Food suggestions for a picky eater...HELP!
Hello mothers. I'm sure you all have gone thru this phase before, and I could use some suggestions or ideas.
My SS is the worlds WORST eater! He won't try anything that he doesn't know already that he likes... and the 2 things he likes, cheese pizza and chicken nuggets. Both of which are not the healthiest, in fact I personally would consider them more of a junk food (when they are eaten for EVERY meal)
For those of you who don't know, SS's BM has not had visitation for about 2 months, so during this time we have been trying to get SS to eat different foods (since he was with us the whole time). To him, he felt he could tell us what he wanted for lunch/dinner (which were either of the 2 listed above) and he would get that. (Since that how the world worked at BMs house)... well, thats not how it works at our home, b/c we don't live in a restaurant and it is rediculous to make him something different then what everyone else is eating for EVERY meal when there are 3 others of us eating.
We were doing it for a long time where as long as both of the stepkiddos would not choose the same meal for everymeal, they would help us pick out lunches/dinners. However, they lost that privledge when SS started lying to the babysitter about what he had eaten for lunch and was getting either pizza or chicken nuggets for both lunch and dinner, even after we spoke about it with him and had a chat with the babysitter. (SS can be very convincing with his lies)
SS's BM had her visitation reinstated last week...So sure enough he comes home today and informs us he had pizza and chicken nuggets everyday... fantastic... obviously we cant change what takes place at her home, however he needs to realize that even tho his momma may do it that way, thats not how its going to be everywhere he goes.
He won't eat cheddar cheese (he will only eat Velveeta), no mac n cheese, no pb/j, NO VEGGIES, only fruit he will eat is apples, no meats (except the processed chicken in the nuggets)... catch where my frustration is coming from...?
He is with us majority of the week, so I really need help with some suggestions for DIFFERENT meals that have some type of nutritional value to them, that a picky eater will eat. Do we just make meals and if he doesn't eat he just doesn't eat? It is getting rediculously frustrating especially now that BM is back in the picture and "my momma says there is nothing wrong with eating pizza/chicken nuggets for all meals"...
HELP!
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Comments
Not sure how old he is but
Not sure how old he is but really it's going to get even more ridiculous if you allow it to go on. I know how you feel because my ss is a picky eater too, he's young so I am hoping he grows out of it and we only have him every other weekend so we don't have to deal with it as often as you.
I suggest you just make what your making, if he's that hungry then he will eat it. If he chooses not to eat then he still needs to sit there with you guys while you eat. Children aren't going to starve themselves so as long as you are providing the food he will have no choice but to eat. Obviously don't go crazy and give him brussel sprouts to start, heck I won't even eat them!
Maybe even starting by adding new things to the foods that he does, like veggies for a few nights, then start feeding him whatever it is your making that night. He will get to the point where he will begin to eat more. One big thing I find is that people make a big deal to their children or skids about eating....saying things like " MMMMMM this tastes sooo yummmy" or " Watch me do it (eating a piece) then you try". Children feel put on the spot and it actually makes them not want to try it instead of wanting to taste it.
Make dinner, chicken nuggets and a veg or even adding rice like I do with my ss, put it in front of him and walk away. If he eats the chicken but doesn't touch the veg or whatever your choice then you just say one time to him you can't have dessert or you can't leave the table until you finish your dinner.
If BM chooses to give him crap all the time then that's what happens at her house and you can't control that but you need to control what happens at yours. I live by the saying..."You get what you get and you don't get upset" I tell my SS that all the time lol
Also, not trying to say there is something there but a lot of times children who are autistic have sensory issues and while they may not really be picky eaters it is the consistency of the foods and textures of them that they cannot stand. Like I said I don't know if this is an option but this could be possible.
Try to identify what his
Try to identify what his genuine dislikes are, and when he's just being picky. Believe me, from personal experience, if you pander to it, he will become even more picky and will make every mealtime a nightmare. Once you know which foods he genuinely doesn't like, avoid those, and anything else, he's just gonna have to eat or go hungry. You can't let the child dictate like that. Maybe offer a reward dessert if he eats all his food or tries new foods?