Ok so I know some children are slow eaters, but............

[star1976]

......it has just taken my DD (8) over 45 minutes to eat 2 Turkey Dinosaurs and about 10 oven chips. (Nutritional disaster I know but honestly trying to get her to eat anything is a nightmare).

She is driving me insane. I try not to make an issue of food, just give her what I know that she does like and hope that she eats it. She does know that if she doesn't eat her dinner there is no pudding or treat of any kind afterwards.

When have older mindees here try to get her to try the meals that they have (which I stress are always healthy, no Turkey Dinosaurs for them) but with no joy!!!!

She would live on peanut butter sandwiches given the choice!

Suggestions please????

but it's not your problem. leave her with the cold chips and cold pasta. you hurrying her along isn't going to help her realise it's nicer warm. just leave her to it. she'll fill up at breakfast the next day. best of luck!

Hey Star1976, don't worry, if she lives on peanut butter sandwiches don't worry, she'll soon tire of them!

My mum made me eat Beef Strogonoff when I was her age, I took about 2 hours!! Funnily enough its one of my favourites now.

I have the same with my 5 (and sometimes my 13 yr old!) with food. Luke is quite good, he'll have a go at things and I'll let him leave it if he really doesn't like it, if I make a curry I usually make him something else as he's not keen on spicy food except the poppadums! He loves boiled egg and strips of bread so i usually make that. He also enjoys bread and chicken sandwiches, especially at breakfast! He can be slow sometimes but he's fast at school, probably to go out playing!

DS used to be very slow & fussy.

I often gave him Apple Wedges in place of vegetables as he has always loved sliced up apple, and got into the habit of a side of veggies. He also grew to like raw carrot (and then cooked).

He liked plain pasta, with a touch of butter. We then added grated cheese (which became a favourite on its own) then small amounts of meat sauce covered in grated cheese until the balance was restored.

He still won't eat mash or boiled spuds, but loves roasties & will eat garlic potato wedges. Chips are not liked (except McDonalds!)

I kept trying new veggies, and discovered he likes baby asparagus!

At 8 he was still fussy, now at 11 he is much easier - just pulls faces but does try at least!

Keep Going

What do you do if the child just refuses to try new things though?????

Or just nibbles the most pathetic amount, claims not to like it, when in reality never had enough to be able to taste it??

If i say to her to take a proper mouthful, she just sits with it in her mouth for ages, or gags!

I'd put a picnic style platter in front of her (several different foods) & make myself busy for half an hour (clean a cupboard/ prepare dinner for you & dh)...It may take your mind off it & with less attention/pressure she may decide to try things?

Tonight I gave her one boiled potato, with a blob of butter. Two sausages (she does eat them ocassionally) and two of the smallest baby carrotts I could find!

She did eat everything. But told me that the carrots were the worst thing that she had EVER tasted. I told her that if they were the worst ever, nothing could be so bad, so therefore she should try other things!

Worth a try! Thanks for everyone's comments!

YIPPEE

I learnt with slow picky mindee that the best thing was to put a tiny bit on her plate and then she would feel like she'd achieved a lot more as wouldn't be leaving loads. I also only eat small portions and find that even when I'm really really hungry, if a big plate full of food is given to me, it's so overwhelming I go off wanting it.

Anyway, well done again

Ds1 is VERY picky and used to be horrifically slow - I well remember him taking 2 and a half hours to eat 2 spoonfuls of Shreddies...

He IS improving (nearly 6 now), particularly in speed but he's never going to be a gobbler. Unlike his sister!

Refused to even try fresh pineapple today (and I have to say that it was GORGEOUS and DS and mindees LOVED it).