3 year old with food issues

[Lottiegal]

I know this is probably really common but my three year old ds hasn't eaten any vegetables since about 10 months old. Now when I say this I mean he won't try a vegetable on its own raw or cooked. He will eat tomato sauce on pasta which I have to purée veg into. When he was 10 months old he got gastro enteritis which meant he couldn't eat for a couple if weeks. Since then he's really rejected a lot if foods.

I have two older children that eat really well and set a good example. My three year old only eats fish fingers, plain chicken, pasta, bread and bananas and yoghurt. I've tried starving him and only offering what we eat at mealtimes, but he genuinely seems completely resistant to try anything new. I know he's getting a reasonable diet but I don't want him
It's ok not to try anything, on the flip side I don't want mealtimes to be a battle.

Any tips?

Sorry I meant to say at the end ' I don't want him to think it's ok not to try anything new'

Anyone?

Not much of an expert but I have found that tiny portions of all the elements of the meal has occasional success. He doesn't just fill up on the stuff he likes and will eat other bits (sometimes). I try to have extra available in the pan in case he eats what I have given him.

I can relate to you! My son age 5 only eats sweetcorn, mushroom and recently cauliflower and broccoli (a tiny amount). Before it was no veg and fruits! It took a long time for him to like vegetables but I didn't stress about it. I keep offering new veg and fruits on his plate and it's up to him whether he will eat it or not. I didn't hide the veg, I put a small portion on his plate, if he nibbles a new veg he gets lots of praise. If he doesn't touch any veg I ask him to try a fruit instead. He now eat grapes but he loves apples. My daughter is the same, she's quite picky but I still dish out new and the same veg on her plate. She nibbles on her veg and if she refuse, I offer her fruit. I'm sure they will like veg or try new veg one day. I wouldn't stress about it. Let them eat at their own pace. I use to envy kids who eat all their veg but all kids are different. Some might take longer to adapt new food but the key is to make food fun and not an issue out of it. I was a picky eater when I little,now I love food and eat all types of fruit and veg. They will grow out it, keep exposing veg on his plate, leave it to him, set a good example and enjoy eating your veg and one day they will eat it.

Get him to help you buy and prepare food.
Mine always want to try what I have (radish today).
Try dried fruit?

I forgot to add that their diet was very boring before , plain cheesy pasta, any battered frozen stuff, chips. Now, I make an effort and cook food from scratch- he likes chicken so I make chicken paella, chicken pie, chicken satay, BBQ chicken. He likes sausages so I make sausage roll, toad in the hole, sausage meatball. The idea is to expand his favourite food into different dishes but still keeping his comfort food in it. It took a while but we eat as a family (instead of cooking different meals). Their food variety have improved but no more frozen stuff for us . Still working on their veg but it's getting better

Thanks for your messages I have tried most of these ideas so I guess I have to hope he'll come round. I cook from scratch most days and he likes to help prepare it too sometimes. The other day we made flapjacks but wouldn't eat the finished thing even though he would eat one out if a wrapper from the shop!

The thing is he won't even allow vegetables on his plate- he cries and rejects the whole plate if there is something he doesn't like on there. If I say ok them I feel like he hasn't even tried and he just eats the plain things like chicken or potato. I'm Wondering if I need to cut back on the food he likes and be tougher. I feel like if I don't tell him how important it is to eat fruit and veg he'll think it's ok not to eat it, which is tricky as my older children think it's unfair when I tell them they need to eat a few mouthfuls if vegetables.

I would just put the family meal on the plate for him and not discuss the meal at all. Chat about everything but food. If he wants to leave its fine, he can always eat it later if hungry. I wouldn't make it into a fight, just accept him eating or not eating. Dont cook pasta, fish fingers etc for a week or two just yo break the habit. Its madness yo cook 2 meals. If he's badly behaved at the table for what ever reason, I'd send him to his room so everyone else can enjoy their meal in peace.

Do you know I had one day probably about two days ago, I decided to take action. I told him he has to try one vegetable on his plate, of course he didn't like it. I persevered and after five trips to 'time out' to calm down he eventually ate a pea. Since then he has tried cheesecake, peas, green beans and asparagus! Believe me this is a massive breakthrough

That's great lottorgal! Keep persevering

Your dc is at that age of trying things now.

Dd1 was the same. Didn't eat vegetables from 13mo after she got her first tooth and she used to eat everything. I have a photo of her at about 11mo eating sliced olives that she used as rings on her fingers, and ate them off.

She now eats, carrot, broccoli, sweet corn, green beans, and she eats all potato things, and not just chips, and smiley faces. Wrt the carrots, we told her rabbits eat them, and they can see in the dark, she was fascinated and tried them with ketchup

Good luck

Hi

I really really feel for you. My DS is 3.7 months and eats no more than about 6 things. No fruit or veg in original form either. He won't eat cheesy/yoghurt type things either and will gag on food that isn't 'exactly' the same even if it's the same meal. He will not try anything new and like yours will refuse a whole meal if there is a teeny price of carrot or broccoli on the side! It's so stressful I really understand. You end up dreading every mealtime if you try and make any changes.

Anyway, I read a lot of things about sensory food issues, food phobias, resistant eaters (as I believe it's more than just being picky) and we finally went to the GP and asked for a referral. The GP made me feel like a complete neurotic mother, but I just pressed for a referral which we are now waiting for with a paediatric dietician.

Like your DC mine won't eat if he's hungry so if I give him 'our' food then he roll just not eat. I have not been able to do this for longer than 3 dinners as it just doesn't feel right to me.

I would advise a trip to the GP if you feel you're going in circles. Good luck and please pm me if you want to chat about it (or scream with frustration!!!)