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Help! 3 year old only eats pasta!

6 replies

Babykiki · 05/04/2023 13:17

Help! Im at my wits end. My daughter, almost 3 years old, refuses to eat any fruits or vegetables. She's hated fruit with vehemence ever since she was very small. If I somehow smuggle it in her mouth she'd spit and wretch and rub her tongue all over the furniture while crying hysterically. I've tried freshly squeezed juice, smoothies, fruit pouches. She even hated watermelon juice that I squeezed through a sieve to only get at the sweet watermelon water. She is only interested in pasta and requests it for every meal. Failing that she'd ask for bread.
The only healthy thing I used to manage to include in her diet was yoghurt with oats and pureed fruit which was okay until 2 months ago. Now every time I offer it she cries so miserably, you'd think the world is ending. I've tried offering fruit n veg regularly. Just keeping it around so she can grab a piece any time, cutting it into cute shapes...eating in front of her. Strawberries, mango, blueberries, bananas, apples, oranges.....dried fruit too... Everything. Same with carrot sticks n other veg. With a heavy heart, I've let her get really really hungry which only makes her super cranky and less likely to experiment with anything new. I've explained that tummy feels better if you eat fruit. I told her Rainbow Ruby, Cocomelon and the entire Paw Patrol bunch love fruit. I've tried bribing with toys, gifts and promises... It's like negotiating with a very adorable but annoying donkey!

One issue is vitamins and nutrients, another is pooping. A diet of pasta and bread doesn't bode well for the digestive system. Last month I had to give her those honey-based micro enemas 4 times. She doesn't poop for days and then when she does she turns red and produces the tiniest bunny poops.

What can I do?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Pinkflipflop85 · 05/04/2023 13:21

Have you asked for support from a dietician/feeding team?

specialklady · 05/04/2023 13:24

Sorry to hear this OP, it's stressful when your children don't eat much ☹️
I used to grate carrot into my DSs tomato pasta sauce, he didn't really notice it was in there and if he asked I'd say it was crunch cheese.
I wonder where she's 3 if you could try explaining to her that it would make you really proud if she ate just some raisins, or grapes, or even try coating banana in chocolate to get her started on that?
I found with DS once he ate something, his body would crave it and then he's definitely eat it again after that point.
I'm sure you'll find she eats more variety soon but for now don't worry too much and just keep trying x

QueenSmartypants · 05/04/2023 13:26

Can you hide veg in the pasta dishes by blitzing it smooth in a blender and adding it to sauce?

Will she take fruit if offered as a milkshake?

I remember seeing on 3 day nanny that children needed to encounter new foods about 7x before they felt comfortable to try it, so she advised just putting some on a plate with meal times and not commenting on it, allowing them to touch/play/smell/taste as they willed.

What about blitzing fruit and adding it to flapjacks? Oats may be kinder to her tummy. You could also try green pasta? It's spinach based but tastes the same imo

MistyFrequencies · 05/04/2023 13:26

Ask for professional support. Dietitian maybe? Google ARFID and see if you think it fits, and if so talk to your GP.
My boy is Autistic with severely restricted diet, the only way we got fruit into him was to freeze Innocent (only this brand for some reason) smoothies into icepops. Theres also a brand of pure juice icepops we buy at Tesco, theyre fucking expensive but when i home make just juice ones he refuses.
Hes slowly getting more able to try new things and currently eats grapes too.

Babykiki · 05/04/2023 14:03

Hello, thank you for the suggestions. I'm gonna get some bananas now and try doing flapjacks tonight. It might tempt her. Regarding the pasta sauce unfortunately she just likes pasta plain. Any kind of sauce and so far has been a no go. Perhaps I'll try a little pesto as a start.

OP posts:
NuffSaidSam · 05/04/2023 14:09

Have you tired cooked fruit? Like stewed apple or similar?

Do you think she could have an allergy to raw/fresh fruit? Her reaction sounds very extreme, almost like it's stinging her mouth?

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