I do have to count my blessings in some categories. Mina likes fruits and vegetables, she won't eat any vegetable but she still eats the baby-food veggie purees so I think I get a good variety of those in her. In reality Mina would be happy if she ate nothing but the following:
Pasta
Rice
Quesadillas
Sausage
Yogurt
Banana cereal (infant cereal with mashed bananas)
Everything beyond this list is either a stretch or basically impossible to get her to eat it. Occasionally I can get her to eat a PB&J or grilled cheese, but often I get it in front of her and she refuses. She used to love chicken nuggets and fish sticks- and over the past few months has decided to completely wean them out of her diet. I don't know why but it really frustrates me.
So, here is the conundrum. The natural thing to do as a parent (for me anyway) is to just slowly over time quit trying to even offer other things because it just becomes a frustration. General research says that you shouldn't be too pushy with toddlers about new foods, but you also shouldn't be a short order cook. "They" also say that you should always offer a variety of foods, just make sure there is at least one item available for the child that they like. What I want to know is who actually has the time/patience/budget to do this?? I am tired of throwing away failed meal attempts, and I don't really enjoy having to prepare 2 different meals at lunch and dinner. So where do you draw the line, at what point do you just tell them "Sorry, it is this or nothing". I know that she isn't going to starve herself, but I do worry about her getting the variety of nutrients that she needs.
I worry that giving in to what Mina wants is only making matters worse, and perhaps it is entirely my fault that she no longer will eat fish sticks or chicken nuggets. Or is nature just taking it's course and I should just wait it out? I don't think anybody has all the answers but I would appreciate your input, or just let me know I'm not the only one that feels like I am screwing up my child's eating habits for life :)
3 comments:
Here's what I do, take it or leave it.
Being that we are in graduate school, we just don't have the $$ to make 2 meals nor do I have the time now that we have a newborn. In addition, I'm all about offering a variety, even if they might not eat it quite yet (it doesn't go to waste because my hubby and I eat what I make). So, I have taken the approach of putting TWO things on my daughters plate that she enjoys, and then include what we are eating for dinner/lunch. The trick I have found is to change what we are eating a bit to make it more kid friendly. For example, if we are eating burritos for dinner, I might make her a cheese quesadilla instead as it uses some of the same ingredients OR I'll make a simpler burrito with less stuff in it and put the toppings on the side (tomatoes, lettuce, etc). I've found presentation helps quite a bit.
Lastly, I include Brielle in making dinner and I give her choices. I might say, "do you want grapes or oranges?" I've found if I include her in the meal prep and give her choices, it can go a LONG way.
We never make her eat everything and praise her if she just TRIES a bite of something, even if she spits it out.
Good luck!
Oh the woes of having a toddler! Sara goes through the same thing, but usually in phases. Sometimes (probably when she is having a growth spurt) she will eat anything and everything I give her. Other times (like right now) her list of things she will eat is very similar to Mina's. It can be very frustrating when you realize the only thing your kid at that day is carbohydrates and milk. Not so nutritious.
I agree with Kris about giving the child a choice between two healthy options. You want them to eat veggies, so offer green beans or broccoli (ask them which one they want by showing the options BEFORE you cook it, then cook the one they choose). I feel like this helps Sara because I'm not just slapping something down in front of her and saying "eat it", but she actually helped decide what she would eat.
Also I have found that different methods of preparation and presentation can mean the difference in a toddler eating or not. Sara used to eat cooked frozen mixed veggies a lot, but then stopped eating them when I offered them. Then one day she saw a bowl of veggies coming out of the microwave with the water it was cooked in still in the bowl, and she said, "SOUP!" So I served it to her in "soup" form (without draining the cooking water) and she gobbled it up. Now she eats "soup" for lunch 2-3 times a week.
In general I try to give Sara pretty simple foods. A slice of plain bread because I know she won't eat it if it has anything on it; cut up apples or other fresh fruit; cooked veggies with nothing on them; cheese sticks; quesadillas; rice or pasta with just a little sauce on it. For dinner I try to serve simplified versions of whatever we are having, again something Kris suggested. If Sara doesn't eat something, I usually put it in the fridge and try giving it to her again the next day before throwing it out. Sometimes she will eat something one day that she wouldn't eat the day before.
Oh, and sometimes Sara will eat something if I let her sprinkle a little salt on it. She LOVES using the salt shaker!
Anyway, good luck, and keep trying to get her to eat good foods! I read once that it sometimes takes 11 offers before a child will try new foods. And just seeing healthy foods on their plates is a good start in teaching and learning healthy eating habits. Don't give up!
Thanks for the input to both of you- you have some good ideas that I might try to incorporate. I think I realize that part of the problem is that Ryan and I don't eat many toddler friendly foods, I make a lot of spicy, ethnic, unusual stuff- and maybe I need to change our diets in order to get Mina to eat better.
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