to force feed DD vegetables.

[EccentricaGallumbits]

She hasn't eaten vegetables or fruit in any way, shape or form since she was 2.

On the lunchtime news there was a bit about 5 a day not being enough to protect you from cancer or heart disease.

DD went off on one, blaming me for the fact that 'she is going to die by the time she is 25'

It is all my fault apparantly.

She's still going on about it now.

would it be U of me to only feed her vegetables forever?

Everything I've read suggests that kids 'know' what their bodies need...there's a certain biology to it. Mine are 3 and 2, and though they aren't terribly fussy eaters anyway, I make the meal, put it on their plates, and that's that. Some nights, they devour veg like it's going out of fashion, some nights, they eat very little of anything. The more you stress/force/scream, etc., the more she will refuse stuff, AND the higher the likliehood of food issues when she's older. Don't take the blame. Show her where the veg are, and let her help herself. Offer it at meal times when you cook it, and let her make the decision. If she's old enough to blame you, she's old enough to make the choice for herself!

eccentrica - well if she knows enough about nutriion and can have a go at you now surely she's old enough to take control and start eating the blody stuff.

My ds almost 4 is practically a frutarian with sweetcorn person - also an issue - not enough energy for him yet he's well built (doesbn;'t eat chocolate) - or it's just bloody pasta (loathe the white stuff myself).

Nothing is enough to protect ourselves from cancer.

Ellokitty your dc is only 2 1/2. I remember those heady days when I could insist dtwin 2(now 6) ate a mouthful of foods he didn't like. The last time I tried that with a piece of leek the size of a dust speck he threw up all over the table. Things change rapidly after the age of 2.

Interestingly my ds's twin(who was always given identical food often off the same plate) and dd5 are the most amazing eaters ever,real foodies,anything and everything.

Some children are just born fussy eaters, I refuse to attempt to change ds now, just don't have the energy anymore,also his beige to fawn strictly no green diet with a splash of orange for variety is fairly healthy albeit very limited-humus,w/m toast,croissants,bananas,peeled apples,juice,carrots(raw only),sweetcorn,Kettle crisps,chips,fish fingers,chicken,cheese,melon,mash,porridge,egg white.....

Have you ever tried disguising vegetables in things like spaghetti bolognaise, stews and the like?

Have you always still served them to her, and she has just left them on the plate? If so, perhaps point this out!!

Bloss - why didn't I think of that? would have saved myself years and years and years and years of hair rending and anguish.

It's also my fault it rained earlier and my fault that her bike had a puncture.

no soup, stews, bolog, corn, puree, frozen. nada.

and her esponse to me pointing out it has always been served up....

'why didn't you force me to eat them?'

I can't bloody win. I give up.

(actually I gave up trying to understand her years ago.)

Does she eat frozen fruit juice - ice lollies? I suppose you have tried every obvious thing. How old is she, is she just hormonal atm?

she is impossible. (all my fault)

I have given up.

EG I entirely sympathise as I have a very fussy ds who only really wants to eat spagetti and pizza - after 5 years of constant battles to get more variety in his diet I have eased up on him as long as he tries some veg with every meal. We are veggie so I am especially anxious to cover the food groups.

I use wholewheat pasta and brown flour in the pizza dough to improve the nutrition of his fav meals and he is well aware of the health benefits of vegetables despite never wanting to eat them (or fruit) so I can imagine him throwing the same accusation at me one day.

You can do your best and no more, I am pretty sure I was a veg dodger as a child but I love em all (cept sprouts, swede and Jerusalem artichokes!) now...

Tell her veg wil stop her getting spots. It may even be true.

You could try stewing fruit and getting all the colour out of it...

She sounds old enough to make her own decisions and if she complains about you not giving her fruit then just give her some. If she doesn't eat it, her choice. I'd laugh at her, tbh.

Message withdrawn

Mila - my youngest is 3 1/2, and has refused egg for the past two years (before then she ate it okay). My eldest however is 6 1/2 and we've employed the same policy. They can both be fussy about certain things, but I have found with both girls, taking the long road not making a battle out of it, they have improved over time. And yes, they can be bloody fussy at times. But I have found taking the long road has helped, and I can only hope that when you're on the long battle, sometimes it does help (it helped me) to know that you cook egg every week, even though most of it won't get eaten and so on... sometimes it helps to know you can make little inroads.

bloss - FWIW I agree that in EG's case taking a step back is probably best.

just not in all cases - my DSD is quite young for her age IYSWIM, and this is part of a whole bigger issue of her mum not making any effort with discipline etc. sorry, I'm waffling/hijacking.

EG, what is it she says she doesn't like about fruit/veg?

I agree with Jux, about the laughing, as she's specifically said it's your fault.

I read on that other fussy eating thread on AIBU that many like bloss grew up to be good eaters.

hmm. at least my DS is so far not fussy, he's eating my woolly jumper.

EG - just once, i think you should serve her a meal of JUST fruit & veg - a whole platter of them, surrounded by glasses & glasses of various fruit/veg juice drinks.

DARE her to complain!

Is she a teenager? That is also your fault, you know. In fact, just so that there are no more surprises for you, her height, weight, friends, music, clothes. movies, life plans, the weather, in fact evolution and life itself, are ALL your fault.

Now, get yourself a glass of wine - tis made from good, healthy grapes, and then sit back & enjoy it smugly, knowing that you are being a good role model.

btw, i alsways thought the 5-a-day thing was for vitamins, fibre etc, nothing to do with cancers?

Seona1973:"It is saying eating your 5 a day does not really make a difference in preventing cancer "

Yup, that's right I heard it on the Today programme as I was waking up.

Latest research showing that 5-a-day not all its cracked up to be.

Stick at it you scientist chaps, if you just try a bit harder I am sure you can prove that cake is the new superfood.

Er..... wouldn't that be chocolate, 5Foot5?

what is a supertaster?

Jux - chocolate may well be a superfood but it definitely has some harmful properties.

Well, the little chocolate egg that somehow rolled underneath me on the sofa last night did. By the time I got up to go to bed there was chocolate all over the cushion and all over my arse seat of my trousers too. I said it could have happened to anyone but DH said how could I not know it was there, like he has a specially sensitive rear end, princess and the pea style.

When I was 4 I lived on white bread and tomato ketchup AND NOTHING ELSE.

I now will eat anything, and my parents didn't play the stupid 'one mouthful' game, they just waited it out.