My fantastic eater now thinks all food is poison!

[pigleychez]

DD1 has always been a fantastic eater. Eaten everything, spicy things, good table manners etc

She's 4.5 and during the past year has got progressively worse with her dinners. Things she normally loved are now the work of the devil!
She would devour roast dinners but now we struggle to get hardly any of it.

We noticed its got worse since starting school which im guessing is the influence of others at lunch times.

She's become so picky and anything hidden will get picked out, discovered and the whole dismissed.
So many mealtimes are a drama lately and its becoming real hard work.
Every week we seem to add another dinner to 'Doomed' list.

We've noticed too that its starting to rub off on DD2 (2.6) too which we dont want as she too eats pretty well.

Anyone been through this? Any suggestions gratefully received!

both ds1 and ds2 did this at the same age. I have not got an answer but IMHO I think that it is really important to keep offering a variety. I also tell my boys that they have to have one bite on everything on their plate. general things like getting them involved in the planning and preparation of meals may help. pizza is a good one. I have friends who have only given their children the food they like and the children have got even fussier.

Personally I would completely ignore the behavior. Either she is trying to get attention (in which case, don't reward) or she genuinely doesn't like the foods (in which case, you probably are OK with her not eating them). I think they all go in stages and this is normal, and ignoring it will get her back on track fastest.

Has there been any kind of change to her schedule due to school (ie, a hot midday meal) that would make her less hungry at dinner? I notice my DD doesn't eat as well even if she's just had a small snack.

I would look at one of Ellyn Satter's books she has a great common-sense approach. The gist of it, which we try to follow, is that we adults plan and serve healthy meals, we do our best to eat together, and DD decides what and how much she eats. Nothing between meals (except a planned afternoon snack if I think we need it) and no substitutions, although I make sure there is something like bread and butter so she doesn't panic when the main meal is unfamiliar. We don't eliminate foods she rejects that would just narrow the circle. I really try not to get her to try things because it doesn't ever work. If I put a little on her plate (telling her what it is when I serve it) and ignore, she often tries things herself when I'm not looking. If there is a dessert, it doesn't depend on what other food she has eaten. No drama and no negotiation. I try to limit commentary to "You must have been hungry!" or "You must not feel hungry tonight!" After doing this for a few months, I really think it's true -- if she doesn't eat well, it's almost always because she isn't hungry.

Good luck!

lori has a great point -- if DD helps me prepare something, it vastly increases the chances of DD trying/liking it.

Thanks for your replies.

We do try and involve her in the planning stages as I meal plan each week and ask them what they would like. Given half the chance they would have Macaroni cheese every night!

She does help me make homemade pizza etc so ill try and step that up abit more. We also all eat together at the table every mealtime. Always have.

We do continue to give her the foods. For example we have a roast most Sunday's despite knowing it will end in disaster.
Have no intentions of letting her eat just want she has decided she likes.

We do small plates of food and encourage her to try abit of each.

Its strange though how one week its fine and the next its the worse dinner in the world!