Things I should already know...

[KoalaFace]

So I have a few questions about feeding my 3yo DS that I should already know the answer to!

1. He loves fruit and will eat piles of blueberries, strawberries, apples, pears, watermelon, anything. Should I be limiting how much he eats because of the amount of fructose? I rarely give him sweets or chocolate but is eating excess fruit just as bad because of the sugar?

1. At PIL he is allowed a glass of lemonade as a treat which he isn't allowed at home (I heard fizzy drinks are terrible - is that true?). But he constantly asks for it at home. I'm fine telling me we don't have it and to have milk, water or juice but was wondering if it would be okay to make a fizzy drink from sparkling water and juice for him. Or is this as bad as lemonade?

1. He hates all veg apart from carrots. I made him a cream cheese and cucumber bagel for lunch and he declared the cucumber "asgusting" and picked it all off. With every meal I put veg on his plate but he never eats it and actually seems miffed that its on his plate. Should I just keep offering or should I be stricter? I've tried hiding it in pasta and rice which works but isn't teaching him to eat a balanced diet.

I'll leave it at three stupid questions for now...

1. Someone else may tell you different but I never refuse fruit to kids, or anyone. Yes they have fructose in but it's a natural sugar and better broken down by the body than anything processed. Plus they're stuffed full of vitamins and good stuff, and they taste yummy!
2. Fizzy drinks as full of processed sugar and acid which will harm little teeth, fine for an occasional treat but not great for everyday drinks. I have no idea about the carbonated water, I don't expect it's as bad but I'd be inclined to just say no, fizzy is only for a grandparent's house, and to make sure he'll drink something else at home. 3)Keep offering the food he doesn't like in small portions and ask him to take a bite to see if it is tasty, if he won't eat it/says it is yucky don't make a big fuss, just try it again in a couple of days time. I used to babysit for a veg refuser so I always asked her to take a biiiiig bite of the thing she didn't like in exchange for something she did, like a big strawberry to dip in some yoghurt. Just so you know he is getting some keep hiding it in pasta sauce and such, but don't le that be an excuse to give up on finding veg he likes.

1. I never (well rarely) refuse fruit as I'd rather they snack on that than the crisps/chocolate/biscuits they would otherwise ask for.
2. Mine get juice at certain family members houses too (but never fizzy drinks). They know that at home it is milk or water and I stick to my guns about this other than an occasional fresh apple drink
3. Mine have vegetables on their plates and hate them too. Sometimes I trick get them to eat it by seeing who can eat the broccoli the fastest (for example) but usually there is no persuading the smallest boy (3yo) to eat any. I will continue to put it on his plate though and he can like it or lump it

Thanks Mogz I'm glad you said that about the fruit, I'd hate to limit him, especially as he doesn't get much veg. Good idea about one big bite and then a bite of something he likes!

MyLifeIsStillChaotic I'm glad my DS isn't the only one. I heard that younger children very often find veg bitter until their tastebuds mature. So maybe one day they'll find it yummy... (smile)

I'll stick to my guns over fizzy drinks. I much prefer him having milk or water anyway!

Koala that's a good point about veg tasting a bit different to kids, I wonder if there's good evidence for it. Perhaps it would be worth trying sweeter veg like baby carrots, red pepper and sweet potatoes.

1, I have a fruit mad child, I only refuse fruit if it's in replacement of a meal. So half an hour before dinner, no fruit, half an hour after you've not eaten your dinner, no fruit. But otherwise it's a healthy nutritious snack that promotes good snacking habit through to adulthood.
2, mine have nothing fizzy at home, like you only at gps. I wouldn't use carbonated water drinks, as the underlying message is fizzy is good and okay for the day to day, not just an occasional a treat.
3 mine won't eat many veg either. I mix, both playing the hiding veg game and the next meal offering the whole veg. If she eats it great, if not maybe next time. But dessert on a Sunday is dependent on all food eaten, so they eat the veg then. I don't give desert everyday but if I did mine would eat all the veg I offered, so it may be worth a try.