Why do toddlers develop food preferences?

[katerkat]

I've been such a good baby mommy. I made all Russ's baby food. Breastfed for over 13 months. Make the majority of his food from scratch, even now. Offer him a wide variety of foods. Waited on all the allergens. Try not to feed him junky foods.

So can someone explain why he refuses to eat anything but a frozen waffle for breakfast? Every day? I'm going to have to bring a toaster to WDW.

 

[Jessd]

My DD, now 2 will not eat anything but cheese, bologna, pickles and noodles. She refuses to eat anything else. She has been on this noodle kick for a couple of months, I am just waiting to see what else she adds to her menu.

Kids are funny!

 

[milkabum]

Ack. A toaster. I wish I knew, lemme try google

 

[mickeyboat]

Oh, you are going to start a debate about that toaster! Maybe you could use the room's iron instead.

I remember when the girls were babies how proud I was that they loved their veggies. Then they went through a phase when all they would eat was grilled cheese sandwiches. It all went down hill from there.

I think it was a way to assert control and independence to be honest with you. I have chosen not to make meal times a control battle, but I still try to offer them a variety of foods at each meal, and encourage them to try new things. Maybe you could offer a small "side" with Russ's waffles, and see if he will try some new things.

Good luck.

Denae

 

[Minnesota!]

My DS - 2- eats pretty much everything we put in front of him. If he refuses one night, I don't force it. As long as he eats something I put on his plate, I am happy. He would NEVER eat a sandwich - would peel it apart and eat the meat/cheese inside.

Last night DH gave him 1/2 a bologna sandwich, potato salad (which DS has always avoided) and a pickle. DS cleaned his plate...including the bread.

I think that as they grow, they try and assert their independance and they will do things "as they want to" and not as we want them to.

Just keep offering him a myriad of stuff. He will start picking at it :O)

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

They know what they like . And they grow anyway! LOL!

 

[Blondy876]

I would imagine it is the same reason my 21 month old will only eat cereal. Just about any kind but still, just cereal. No milk, just dry cereal. I make a well-balanced lunch she won't touch and 15 minutes later says "cereal". I cook a terrific dinner, she won't eat it and before bed says she's hungry and wants cereal.

She use to eat everything. I know it will pass but it makes me crazy. I just have to remember that my older dd went through a stage when she would only eat frozen pizza. It eventually passed, so hopefully the cereal thing will also pass. Soon.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think it is a matter of control, like anyone else. He has his waffle and now his day has started the way he wants it.
Heck you will have it easy for WDW!

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

So can someone explain why he refuses to eat anything but a frozen waffle for breakfast? Every day?

Plain and simple, to torture us as parents! The good news is he will get over the frozen waffle kick. the bad news is, something else will take its place.

My oldest is 7 1/2, and she just started liking veggies again in the last 2 months. Now she cannot get enough salad, corn, green beans and peas. She begs for stew and devours the potatoes, carrots and onions. Of course, now she doesn't like meat. It's a good thing eggs have lots of protien!

 

[CathrynRose]

My son was just about your Russ' age when his diet consisted of only Scrambled Eggs and Graham Crackers.

That was it - no if, and's or but's. Scrambled Eggs and Graham Crackers.

He's 15 and still alive, growing normally, today.

I say - bring the toaster, and save yourself the grief!

 

[Beth76]

Eh, forget the toaster. My 2-year-old has been eating frozen waffles every morning for the past few weeks.

 

[ZachnElli]

Noah and Russ are the same age and I have a hard time getting Noah to eat breakfast at all! He's just not a breakfast eater. I can usually get him to eat a few Cheerios and some yogurt. On a good day he'll eat the whole cup of yogurt, but sometimes he won't take even the first bite. This morning he ate 3/4 of the yogurt cup! I've had mornings that I have made him everything I have to get him to eat and he just won't. No eggs, bagels, toast, oatmeal, fruit, everything and somedays he just won't eat! Drives me nuts!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Eh, forget the toaster. My 2-year-old has been eating frozen waffles every morning for the past few weeks.

Hey, whatever works?

 

[becka]

Maybe he would enjoy a Mickey waffle so you could save bringing the toaster. Of course then you could be in trouble because he will want them at home as well.

I got lucky with my DS. He has had favorites but he has never been picky and still eats pretty much everything. He has found a few things he does not like but he never asks for certain foods over and over or refuses to eat anything else.

I do not think I will get as lucky with DD. She still eats fairly well at almost 18 months but she is getting pickier by the day and now that she is learning more words she is getting verbal about what she wants and there have been meals already where she would not eat anything on her plate and then would cry that she wanted to eat just a little while later. However, she would only eat when you offered her one of her favorite foods like a banana. I fear worse if coming.....can a person live on bananas alone?

 

[ZachnElli]

However, she would only eat when you offered her one of her favorite foods like a banana. I fear worse if coming.....can a person live on bananas alone?

Noah too! I have to sneak the bananas in the shopping cart when I go to the store because if he sees them, he freaks out! My oldest DS went through the banana phase too. And once for like 3 days all he would eat were bananas. He survived!

 

[jcsbama]

DD is 26 months. Luckily she has always been a good eater. She loves all kinds of fruit and we can't keep enough grapes. Sometimes she'll try to not eat and tell us she wants the grapes now. When she starts that, we tell her she has to eat this or that and so many bites before she gets grapes. It's crazy because she doesn't fight us with that. She'll then eat her meal, hand one of us her plate and says she's finished followed up with "I want the grapes now mommy".

Her favorite meal is chicken n' rice, green beans and buttered bread. We have to pry her away from the table because she just keeps eating. I don't know what it is about that meal, but she has always loved it.

Even though she eats a variety of things, I think she would be very happy if we let her eat just grapes and corn.

 

[golfgal]

When my kids were little they would want to eat the same thing over and over for a few weeks then switch to something else. They are all good eaters now, I never made an issue of what they ate, offered them good choices though with the occasional junk thrown in so mom and dad could eat it too . I wouldn't worry about it. It is a phase (which you will hear more then you care to over then next, oh 40 years).

 

[Christine]

Your big mistake was offering the frozen waffle. There's a sweetness to it and kids are very good at picking up on that stuff. Oh, the lure of waffles...