What/how are your kiddos eating?

[piratecat]

J is an okay eater. He eats A LOT of what he likes - various fruits, raisins, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, raisins, rice, pasta, bread, very few vegetables (mainly peas), RAISINS - but won't touch a lot of what we offer him. He eats best in the morning, often eats very little for dinner, unless we are having something he loves like pasta. We mostly follow Ellyn Satter's division of responsibility model and try not to worry about what and how much he eats. We try to keep him at the dinner table for as long as we can but will let him down when he clearly communicates that he is done. I do think that meal times have gotten less stressful as a result, but I can't help wonder if he will actually starting eating better/more things eventually. 

How are your little ones eating and what has your experience been with older kids?

[billyhorrible]

I honestly feel like I'm such a better parent to my 3 year old because I have the "light at the end of the tunnel" with my almost 7 year old.

So, both my kids were amazing eaters as... infants? Young toddlers? They ate everything and all the time. Vegetables, meats, quinoa, etc.

Around 2-2.5 they started with typical toddler picky stuff. My oldest stopped eating beans, which he used to love. My youngest no longer eats shrimp, which was his favorite. Dinner? Practically doesn't exist, but he'll eat 3 breakfasts.

BUT around 6, my oldest started coming out of it. He's more open to trying new foods and eating old favorites. He finishes his dinner. It's so much easier. So take it from me. It gets better. Just keep on doing what you're doing.

[nerdalert]

M is 2 in October. He is definitely going through a picky stage at the moment, and I've sort of been putting off trying to get more of a routine down with dinner since it's always chaotic getting home from daycare pickup JUST as he wants to eat.

Meals are usually one or more of the following, though we offer more he doesn't take:

Breakfast: Fresh fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, eggs, pancakes, bacon
Snacks: Freeze-dried fruit, crackers/goldfish, fresh fruit, pouches
Lunch/Dinner: Chicken nuggets, fish sticks, pasta, plain rice, almost no veggies, fresh fruit, beef hot dogs, sometimes taco meat

Recently we've been having luck getting veggies into him using Ronzini's SuperGreens pasta, and doing broccoli/cauliflower tots with white beans (store bought). It's not perfect, but it's better than no veggies.

I try to get him to sit at the table, and we usually manage it, but the problem with him hungry at 6 is we don't get to do dinner as a family (DH doesn't get home til close to 7). I'm hoping this will improve with age and a later bedtime. M definitely eats better when we're all there, and I put the fresh-cooked food on the table for him to see and "serve" himself from with supervision.

[piratecat]

Aug 28, 2018 13:32:34 GMT -6 billyhorrible said:

I honestly feel like I'm such a better parent to my 3 year old because I have the "light at the end of the tunnel" with my almost 7 year old.

So, both my kids were amazing eaters as... infants? Young toddlers? They ate everything and all the time. Vegetables, meats, quinoa, etc.

Around 2-2.5 they started with typical toddler picky stuff. My oldest stopped eating beans, which he used to love. My youngest no longer eats shrimp, which was his favorite. Dinner? Practically doesn't exist, but he'll eat 3 breakfasts.

BUT around 6, my oldest started coming out of it. He's more open to trying new foods and eating old favorites. He finishes his dinner. It's so much easier. So take it from me. It gets better. Just keep on doing what you're doing.

This is really good to hear. I know that we're in it for the long haul, that for now we're trying to get him to enjoy sitting at the table and not make meal times stressful. I just needed to hear that it will pay off at some point. 

ETA: And that is how J is, he'll eat a big breakfast of fruit, cereal, and oatmeal, first thing in the morning, then go out to brunch and have half a bagel, but he'll barely eat anything for dinner. His daycare reports he eats everything well there including vegetables and meat so ::shrug::

[piratecat]

nerdalert, we do a lot of pesto with green vegetables like broccoli or green beans. We also do a lot of protein pastas or spinach pasta. He will pretty much eat anything in pasta form. I've been thinking about getting spiralized veggies to try with him. We've also been using the crock pot more so that we can have dinner ready early (and then he doesn't eat any of it anyway).

[lupincat]

DS1 ate everything and everything until close to 2.5 and then usual toddler pickiness set in. Most meat and vegetables he won't eat, unless it's a cheeseburger or chicken nugget. He has never eaten pasta, absolutely refuses all pasta no matter what. Even mac and cheese. His best meals are breakfast and lunch. I try to make at least one thing he'll eat for dinner but I don't force him. He's a very healthy weight and growing fine so it's not a concern.

Meal time with DS2 is the woooorst. He eats a nice variety of food but spends most of his meals throwing food at the dog or fussing because he wants the same meal but on MY plate. It's frustrating but if he starts throwing food then I take the tray away.

DS2 has learned the fine art of begging for snacks so my entire morning is just the two boys standing at the cabinets screeching for food.

[piratecat]

lupincat see I thought we’d have more time before he got picky. Thankfully he has at least gotten better about throwing food.

[cmb]

DS1 was great until around 2; he ate thirds of everything. Then his diet became peach yogurt, chicken nuggets, and chocolate chip muffins plus whatever he gets at school. Now, at around 3.5, I can get him to eat some fruits and vegetables (cucumbers and peppers). He will easily eat 40 lbs of popcorn if I let him

So far, DS2 loves rice and pasta but doesn’t care for meat. I’ll take it if he at least keeps that in his diet. He loves cucumbers and will eat his weight in them.

[nerdalert]

piratecat, I have not had luck with the spiralizer. Back when he was still eating vegetables, he loved zoodles and squash noodles, but he turns his nose up at those now. I'm thinking of shaping them more like fries and baking them with breadcrumbs/season heavily to see if that'll help.

[piratecat]

Aug 28, 2018 18:34:22 GMT -6 nerdalert said:

piratecat, I have not had luck with the spiralizer. Back when he was still eating vegetables, he loved zoodles and squash noodles, but he turns his nose up at those now. I'm thinking of shaping them more like fries and baking them with breadcrumbs/season heavily to see if that'll help.

My kid doesn’t like fries, what the heck.

Ooh I forgot you can buy pre-spiralized stuff at the store. I should try those first.

[nerdalert]

Aug 28, 2018 18:40:18 GMT -6 piratecat said:

Aug 28, 2018 18:34:22 GMT -6 nerdalert said:

piratecat , I have not had luck with the spiralizer. Back when he was still eating vegetables, he loved zoodles and squash noodles, but he turns his nose up at those now. I'm thinking of shaping them more like fries and baking them with breadcrumbs/season heavily to see if that'll help.

My kid doesn’t like fries, what the heck.

Ooh I forgot you can buy pre-spiralized stuff at the store. I should try those first.

Be careful with the store-bought zoodles - whenever I got them, they always went bad within a day. Blech. 

[piratecat]

Aug 29, 2018 6:24:00 GMT -6 @starzia said:

DD ears with her hands. She eats whatever. But I think she gets bored with food. I am a big make a meal then eat the leftovers till it’s gone. She doesn’t seem into that and eats much less on leftover day

J still eats with his hands probably at least half the time at 15 months. We did a lot of preloaded spoons and forks and it wasn't until after he turned one that he started trying to use them on his own. 

[piratecat]

And apparently he doesn't like pouches anymore. He's probably only had like 10 in his life but he used to love it and it was a good emergency on-the-go snack.

[lupincat]

Aug 29, 2018 8:13:05 GMT -6 piratecat said:

And apparently he doesn't like pouches anymore. He's probably only had like 10 in his life but he used to love it and it was a good emergency on-the-go snack.

DS2 never cared much for the pouches, which is annoying because they're good snacks when out and about plus it's some added veggies to his diet.

[sheilathetank]

DD eats well every third day. Doesn't matter what I put in front of her, if it's day 3 she'll eat most if not all. Days 1&2 it could be her favourite meal in the world and she'd have a few bites. The only food she doesn't like at all is olives. I blew her grandpa for that shit. Lol

She has to ask to get down. She can eat as much of something on her plate but has to try something of everything before she can have more of the 1 thing. We don't ever require her to finish her plate. We let her eat with her hands or a fork or whatever.

We heavily rely on pouches since they are quick, easy, healthy and give her exposure to foods I don't usually or ever make.

piratecat your ds is 15months right? DD didn't show much food interest until maybe 18-20 months. I'd give it time and just keep offering. Also, I'm that mom and I will send whatever she doesn't eat for dinner for the lunch the next day. 9x out of 10 she'll eat it at daycare. Herd mentality and all that.

[billyhorrible]

sheilathetank I've seen? read? heard? that you should look at their intake over the course of a week instead of a day. Sounds like her 3 day schedule fits right in with that theory.

[sheilathetank]

Aug 29, 2018 10:02:50 GMT -6 billyhorrible said:

sheilathetank I've seen? read? heard? that you should look at their intake over the course of a week instead of a day. Sounds like her 3 day schedule fits right in with that theory.

I was not a good eater growing up and I'd do something similar. When my mom expressed concern to the pedi he basically said what you did, that I'd eat enough in a week to sustain myself and wouldn't starve. I look at it that way and try to give nutritious balanced food when she will eat.

[piratecat]

Aug 29, 2018 10:02:50 GMT -6 billyhorrible said:

sheilathetank I've seen? read? heard? that you should look at their intake over the course of a week instead of a day. Sounds like her 3 day schedule fits right in with that theory.

I was just thinking this. My pediatrician said over the course of three days so sheilathetank's daughter must be going by that schedule. That's interesting though, I should pay attention and see if I can identify a pattern like that.


sheilathetank, he is 15 months and he is very interested in eating most of the time, just eating the things he likes. We try to give him a healthy balanced meal and he will stuff his face with rice (and only plain rice) and ask for more. We usually let him have more and cut him off at some point and it's easiest if it is gone out of his sight. Sometimes that will prompt him to try other things in front of him but more often that'll be the end of his meal. We try to include at least one thing we know he will eat - most of the time it is fruit, so it's things like protein I am trying to get him to eat. He used to be pretty good at eating a peanut butter sandwich but now he just wants plain bread. And he apparently doesn't like cheese anymore, what the heck.

[sheilathetank]

Aug 29, 2018 10:20:28 GMT -6 piratecat said:

Aug 29, 2018 10:02:50 GMT -6 billyhorrible said:

sheilathetank I've seen? read? heard? that you should look at their intake over the course of a week instead of a day. Sounds like her 3 day schedule fits right in with that theory.

I was just thinking this. My pediatrician said over the course of three days so sheilathetank's daughter must be going by that schedule. That's interesting though, I should pay attention and see if I can identify a pattern like that.


sheilathetank, he is 15 months and he is very interested in eating most of the time, just eating the things he likes. We try to give him a healthy balanced meal and he will stuff his face with rice (and only plain rice) and ask for more. We usually let him have more and cut him off at some point and it's easiest if it is gone out of his sight. Sometimes that will prompt him to try other things in front of him but more often that'll be the end of his meal. We try to include at least one thing we know he will eat - most of the time it is fruit, so it's things like protein I am trying to get him to eat. He used to be pretty good at eating a peanut butter sandwich but now he just wants plain bread. And he apparently doesn't like cheese anymore, what the heck.

What if you put the peanut butter on the side and let him "dip" the bread? DD loves dipping and food that is interactive and where she has autonomy over how much of something. She went to fucking town on my edamame last week because she had to work for it. Ate almost my entire plate.

What type of cheese? DD won't eat string cheese but eats baby bells and cheddar sticks. Also she likes sprinkle cheese. Because you sprinkle it. 🙄

[piratecat]

Aug 29, 2018 10:27:01 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

Aug 29, 2018 10:20:28 GMT -6 piratecat said:

I was just thinking this. My pediatrician said over the course of three days so sheilathetank 's daughter must be going by that schedule. That's interesting though, I should pay attention and see if I can identify a pattern like that.


sheilathetank , he is 15 months and he is very interested in eating most of the time, just eating the things he likes. We try to give him a healthy balanced meal and he will stuff his face with rice (and only plain rice) and ask for more. We usually let him have more and cut him off at some point and it's easiest if it is gone out of his sight. Sometimes that will prompt him to try other things in front of him but more often that'll be the end of his meal. We try to include at least one thing we know he will eat - most of the time it is fruit, so it's things like protein I am trying to get him to eat. He used to be pretty good at eating a peanut butter sandwich but now he just wants plain bread. And he apparently doesn't like cheese anymore, what the heck.

What if you put the peanut butter on the side and let him "dip" the bread? DD loves dipping and food that is interactive and where she has autonomy over how much of something. She went to fucking town on my edamame last week because she had to work for it. Ate almost my entire plate.

What type of cheese? DD won't eat string cheese but eats baby bells and cheddar sticks. Also she likes sprinkle cheese. Because you sprinkle it. 🙄

Oh I should try the dipping thing. But he just really likes carbs. 

Usually cheddar is what we have. I think the shape might have something to do with it - I cut it into sticks or cubes but he used to eat sliced so I might try that. 

Do you just let her have the whole edamame pod? Peas are one of few vegetables he'll eat and he has eaten edamame but I got them out for him. Sometimes he'll nibble on a carrot if I give him the entire thing but not if I cut it into sticks. He'll also nibble on raw broccoli or cauliflower but not cooked. So many fucking rules! 

[sheilathetank]

Aug 29, 2018 10:36:55 GMT -6 piratecat said:

Aug 29, 2018 10:27:01 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

What if you put the peanut butter on the side and let him "dip" the bread? DD loves dipping and food that is interactive and where she has autonomy over how much of something. She went to fucking town on my edamame last week because she had to work for it. Ate almost my entire plate.

What type of cheese? DD won't eat string cheese but eats baby bells and cheddar sticks. Also she likes sprinkle cheese. Because you sprinkle it. 🙄

Oh I should try the dipping thing. But he just really likes carbs. 

Usually cheddar is what we have. I think the shape might have something to do with it - I cut it into sticks or cubes but he used to eat sliced so I might try that. 

Do you just let her have the whole edamame pod? Peas are one of few vegetables he'll eat and he has eaten edamame but I got them out for him. Sometimes he'll nibble on a carrot if I give him the entire thing but not if I cut it into sticks. He'll also nibble on raw broccoli or cauliflower but not cooked. So many fucking rules! 

it was our first time giving her edamame. We went out for sushi and she showed interest. This is after she shoveled the entire salad that comes with the meal in her mouth. So I wasn't about to say no to her eating more veggies. Mh showed her how to get the edamame out of the pod and she was hooked. Kept her entertained and allowed us to eat in peace for like ten minutes straight. I would give him a pod and some loose ones. Show him how the pod works and see what happens. Couldn't hurt. 

DD isn't a fan of broccoli cooked, but her favorite pouch is broccoli carrot so you got me on that one. We haven't tried it raw. I read somewhere, I think on here, that broccoli is bitter to little kids because their taste buds aren't fully developed. They rely more on textures than tastes. 

[piratecat]

Aug 29, 2018 10:43:45 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

Aug 29, 2018 10:36:55 GMT -6 piratecat said:

Oh I should try the dipping thing. But he just really likes carbs. 

Usually cheddar is what we have. I think the shape might have something to do with it - I cut it into sticks or cubes but he used to eat sliced so I might try that. 

Do you just let her have the whole edamame pod? Peas are one of few vegetables he'll eat and he has eaten edamame but I got them out for him. Sometimes he'll nibble on a carrot if I give him the entire thing but not if I cut it into sticks. He'll also nibble on raw broccoli or cauliflower but not cooked. So many fucking rules! 

it was our first time giving her edamame. We went out for sushi and she showed interest. This is after she shoveled the entire salad that comes with the meal in her mouth. So I wasn't about to say no to her eating more veggies. Mh showed her how to get the edamame out of the pod and she was hooked. Kept her entertained and allowed us to eat in peace for like ten minutes straight. I would give him a pod and some loose ones. Show him how the pod works and see what happens. Couldn't hurt. 

DD isn't a fan of broccoli cooked, but her favorite pouch is broccoli carrot so you got me on that one. We haven't tried it raw. I read somewhere, I think on here, that broccoli is bitter to little kids because their taste buds aren't fully developed. They rely more on textures than tastes. 

Oh gosh I would love for anything to keep him busy and entertained at dinner. 

[cmb]

Aug 29, 2018 9:51:47 GMT -6 lupincat said:

Aug 29, 2018 8:13:05 GMT -6 piratecat said:

And apparently he doesn't like pouches anymore. He's probably only had like 10 in his life but he used to love it and it was a good emergency on-the-go snack.

DS2 never cared much for the pouches, which is annoying because they're good snacks when out and about plus it's some added veggies to his diet.

Mine eats a good 10 pouches a day... that’s in addition to breakfast and 3 meals + seconds at daycare and dinner at home.

And he only put on a pound in 3 months. I don’t know where he’s put it all 😤

[piratecat]

Aug 29, 2018 13:44:39 GMT -6 cmb said:

Aug 29, 2018 9:51:47 GMT -6 lupincat said:

DS2 never cared much for the pouches, which is annoying because they're good snacks when out and about plus it's some added veggies to his diet.

Mine eats a good 10 pouches a day... that’s in addition to breakfast and 3 meals + seconds at daycare and dinner at home.

And he only put on a pound in 3 months. I don’t know where he’s put it all 😤

10??!

Poop. My kid poops A LOT I feel.

[cmb]

Aug 29, 2018 14:14:42 GMT -6 piratecat said:

Aug 29, 2018 13:44:39 GMT -6 cmb said:

Mine eats a good 10 pouches a day... that’s in addition to breakfast and 3 meals + seconds at daycare and dinner at home.

And he only put on a pound in 3 months. I don’t know where he’s put it all 😤

10??!

Poop. My kid poops A LOT I feel.

Yes. One day, I actually counted and came up with 10. That was in addition to everything else. He’s *constantly* moving, though. He’s worse than DS1 with how much energy and activity he has

[sheilathetank]

Aug 29, 2018 18:27:12 GMT -6 cmb said:

Aug 29, 2018 14:14:42 GMT -6 piratecat said:

10??!

Poop. My kid poops A LOT I feel.

Yes. One day, I actually counted and came up with 10. That was in addition to everything else. He’s *constantly* moving, though. He’s worse than DS1 with how much energy and activity he has

I stop at 3. 10 a day would put me in the poor house.

[cmb]

Aug 29, 2018 18:35:28 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

Aug 29, 2018 18:27:12 GMT -6 cmb said:

Yes. One day, I actually counted and came up with 10. That was in addition to everything else. He’s *constantly* moving, though. He’s worse than DS1 with how much energy and activity he has

I stop at 3. 10 a day would put me in the poor house.

We don’t keep junk food outside of chocolate chip muffins and fig newtons in the house, and he can’t eat the muffins anyway so 🤷🏼‍♀️

Breakfast is pancakes + cucumbers

Lunch at home is leftovers + fig newtons + cucumbers. He has seconds of whatever daycare offers

Snack is usually pretzels + yogurt x2, same at daycare

Dinner is chicken nuggets + whatever grain we have + vegetables + cucumbers. He will also occasionally have another yogurt or what meat we have.

Add all the pouches in the middle because I’m not cooking anymore, and there’s nothing else quick to give him. He doesn’t eat eggs (I don’t either so don’t blame him there, and he can’t have dairy so it’s flax yogurt). His yogurt is homemade and put in a pouch so that counts as 2-3 pouches a day

ETA- I buy the go-go fruit and veggie ones. They’re 4 per box and target often runs $2/box sales so the price isn’t as bad as the ones in the baby section.

[letthewookieewin]

cmb DS still loves those Go Go Squeez pouches at 4. I tried giving him a regular cup of applesauce a couple of months ago and he wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.

If you have an Aldi near you, they have a knockoff version that's fairly cheap (I forget how much the 4-packs are, but the 12-packs are around $5 at my local one when they have them), but I don't think they have the veggie ones, just different fruits.

[cmb]

Aug 30, 2018 6:01:10 GMT -6 letthewookieewin said:

cmb DS still loves those Go Go Squeez pouches at 4. I tried giving him a regular cup of applesauce a couple of months ago and he wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot pole.

If you have an Aldi near you, they have a knockoff version that's fairly cheap (I forget how much the 4-packs are, but the 12-packs are around $5 at my local one when they have them), but I don't think they have the veggie ones, just different fruits.

Ill have to check ours out the next time I’m in the area. I know target makes their own brand that’s similarly priced.

DS2 really likes the strawberry-zucchini and mango-sweet potato ones. He seems to prefer the go go over plum which is fine by me due to price.

His intake of them has gone down the last week or so, finally. I vaguely remember DS1 having a 2-3 month period like this and then the intake subsiding to 2-3 per day, max. His must have was gerber peach yogurt, though.

[nerdalert]

Last night our dinner was a pouch after DS refused his broccoli/sausage/pasta dish, which he so happily ate last time. What is it with toddler taste roulette? Drives me nuts.

Aldi's pouches are apple sauce + some kind of fruit. I believe it's just straight up apple, peach, strawberry, or banana.