found its easier for me to get him to try a bite of something if he's only faced with a small amount of it on his plate.

 

[Laucu]

I have a really picky eater too, and we tried about everything. I would suggest adding the yogurt or banana to his plate, not giving after he refuses the meal. Itf its given with the meal, its viewed as part of the meal, not as a reward for refusing the meal, if that makes sense. He might continually still only eat those things, but giving it with the meal makes it so that those things are just normal items of the meal, and not something to refuse a meal to get. I always include at least one item on my son's plate that I know he likes. He's pretty picky, so he often does refuse the rest of the meal and eat just that one thing. But at least that's one thing, not outright refusal to eat at all, which we did face with some meals before. Keep portions pretty small, so its not so much wastage too. I've actually found its easier for me to get him to try a bite of something if he's only faced with a small amount of it on his plate.

Ooh thanks for the tip I will try that!

Yes, portions are always small so that he isn't daunted by a big plate of food.

I'm also wondering if some kind of novelty plate will entice him. I have a dinosaur set stashed away for christmas but might just give it to him early and see if that helps.

 

[RaspberryK]

I'm afraid that in our house there's no yogurt offered after refusal to eat main course.
I would offer whatever you are having for all meals with no alternative.
It may be that he's not a dinner person and regardless of what's offered he won't eat much anyway?
Xx

 

[Gwen77]

My little guy is the same! Super picky. The only foods he eats are:

Cheerios
Chicken Nuggets
Yogurt
small pieces of apples or strawberries
muffins
crackers
toast with peanut butter & jam (or a sandwich with this stuff on it)
waffles
pizza crust

That's it. We've tried him with veggies, small portions, big portions, fun forks/spoons/bowls, everything. Nothing works. He doesn't even eat cheese. what kid doesn't like CHEESE?!!? lol