i WILL NOT eat nothing but soup all summer long

[lmh2402]

this is a mixed bag of BP and kid food help

DS is not really making any progress on the chewable foods front.

he self-feeds finger foods that he knows and likes - all sorts of crackers, lots of fruit, pasta (with red sauce & cheese), pizza, grilled cheese, pb&j, veggie burgers, pieces of cheese, homemade "chicken nuggets" (i bread chunks of chicken and bake in oven at high temp)

seems like a good list, i know

except you will note that he WILL NOT eat meat (other than that one kind of chicken), beans, any veggies, rice, potato in any fashion, any sort of grain... unless it is in broth and on a spoon, and already mashed/smashed ready for him to simply swallow. he doesn't even chew.

we are working with a feeding and swallowing center. and they have us trying to reduce the amount of broth. and also swapping broth for plain water. and this is not going all that well.

they also have us doing less smashing of stuff in the soup. meaning he's getting more pieces. and you would think this would be a trigger for him to chew, but he doesn't. he just swallows the pieces whole. and makes that face like it hurt to swallow b/c the piece was too big.

i'm ready to scream. i'm sick of soup.

please give me some ideas of things your kids love that i can try. and try. and try. to see if DS will maybe eat.

things i've tried repeatedly, that haven't worked:
- kale chips
- oven-roasted fries (reg & sweet potato)
- mashed potato
- turkey burgers
- salisbury steak
- meatloaf
- meat balls (with and without sauce)


please. other ideas. anything?

[eh613c]

Have you tried putting ground beef or turkey in the pasta sauce (bolognese sauce)? Try adding canadian bacon in the pizza and ham or turkey slice in the grilled cheese. As for veggies, I usually hide veggies (carrots, squash, zucchini) in my pasta sauce and then puree it. Does he like to dip things? You can try crackers and bean dip and veggies with cheese or ranch. For potatoes, you can try making potato pancakes (latkes). When you make his sandwiches do you use whole wheat bread? That should take care of his grains.
Hope this helps!

[elbenn]

Weelicious has a recipe for carrot crackers that is really good. That website has great ideas for healthy and veggie laden foods that are kid friendly.

[daisymommy]

I don't know if this makes you feel any better at all--but my DS (whom I've pm'ed you about earlier) is 8.5, eats the exact same list of foods as your DS (what is it with these foods?!)--and he is still alive :tongue5: I used to think he would melt into a puddle or something, or never grow, or get sick. But apparently not (shrugs my shoulders). He is the same size as his peers. Not saying you shouldn't keep on trying, I think that's wise and good. Just wanted you to know if it takes awhile to improve, please know he will be okay!

P.S. Will your DS eat crunchy breaded fish sticks? That and crispy chicken nuggets is the only form of "meat" DS will eat. He says everything else feels like worms in his mouth (hence the need for crunch to cover up the soft protein inside).

[BabyBearsMom]

DD is 1 and is an enthusiastic solids eater (we actually have the opposite problem, getting her to take in enough fluids). Things that she loves and we make regularly:

Anything by Dr. Praeger's (spelling?) but especially broccoli littles and spinach pancakes and fish sticks
Ravioli (I get them with spinach in them from Whole Foods) sauce or no sauce
Vegetables that I cooked in a soup, but removed from a broth and cut up, with chicken from the broth (carrots, celery, parsnip, turnip)
Shredded or cut up cheese
Noodles (any and all kinds)
Steamed veggies cut up
Toast with butter
French Toast Sticks/Waffles/Pancakes
Trader Joes party meatballs
Slices of steak cut up small
Cut up pieces of pork loin or pork chop seasoned with parmesan cheese
Any fruit (except bananas) cut up small
An occasional hotdog cut up small
Sweet potatoe fries
Anything that I am eating (she will wine and grab my arm until I share whatever I am eating with her)


DD doesn't like mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, bananas or eggs. She is not a huge chicken fan.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Random thought and not really much help, but do you provide a dip for food? Ds2 will eat a ton more if there is ketchup to dip in. :)
Beth

[mikala]

Argh, toddler eating habits can be so frustrating.

Veggies we've had luck with include edamame, roasted broccoli, guacamole, and TJ's sweet potato gnocchi. Ground or shredded meat seems to go down more easily than anything that involves much chewing. Shredded beef or chicken in quesadillas, ground beef tacos, etc.

It may help to try to focus on balanced things that YOU like to eat so at least someone enjoys the food and he can watch someone eating it happily. I'm always surprised at what will suddenly interest my toddler if it starts on mama's plate or fork.

Dips are also really helpful at our house.

Good luck! You may also find Ellyn Satter's book on toddler eating helpful.

[crl]

Hummus goes over well with both of my kids and that's protein.

Have you tried peanut butter on toast or crackers?

Sorry I can't think of anything else.

Catherine

[lmh2402]

i read the satter book.

but the people at the feeding center keep telling me that i need to treat DS differently than a typical toddler - that his issues are "not simply behavioral/preferential"

i've specifically asked about trying the satter concept of offering food and either he eats or he doesn't eat

but they strongly discouraged that - they feel we need to "meet him where he's at" with regard to texture and chewing.

but they keep saying to increase chewable offerings.

the problem is, he's not taking to anything i'm offering

thanks for all the great suggestions - i'm going to look into fish sticks. we actually use the dr. praeger's cali veggie burgers. and he will occasionally eat their spinach littles. but he won't eat the broccoli or the sweet potato. i know they make fish sticks, so maybe i'll pick up some of those

is it easy to make your own fish sticks? if so, i would rather try doing that.

he used to eat ground beef more willingly than he does these days. and he gags on shredded chicken - he cannot seem to tolerate shreds of anything.

as for dips, he doesn't really like ketchup. and we don't do salad dressings. i've always been leery of them - feel like they're full of sodium and preservatives and stuff.

i'm torn b/c i don't want to "hide" veggies and/or smoother things in dips in order for him to eat them. BUT...i do want him to eat more stuff.

it's really hard to know which way to go. but you guys offered up some great suggestions and i probably need to start letting down my boundaries and doing some more hiding and dipping.

thanks, all.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Dips can be guacamole, hummus, yogurt, mustard... there are good salad dressings out there too. Look in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods for example. I'm comfortable with WF and TJs shelf salad dressing too though. I figure 1-2T really isn't that bad and if it gets them to eat more of the good stuff it's worth a shot. Hence why my ds2 dips his scrambled eggs in kethup (and a great many other things :)).

Beth

[lmh2402]

Dips can be guacamole, hummus, yogurt, mustard... there are good salad dressings out there too. Look in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods for example. I'm comfortable with WF and TJs shelf salad dressing too though. I figure 1-2T really isn't that bad and if it gets them to eat more of the good stuff it's worth a shot. Hence why my ds2 dips his scrambled eggs in kethup (and a great many other things :)).

Beth


you're right, beth. thanks again. i wish he would eat guac...he used to love avocado. now he won't eat it any which way. and it's SO good for you.

he actually loves hummus - i should remember to offer that more often as a dip to entice eating of other "questionable" things.

again, thank you

[mikala]

Does he ever eat with other children, especially toddlers his own age? I've been amazed at how much peer-pressure seems to kick in even at this young age. DS will sometimes happily eat new things when seated next to a little friend devouring the food.

Could you try something like this veggie sauce and gradually reduce the amount you puree the veggies?
http://annies-eats.net/2009/06/13/adventures-in-homemade-baby-food-pasta-with-very-veggie-sauce/

Good luck! Toddler eating can be frustrating enough under normal circumstances and it sounds like you're dealing w/ more.

[mousemom]

The list of things your DS eats sounds a lot like our son. He loves fruit and is also pretty averse to eating veggies or meat other than breaded chicken, although he's just started to eat lunch meat, which helps. A few ideas of things he will eat:

-french toast sticks, pancakes, waffles
-black beans (he'll eat these till they're gone - also likes kidney, cannelini and edamame, but black are his favorite)
-sausage links/patties and sometimes bacon
-omelettes/egg patties (hit or miss)
-sometimes shredded italian beef or salsa chicken from the crock pot
-quesadillas with meat/cheese/beans inside - he'll often eat the meat in these even when he won't eat it alone

[daisymommy]

Crazy as it sounds, the store brand fish sticks are generally healthier than the name brand versions (no artificial stuff, and wild caught). So that's what we go with. Wegmans and Shoppers for instance.

I used the Satter book with my DS too, and that's when he lost 5 pounds in a couple weeks using her darn advice. Yeah, kids with true feeding problems will NOT just eat what you give them if they are hungry. They will starve themselves. And it makes me angry that she doesn't tell you that.
The ped. nutritionist freaked out and told me it was dangerous to use Satter's method with my son, that it was not good for everyone.

Her advice was for now, feed him what he will eat, in the healthiest form possible. Continue to offer other foods and work with him, but don't expect him to just eat whatever I choose and put in front of him (like you could with a typical child).