Fussy eater aged 14!

[Eliza88]

My daughter will hardly eat anything she is so fussy. I'm being to think she might actually have a phobia as she gets quite distressed when i try and encourage her to try new foods. She's 14, active, healthy and developing as she should. This isn't about weight she just says she doesn't like many foods. She has a very limited diet - bananas, apples, yogurts, grapes, carrots sticks, toast, chicken nuggets, crisps and she loves garlic bread. It's not unhealthy but I can't cook a proper meal for her. Where can you go for help without making it a even bigger issue than it is? Whenever I search for help on the net it's always toddlers they are talking about!

You could ask your GP for a referral to CAMHS but you'd have to emphasise that this is causing her distress. I doubt they would help just because her diet is limited as long as she is getting sufficient nutrition.

My guess is that she will, at some point, widen her diet in order to fit in socially, perhaps when eating out socially with friends kicks in.

She is old enough to make her own meals so you could cook what you're having and let her choose whether to eat it or make her own meal. You would have to be very detached and easy going about it and never comment if she does try something.