practicalities of making a toddler eat other food than pig

[wingcommandermoi]

So DS has now reduced his accepted meals to ham and sausages. Oh and marmite and special k.
They are generally served with/on wholewheat toast. I sometimes can get some fruit purees in him.
Otherwise no fruit, no veg, no cheese, no fish, no chicken.

It's been a few months in the making (he used to eat all of the above), but now this looks permanent and it can't be healthy.
He is almost 2 and won't accept anything else.

So practically. I am able to give him breakfast, then offer some lunch other than the favourites, which he'll probably refuse.
He'll normally have a snack around 3pm. which he is likely to refuse again if it's not within the above list.
Then comes dinner. that's when I weaken. If I think of giving him something that's not on the approve list, I remember how badly he sleeps, and can't stand the thought that he'll go to bed without a full stomach, and will therefore find an extra reason for waking up. But maybe he's waking up because he's not getting what he would get from a balanced diet?
His growth chart shows that he's really slowed down in the last 6 months and am worried that what he eats has something to do with it. He was in the 75th percentile and is now in the 25th.
Have any other mums out there come out successfully of a similar battle? How did you do it (details please) and how long did it take?

Thanks all!

[RikersBeard]

Not quite as drastic, but my DS did pretty much reduce his meat intake to processed pig for about 6 months. He's now 2.11 and for the past couple of months he has eaten a little bit of chicken. He won't contemplate lamb, beef, mince etc, gags and retches or just refuses.

He likes cheese, and will eat smoked fish. Basically, he likes salt.

I would advise just keep giving him different things, think lots of them do go down to a restricted number of likes, but they get through it and you have to just keep exposing them.

Can you try some different carbs like rice pudding? Mine has always liked scrambled egg so I have had some success secreting things inside omelettes. And veg soup hides many things when blended.
Am trying not to make an issue out of it, but it's hard!

[RikersBeard]

Ps he was brilliant when weaning, at anything and everything. You just can't cater for 2yr olds!

[helpyourself]

You said it yourself- when I weaken
FWIW it's not necessarily a bad diet if you can get some vitamin drops or sweets in there, but it's not great for him to have such control.
He's only 1!
Is he still having a lot of milk?
I'd get a referral to a dietician, and be prepared to let him go hungry if he refuses the odd meal.

[TheTermagantToaster]

Mine is a fan of all things pig as is his mother and I find pork mince and veggie stir-fry is absolutely hoovered down. And not just the mince - vegetables (eg baby corn, cabbage) that he usually regards with disgust before lobbing at the dog - all of it goes down the hatch.

I flavour with a little soya sauce, garlic, ginger and some sesame oil.

[VforViennetta]

I would continue to offer 1 (acceptable to him) meal per day, then offer new things in the other meal, maybe swap the meals around now and again, or offer new things with the acceptable thing.

Would he maybe try smoothies or home made milkshakes? Does he like cake sweet things?

I'm going through the same thing with ds2 who is almost 3, he mostly always refuses to eat his evening meal, very very fussy with what he will eat. I do know though that both of my older children went through the exact same thing, it's not permanent at all, they both eat a decent variety of foods now.

I think if you do make it into a big thing and a battle, that it's counter productive, stresses everybody out and hands them a big chunk of attention seeking power. I think basically you just have to keep trucking on, it doesn't really sound like a texture or swallowing issue, so I could be wrong often am but I think he will improve with age, ime they just don't really care about food at this age.

[VforViennetta]

Also if he likes sausages, how about sneaking a few veggie ones in there, or maybe sausage casserole with a hidden vegetable sauce? Mine regards any kind of sauce with high suspicion and a resounding "no thanks" though, although will eat tomato soup .

[newbielisa]

I think a lot go through it. My DD survived on pasta in philadelphia with garlic and herbs and grapes for what seemed like months but in reality was probably a week or so. Then she did the "not interested in food at all stage" so I let her eat whatever she wanted whenever she wanted just to get her metabolism ticking again. It worked, she began eating normally again (well as normal as a now 2 year old does).

A friend saw a GP and confided her DS was surviving purely on chocolate biscuits some days, he didn't flinch at all and said don't worry about it they all do it and it won't last forever. He, of course, was right.

[wingcommandermoi]

hello from middle of the night sleep training of same dh. thank god for mumsnet iphone app that allows me to sit with him while looking busy elsewhere.

You're all right, they all seem to have that phase, I'm just trying to shorten it a bit!
Rikersbeard, mine seems to like salt too, with the marmite and all. And no he won't try any form of eggs or rice pudding.
Helpyourself, you're probably right about getting a nutritionist referral
Toaster, I like your pork mince and stirfry idea, and the dressings too
Vienetta, I can get some smoothies, juices and compotes in him, I just get worried about the processed meat theme.
I wonder if I could disguise chicken into pork? How would one do that? Mince it with herbs, salt or soy sauce and fry it in goosefat?
Somebody mentioned himalayan salt as being a healthier option than sea salt. Mr Ocado will be delivering it in the morning so will see how it goes.

[piprabbit]

Could you try making some pork patties/burgers.

I make mine with leftover roast pork so the meat is already cooked. The basic recipe mixes minced pork with some breadcrumbs and and egg, shape it into wee burgers and fry in a non-stick pan. At least this would minimise the salt and other additives.

If he accepts these as some sort of home made sausage (maybe he could help make them?) then you could start sneaking finely chopped veggies in to the recipe too. We also add herbs or very mild spices.