If you have a fussy eater, what WILL they eat?

[BurningBright]

Just curious about the ranges of foods other fussy eaters will actually eat.

My DD ate everything placed in front of her, with gusto and enthusiasm, until she was two. Two and a half years on the list of what she will eat has dwindled to:

Bread
Breadsticks
Pasta (without sauce)
Hummus
Pizza (sometimes, but only cheese and tomato and it has to be fairly light on the tomato)
Cheddar cheese
Soft cheese (Dairylea type cheese)
Fishcakes
Smoked mackerel
Other fish in breadcrumbs (occasionally) but never fish fingers
Weetabix (without milk)
Porridge
Yogurt/fromage frais
Quite a few fruits - mango, banana, strawberries, apples, pears, cherries.

NO vegetables at all. She just won't try them. Even though brussels sprouts and broccoli were huge favourites when she was tiny.

She has small quantities of chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc every now and again. But she often leaves them only half eaten. She just isn't very interested in food.

Written down like that, the list actually looks longer than I expected. But it's still very restricted.

What will your fussy DC eat?

My advise would be, try not to worry about your child's development due to fussy eating. there is a lot of pressure to follow healthy eating plans at home and at school.
My son's eating habits changed when he was about 2 years old. He would only eat,
Fish cakes (one brand)
Potatoes, no flavourings
Plain baked crisp
Beans (one brand)
Biscuits, plain only
Ice cream, plain only
Cake
Jam sandwiches, one brand
I took him to the doctor, who told me not to worry. So I tried not to, it's hard when they're little and you want to do the best for them, I felt I was failing as a mother, how would it effect his, development, his energy levels, his health and his teeth etc.

He's 14 years old now. Still a very fussy eater, but very recently added a few things,
Fish cakes.
Potatoes, mash, baked, roast.
Chicken in bread crumbs.
Yorkshire puddings.
Crisps, plain and salt and vinegar
Yoghurt.
Apples.
Grapes.
Ice cream, many flavours.
Cake.
Biscuits, different textures.
Baked beans.
Jam sandwiches, still only one brand.

Still no veg, no cheese and very little fruit or meat and a nightmare to take out for a meal!

But.... as far a development is concerned, please don't worry,

He did well at junior school and is doing very well in Grammar school, taking maths and science GCSE's early, so it didn't effect his brain and learning development.
He plays every sport he can fit in, 10 hours plus a week, so it didn't effect his energy levels.
He's just had the brace taken off his teeth and his adult teeth don't have any fillings.
His school nurse gave him a perfect BMI and weight for his age. He's 5' 10" now. Without knowing his eating habits, she even told him that whatever I was feeding him, I must be doing a good job! Thanks, that put us back a few months!
I hope he will start to try things as he starts to go out with friends more. My fingers are crossed!!

dd2 is horrendously fussy

she will eat

chocolate spread sandwiches
cheese sandwiches
jam sandwiches
chicken nuggets but not just any
chips, any and homemade
spag bol but only with no chunks of anything at all
pizza, but only cheese and tomato and no chunks of tomato or lumps of cheese
brocolli
carrots
sweetcorn
corn on the cob
peas
yoghurt, no lumps..actually cheap fromage frais
cheese and onion crisps
golden syrup porridge (oats so simple)
toast with butter

I can make her eat cooked chicken breast in small amounts

any sweets you chuck near her
any chocolate you chuck near her as long as it doens't have nuts in

I'm appalled by it and know its my fault

For the first few years my dd ate only four things (plus crap of course if allowed)

Cheese
Orange lentils
Cashew nuts
Apples.

It's not your fault and I don't think that this list of food kooks too fussy, I can only think of all the things I could make if I had this much food to choose from. I'd die to have cheese and some veg on my son's menu!

My ds age 3.10 is a terrible eater, he is the youngest of 3- the older two have always been good eaters. This is his terrible list

Marmite sandwiches (white bread!)
croissants, brioche, scotch pancakes etc
yoghurts/fromage frais
squeezy fruit pouches
apple
raisins
raw carrot
cucumber
occasionally sausages (only sainsburys TTD, he won't even try any others!!)
the crusts of pizza and garlic bread (Only the crusts!!)
The yolk of a boiled egg with soldiers!!! (Not the white)
Obviously he will eat crisps and cake, choc, sweets etc
That is it!

No amount of bribery works, he gets dished up the same dinners as the older
2 and refuses to even try any of it. So most nights he will go to bed having eaten nothing. Do any of you think I need to see someone about him, or will he really get better?

Still doesn't look too bad to me... he's got fruit and veg, yoghurt etc. Is he healthy ?

Yes, he is the picture of health! This is the reason I have never sought any professional help. He is growing really well and has good amounts of energy.

He is on movicol daily for chronic constipation (which is controlling it well), always makes me wonder whether the thought of eating/food is related to the awful pooing problems he used to have?

I think I might be tempted to seek professional advise as to whether there may be a connection between the constipation, the Movicol and the eating. Has anyone looked into why he's constipated without the Movicol. I wouldn't worry too much about the range of foods he eats though if he's fit and healthy otherwise.

This thread has made me feel much better.

I've had a very fussy eater here to play with DS2. Her mother did warn me about her limited diet and sent some extra bits in her lunch-box. But, I've been feeling the the worst hostess in the world.

She ate one carrot stick; the inside of a soft white roll (no butter/spread); half a punnet of strawberries and one piece of peeled and cored apple.

Everything else she either refused (very politely) or said she would eat it another time.

He has suffered with constipation since birth, and has had a operation to check that did not have Hirschprungs Disease - which was clear. So was diagnosed with chronic constipation and we were told to stick with the movicol and try to reduce it over time.

I have always wondered if his poor eating was linked with the constipation/movicol, have spoken with Health Visitors and they have made suggestions as to how to try and improve his eating - but nothing works! He will not even try the smallest amount of anything, will just sit and look at it - until I tell him he can get down, usually when the older two have finished. He is very stubborn or just not bothered by being hungry/has no interest in food.

Wondered with to bother with the Dr? Thanks for listening.

This is quite a reassuring thread for me. My DD doesn't sound as fussy as some, but it drives me crazy. She used to eat loads of different things, but now at 7 is so much more picky.

She will eat
Pasta (lasagne/bolognese/pesto/tomato/cheese)
Peperoni pizza - no bits of tomato or other toppings at all
White bread
Sausages
Plain boiled rice - occasionally
Bacon/gammon
Nutella
Marmite
Chicken nuggets
Tandoori chicken!
Burritos
Burgers
Baked beans - with threats gentle encouragement
Cheddar cheese
Rarely fruit - strawberries/grapes/apple/pineapple
Frazzles
Chocolate

She will not eat potato in any form, ever, no eggs, ever (unless in cake!), no sauces/gravies other than in pasta, no veg, no fish, no flavoured rice/couscous etc and anything else not on the list.

I've tried everything to encourage trying new flavours without any luck. I'm trying hard to be hopeful she'll grow out of it eventually but it's hard work.

On the other hand she's tall and slim, with bags of energy and seems generally very healthy.

Dear marchbunny, I feel for you, maybe there is no connection at all! But do you know, if he's happy and healthy and you've asked the questions, let him take it at his own speed, he's eating some healthy food there and maybe he's happy with what's right for him and how much. he won't starve. I think we all put too much importance on healthy eating and what we think we should be feeding our children. I have one child who is a complete nightmare at 14, when it come to food, not interested and very limited and one child who eats salami, strong cheeses, fruit and veg and doesn't even like unhealthy options! It maybe isn't us as parents and it's just another character trait! Thankfully, I have realised that I am not alone in having my fussy eater!

Ds 8 will only eat;
carrots, tiny bit of cucumber, lettuce, radishes,
apples, grapes, pineapple, melon.
chicken sometimes, lamb,
french fries, baked potato
baked beans
hummus
tomato ketchup
white bread
crackers
soft cheese like philadelphia
sometimes cake, biscuits
icecream of any type
pizza base (he removes all toppings)

Ds 6 will only eat:
chicken, lamb, (both dry, no sauce)
cheese
tomatoes,
strawberries, pears, apple, bananas, raisins, grapes, melon, pineapple
spaghetti Bolognese (with lots of veggies hidden in the sauce)
plain rice
wholemeal bread, pitta bread, naan
pizza
chips
cheese on toast
mayonnaise

My 4 year old ds will eat anything, and often just opens the fridge and helps himself.
19 month old dd is the same as her 4 year old brother.

Glad I found this thread tonight...I feel a complete failure with my youngest DD...since 13 months she has been very fussy, and most frustratingly just won't try stuff...

Her list of things she'll eat are:

Bread and any bread related product ie, bread sticks
Cheerios, Rice pops
Porridge
Bananas, Apples, Blueberries, Cherries, Strawberries
Sausages
Mini scotch eggs, but won't eat egg in any other format
Spaghetti bol - sometimes but won't eat any other type of pasta dish, plain or otherwise
Won't touch vegetables or salad
Yoghurt - hates cheese though :-(
Sometimes fish finger
Sometimes chicken breast
Tuna sandwiches - used to eat ham sandwiches but now picks it out
Baked Beans
Biscuits & Cake obviously

I try not to let her snack in the hope she'll be hungry for dinner, but she really can say no and go to bed on her milk, she has only about 3-4 oz of milk in a cup at night and can take or leave it.

She drinks water and squash in the day and is well hydrated, I make sure not to let her fill up on drink before a meal.

She looks healthy but I'm aware she is much thinner than my elder DD was at that age - who is a really good eater, she had a fussy phase round 2 but made great improvements by 3 years, and was never as restrictive as her sister.

I just don't know what to do, every evening I don't know what to cook, I feel so dissappointed and wonder when things are going to improve. I'm forever being given heaps of advice, all of which I've tried to no avail ...I eat with them both too in the hope of encouraging, although some nights I can't face it and go in the other room in the hope that the big brother effect may be preventing her from eating.

Please help advise if you can...

Forgot to add my youngest is 2 years now, so this phase has been going strong since 13 months

Cheerios, other cereals, porridge.
Toast and any other bread product known to man
Other carbs like rice, dumplings, pasta, couscous - all plain
Peanut butter
Yoghurt and milk
Innocent fruit tubes
Smoothie, fruit juice
Ham (by itself). Preferably expensive parma stuff.
Cheese+tomato pizza
Omelette (plain)
Pasta or gnocchi with tomato puree
Sausages (any type of meat or quorn but not barbecue flavour)
Chips and sometimes roast potatoes
Custard tarts
Cake and biscuits and crisps and icecream.

It seems to be a texture thing mainly - he won't eat fruit puree pots with lumps any more and has a near-phobia of touching mashed potato, pieces of fruit, etc. He will at least now play with carrots and peas and get his toys to 'eat' them...

He's a stocky chap so other than trying all sorts to get fruit and veg into him to avoid painful constipation I try not to worry - family friend had much more fussy child who was way healthier than his siblings and has grown into a healthy and much less fussy teenager.

At her worst (about 3 years old) dd would only eat

Tinned macaroni cheese
Chocolate desserts
Toast
Weetabix
Mashed potato
Cheese (only grilled)

(notice the colour trend here)

She would only drink milk and water.

Now she will eat

Roast chicken, beef, pork, bacon but doesn't like processed meat eg ham
Potato - but not keen on chips
Pizza - only marguerita
Carrots
Peas
Cauliflower cheese
Pasta
Lasagna
Tomato sauces but no raw tomato
lettuce
cucumber
Cheese
Tuna, no other fish or fish fingers
Bread including granary or wholemeal
soft cheese
eggs
mayo

Still only drinks milk and water. Doesn't eat any fruit or fruit flavours, youghurts, juices etc. She's 17. I've given up now.

Oh yes - cereal - weetabix and shreddies.