Suggestions for a picky 11 month old eater?

[misshollygolightly]

I'm getting frustrated trying to find new foods DS will actually eat. Here's some background: we introduced solids at 6 months (tried avocado and he hated it, but rice cereal and bananas were a big hit); I do a combination of homemade and store-bought baby foods (and am willing to try/make/buy just about anything once); DS is still spoonfed (by us) and finger-/self-feeding, and doesn't really seem to have a major preference between the two yet. So here's the problem: I can't for the life of me get him to eat anything besides fruits (pureed, mixed with cereal or yogurt, and/or cut into pieces for him to pick up), sweet potato purees (sometimes I can sneak in a little pureed chicken or turkey), grains (baby cereals, Cheerios, graham crackers, teething biscuits, etc.), and yogurt/cottage cheese (lately the cottage cheese hasn't been as successful). He consistently rejects all veggies and meat! He also isn't a fan of most of the "Stage 3" jarred foods as he dislikes the chunky pieces in them (spits them out disgustedly). Occasionally he'll eat a few black beans as finger food, and sometimes I can get him to eat canned sliced carrots as finger food, but he's not interested in pasta, scrambled eggs, cooked broccoli, ground meat, or any of the other things I've tried so far which ended up on the floor where our dog snatched them up. I'd really like to find more veggies, meats, and non-carb-based finger foods that he'll eat. As we get closer to his first birthday and (I hope) to weaning, I want to make sure he's getting enough of all the nutrients he needs (but has been getting primarily from bf up until now). I know lots of kids reject new foods the first several times, but most of these things I've tried at LEAST 5-6 times with no success! And it isn't just that he won't eat them--he gets pi$$ed off when I offer them and starts waving his hands around, wailing, and throwing things on the floor! He seems to be picky about both taste (preferring sweet things) and texture (smooth purees for spoonfood, and either very mushy or else crunchy things for fingerfoods), and I'm just about out of ideas! I sort of thought he'd be eating a wider variety of regular table foods by now. What am I doing wrong? Suggestions? Anyone else have a nearly one year old who survives on Cheerios, fruit, and baby cereal?

[neeleymartin]

don't sweat it. remember for the first year, all nutrition comes from breast milk or formula. food is merely practice. our ds was the same as yours. textures really threw him for a loop. great advice is to find a favorite, sweet potatoes i think you said, and make it chunkier and chunkier.

as far as variety, just continue to offer the same food at each meal. it takes like 20 tastings to decide if they like it. broccoli at breakfast is not out of the question.

i swear i think i wrote this exact post a little over a year ago. most people struggle with food, but we all get through it. hth

[newg]

dd is 15 months and continues to hate all fruit except bananas or anything out of a jar....but for some strange reason she loves her veggies....
what about regular potatoes..red potaties...tofu....what does he do if you mix food together for him to eat or give him food off of your plate that is seasoned or has a sauce?
When I make chicken 'n biscuits I'll mix the chicken and peas into the sauce and she just inhales it.....sometimes I sprinkle cheese and a dried herb (basal, parsley) in with her veggies and meat...
turkey meatballs and meatloaf are softer meats and dd loves those too.
just keep offering a variety....and eat them in front of him....he'll start to get curious about the food mommy is eating and want to try it to.....
good luck!!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Agree with pp- I would not worry much. Just keep offering.

pancakes (you can add fruit and veggies to them as well as things like flax seed oil, wheat germ and other goodies to pack more nutrition in)
quesadilla (again, you can add some pureed veggies to this for a bit more oomph)
chili- huge, huge hit here and he has never minded spice
Indian food (get some of the simmer sauces and add meat and beans to them)
french toast
things he can dip like pita and hummus

Those are some thoughts off the top of my head.

Beth

[JTsMom]

I wouldn't stress one bit- it sounds like you're doing pretty well to me. Just keep offering, and don't let it become a power struggle. It might take many more repetitions for him to be ok tasting it- like 12 or 15 times. Just hang in there.

A really good book as far as starting solids goes is Ellyn Satter's How To Get Your Child to Eat, But Not Too Much. It really helped me to relax about DS's diet.

[wendibird22]

Yep, BTDT with DD around that age. There was a time frame when I was sure she was going to grow up only eating O's, cheese, and bananas! I thought for sure I had the only child on the planet who didn't like mac n cheese. But, alas, it was a phase and she eats a huge variety of foods.

What about soup w/ the broth drained? The veggies and noodles are very soft and small. Spaghetti squash or other squash? Mashed potato?

[misshollygolightly]

Thanks for the ideas and encouragement! Yes...in my calmer moments I realize that there's nothing to worry about. But I'm such a foodie myself, it's hard to understand why someone wouldn't want to try everything that's put before them :) Anyway, I also realized that DS has 3 new teeth coming in up top, so it's totally possible that he's also been a little distracted by that and consequently not feeling the new-food love.