OT: My son doesn't eat veggies or fruit

[dizneechic]

I also do the veggie appetizer at the table, usually a cuke sliced up and just there until dinner is served. Either that or frozen peas, they won't eat them fresh but love them frozen.

I was going to suggest V8 Splash, it's a full serving of veggies and fruit in juice form and the one in the orange bottle my kids LOVE. My dh drinks it so we call it "daddy juice" here so it seems a little more special to them.

I also make frozen fruit pops which are just strawberries and blueberries tossed in the blender then poured into molds. I do add a little bit of sugar but not much. My kids pick these over commercial brand pops anytime they are offered.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I picked up my friends cookbook today (The Sneaky Chef) and will begin looking through that.

I went ahead and picked up his veggie cakes again--he loves those things.

Just going to have to work my way around.

Many of the tips here, I have used with my older girls and where I can, I used it with my son and he just turns around and offers me the prepared food. He's so proud he helped---and then gives it to me.

Short of a sensory issue--I just can't endorse not feeding him veggies or fruit for life. But I can do things I think to work them in.

I mean--is it bad to expect the kid to try a pea so that he can have his ice cream for dessert? I don't think it is--but maybe it is. I dunno.

Tough love i have read works in lots of parenting circles/recommendations. It is just that fine line of saying--you can eat whatever you want as long as this healthy stuff first.....versus.....you'll eat it, you'll like it or I'll go Mommie Dearest on you!

I certainly don't want to do the latter--but those scenes in that movie come to mind each time.

 

[tweedlemom]

A friend of a friend buys these for her kids:

www.eatyourvoots.com

 

[Momma2dakidz]

I was just about to say i think you may want to look into sensory issues. I personally cant stand many of the fruits and veggies have to have a certain texture. For the fruits you can try making popsicles out of them. Freeze slices of fruit and serve as sicles. (the cold will numb some tastebuds and reduce the sensory affect.)
If you feel he is falling off the charts or having ill effects from his diet i would suggest getting a feeding eval done with a competent feeding/speech clinic. With his speech impairment i am feeling quite strongly that this is indeed a oral motor/ sensory issue. Forcing him into this is going to backfire. If you want to talk more indepth, feel free to pm me. I worked with a teen that would vomit at the site of anything but cheese and bread. When we ended he was eating tacos filled with veggies and meats!!!

Good luck!

 

[cccdisney]

V8 Fusion!
My 3 yr old won't touch a fruit or veggie! BUT, he loves juice so we gave this a try! Make sure to get the 100% juice (not the light versions). It has a full serving on fruit and veggie per 8 oz!
Of course, you can't let them drink it all day. But it helps me to know he is at least getting something healthy in his system.

 

[sarsah]

Just keep offering the fruits and veggies. At some point kids will figure out they are not going away and maybe actually like some of them.

My 9 year old would hardly touch any fruits & veggies when he was younger, but now there are some that he likes and asks for (tomatoes, baby carrots, brocolli) and many others that aren't his favorites, but he will eat.

My 6 year old is very resistant to pretty much any veggies, but will eat pretty much anything if he can dip it in A1 steak sauce. I know the A1 isn't the healthiest, but if he's eating his veggies, I am ok with it.

 

[deva]

Cheesy sauce and seasoned salt (Lawry's) work wonders on veggies with my kids.

I agree, you probably don't want to start a battle, but I'd be cautious about giving dessert or treats if veggies/fruit are not at least tried. Just make them and put them on the dish. Fine if he doesn't want them, but no ice cream later.

 

[bartleby1]

OP, I really don't have any suggestions because I've tried it all with my youngest. My older two would always at least try what I put in front of them, but my youngest hasn't had a veggie since getting off baby food. One time she sat at the table until bedtime (even watched the rest of us eat ice cream) because we asked her to try ONE kernel of corn. I think she would quicker eat dirt than a veggie. She would much rather go to bed hungry than eat a veggie.

I've tried grinding up veggies and putting them in meatloaf/meatballs but I swear she must smell that they are in there. She won't eat it. She won't eat tomato sauce or even ketchup. She won't drink the V8 juices either. She also won't eat a popsicle with fruit seeds or chunks in it. She won't eat casseroles so I can't sneak veggies in there. I tried zucchini bread and banana bread. That too was a no-go. Recently though, I was able to get her to eat raw carrots with ranch dip, so she gets those often. She still won't touch a cooked carrot though.

Ironically, I just had all of my kids to the pediatrician for their physicals and the pediatrican was more concerned about my older two (healthy eaters) because they are so skinny, LOL! They are both in the 95 percentile for height and 25 percentile for weight. My 4 year old who is so picky was 90 percentile for height and 75 percentile for weight. She is much more balanced and MUCH easier to buy clothes for, LOL! I still worry about her getting the nutrients she needs though.

Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone! I know exactly how frustrating it can be!

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

have not read anyones ideas so sorry if it is a repeat. How about Cheese sauce for veggies, or ranch dip. and then there is also fruit dip.

 

[Ohio Disney Girl]

My 4.5 yr old has banned all fruits and veggies from his plate a well. I have Deceptively Delicious and while some of the recipes are good, the pureeing drove me crazy. Now, I just keep some baby food veggies and fruits on hand. I stir in a tsp. or two into anything soft that will color-camoflauge the addition! Baby squash goes into his mac and cheese, green veggie baby food goes into spaghetti sauce on bagel pizzas and in spaghetti, tropical fruit goes into oatmeal, etc... I even mix a samll amount of extra veggie baby food (usually sweet potato) into his ketchup! I sneak in a tsp. here and there, not enough to effect the flavor, but add nutrients. A jar or two lasts the week this way, too.
I'm hoping he'll outgrow this phase, but in the meantime, this is my stress-free way to get some nutrients into him! I keep introducing veggies and fruits, but if he balks, I don't fight him since he's already getting some and just doens't know it!

Plus, they do make "Fruit and Veggie" gummy bear vitamins as supplements also-FYI.

 

[FoundMyPrince]

Our DS7 is a very picky eater. He dislikes veggies and nearly all fruit. He will sometimes eat bananas and has begun eating canned pears. He loves meat -- chicken, beef, etc., but hates veggies. If you ask him his favorite vegetable, he'll say it's zucchini bread.

I do try to sneak in some veggies and fruit into the foods I make. I always use apple sauce rather than oil when baking (great in cakes, cookies - cannot tell the difference at all). I know it's not making a huge difference, but it makes me feel a little better.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

2 stories- my sister did not eat a single vegetable but corn while growing up and then hit about 25 and now eats more vegetables and varieties than anyone in the family! never drank milk either and still grew up to be a dancer so they will grow up OK

My DS didn't eat any vegetables but potatoes and some rare corn when he was a toddler and at 11 still doesn't eat fruit and only about 3 kinds of vegeables and not very much of them and is perfectly healthy.

He does love potatoes especially mashed so that is how he gets most of his veg. servings.
He also will drink Apple juice so I try to keep that on hand Remember that if they will drink juice that is eating a fruit!!!! it doesn't have to be whole. Some kids will eat applesauce and not apples, form doesn't matter.

so try the juice and keep offering but some people just aren't fruit and veg people.

Now same house same feeding routine and my DD eats every fruit and vegetable known to man!!! so it is all in our makeup from birth I think.

Your dc are just like my dds to a tee!!!

 

[jagruti6]

I picked up my friends cookbook today (The Sneaky Chef) and will begin looking through that.

I went ahead and picked up his veggie cakes again--he loves those things.

Just going to have to work my way around.

Many of the tips here, I have used with my older girls and where I can, I used it with my son and he just turns around and offers me the prepared food. He's so proud he helped---and then gives it to me.

Short of a sensory issue--I just can't endorse not feeding him veggies or fruit for life. But I can do things I think to work them in.

I mean--is it bad to expect the kid to try a pea so that he can have his ice cream for dessert? I don't think it is--but maybe it is. I dunno.

Tough love i have read works in lots of parenting circles/recommendations. It is just that fine line of saying--you can eat whatever you want as long as this healthy stuff first.....versus.....you'll eat it, you'll like it or I'll go Mommie Dearest on you!

I certainly don't want to do the latter--but those scenes in that movie come to mind each time.

I have the opposite problem at my house. DS5 and DD 18 months both devour fruits and veggies, but struggle with meats. We do have them help in the kitchen and we have grown a veggie garden this year. Have you tried having a dinner play date? Maybe invite over a favorite friend or two and their moms to make small pizzas. I would have the dough and toppings ready ahead of time. Choose plenty of colorful veggies.Help them roll out the dough, and top the pizzas. He maybe more inclined to eat it if his friends are there eating. Then have them do something similar for dessert, yogurt or ice cream and let choose slices of fruit to dip in it. Oh and take pictures! It won't solve the eating issues but might get him back on the road to at least trying. You could then expand it by have a build or own pizza/taco/quesadilla/salad or whatever night once a week.

 

[MaumeeMom]

I know it is hard but until the kid will eat traditional fruits or veggies, just try to make them fun. Fruit smoothies look like milkshakes, salsa can be made with either fruit or veggies, pancakes can be made with blueberries and have fruit on top. Pumpkin and zucchini muffins have been mentioned.

one of my son's favorites is ants on a log. If your kid likes peanut butter this can be a way to get raisins and celery into him.

Good luck!

 

[princessmom29]

In theory your idea sounds very good. But in reality is does not always work. I tried that and he did not budge. He DID NOT like veggies and I was not about to make meal time a tug of war with my son. The reality is you have to try different things and see what works for your child. There is not just one way to get a child to eat something he does not like. I am wondering if you have children.

The whole point is that there is not tug of war or drama. You either eat or you don't. I am not arguing, discussing, or bargining. There is nothing said about it if you don't eat, but don't expect a dessert. This is how it has always been in my home with my child, and in the child care facilities I have worked at where we provide the food. You can almost always enforce it without the tug of war unless there are medical issues there. Believe me I have done it with countless "picky children" in a child care situation, in cojuction witth the parents enforcing it at home. The only child I couldn't get it to work with was later diagnosed on the autism spectrum. It is all in how you handle the situation.
Why does everyone always assume that the "tough love" crowd does not have kids?? my screen name is princessmom!

 

[momx2]

The whole point is that there is not tug of war or drama. You either eat or you don't. I am not arguing, discussing, or bargining. There is nothing said about it if you don't eat, but don't expect a dessert. This is how it has always been in my home with my child, and in the child care facilities I have worked at where we provide the food. You can almost always enforce it without the tug of war unless there are medical issues there. Believe me I have done it with countless "picky children" in a child care situation, in cojuction witth the parents enforcing it at home. The only child I couldn't get it to work with was later diagnosed on the autism spectrum. It is all in how you handle the situation.
Why does everyone always assume that the "tough love" crowd does not have kids?? my screen name is princessmom!

I agree! For some reason many posters here thinks tough love = no love or something like that. I think these books teaching us to sneak veggies into foods do nothing for the long term problem. Sure, it solves the short term, but the eat never knows they are eating veggies and never learns to like them. Most children will eat when hungry enough. I know some have true issues, but most just want to push the boundaries, including mine.