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berry obsession and the tedium of teatime

14 replies

ksmum · 20/09/2006 20:29

My daughter (18 months) has always been a good eater, although for ages she hated anything she had to chew. She still doesn't like food that is runny but has some chewy bits in e.g past sauce but she will eat finger food or separate helpings quite readily.

So that battle is won, but now I have a new problem: berries. She is obsessed with them. Strawberries and raspberries are her favourites but any berry will do. The trouble is she won't eat her main course. She has about 4 spoons and then starts on 'bewwies, bewwies, bewwies' in a rising crescendo ending with tears.

I normally just say she can have her berries once she has eaten her food. She doesn't have to eat all of it just a reasonable amount i.e. she could credibly be full or sick of it. Someimtes this works and sometimes she doesn't and then she doesn't have much.

People have given me all sorts of advice like give her the berries first because you are making more of a treat or let he just eat berries if she wants.

I know they aren't chips but they aren't a complete diet either. Am i being too strict. What shall I do? I am sick of the daily bother.

At lunchtime today I gave her her lunch and put the berries on the plate with it along with finger food (sandwiches etc) and that worked fine but if I gave her food like that for dinner she would throw it on the floor (don't ask me why). And tonight she had salmon and spinach in cheese sauce and potatoes and carrots. It seems a bit weird to think she would eat her blueberries and then happily eat cheese.

This is a stream of consciousness isn't it.

OP posts:
FillyjonktheBananaEater · 20/09/2006 20:35

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thewomanwhothoughtshewasahat · 20/09/2006 20:38

she'll get over it. I wouldn't worry. maybe sometimes make sure you don't have any in - then she doesn't get any, cos there aren't any - which is just how it is, not because she isn't allowed them or any particular reason it's just a cheery "no berries today - none in the fridge"

feckit · 20/09/2006 20:45

excellent philosophy twwtswah

feckit · 20/09/2006 20:45

(said whilst agreeing with fillyjonk)

WishICouldGiveUpWork · 20/09/2006 20:53

Would love to be able to give some advice but read this thread because my dd is EXACTLY the same-obsessed with bluberries and raspberries-we are stuffed come Winter and they cost a fiver a punnet!

ksmum · 20/09/2006 21:28

but i can't just give her berries every dinner time on their own can I? The only meal which is stress freee is breakfast and that is weetabix with banana every day.

OP posts:
Tommy · 20/09/2006 21:34

it's all relative ksmum

"And tonight she had salmon and spinach in cheese sauce and potatoes and carrots."

I would let my DSs eat all the berries they wanted if they would eat a dinner like that (although, to be fair, they don't like berries either.....) I have given so many weird combinations that berries with everything sounds perfectly normla to me and , wmayway, doesn't Gillian Mckeith or whatever her name is, say that you should eat fruit first as it's better for the digestion?

FillyjonktheBananaEater · 20/09/2006 22:33

well i have to say, i would just keep with the berries, and offer other food, but not stress if she berries...My kids eat all sorts of weird stuff.

I strongly believe that children eat what they need unless there is crp avalible, in which case they'll eat the crp.

Can you get the frozen berries come winter, btw? Would that help?

ksmum · 21/09/2006 20:29

Well the thing is I gave her the salmon and spinach palaver but she didn't eat much of it. or in fact she did eat most but it took ages and every mouthful was accompanied by a berry demand plus some fake tears.

I tried the berries first/alongside option today and she ate all the berries (strawberries, blueberries and grapes) first and then hardly any of her main thing ie 2 spoons (which was dahl with added apple and rice and she normally loves it). I can tell you all think I am a food nazi so I'll go now......

Anyway, at least it was less stressful.

OP posts:
ksmum · 21/09/2006 20:36

Well the thing is I gave her the salmon and spinach palaver but she didn't eat much of it. or in fact she did eat most but it took ages and every mouthful was accompanied by a berry demand plus some fake tears.

I tried the berries first/alongside option today and she ate all the berries (strawberries, blueberries and grapes) first and then hardly any of her main thing ie 2 spoons (which was dahl with added apple and rice and she normally loves it). I can tell you all think I am a food nazi so I'll go now......

Anyway, at least it was less stressful.

OP posts:
Bubblesmum · 21/09/2006 20:41

Just want to empthathise, I took have a fruit monster. I have to HIDE the berries in the fridge, and take the fruit from the fruit bowl and into cuppards he doesn't check.

What I do too is give him a fruit salad... and mix up the fruit a bit (trying to keep a variety up so come winter he will not be hooked on one type of fresh fruit) but try to keep some banana in there (to save on the runny nappies). But he seriously eats fruit with EVERY meal. Its great in once sense but I know the cries you mean... my guy LOVES kiwi and strawberries and grapes the best. if he knows there are grapes in the house he will keep calling for 'more gapes'. I usually try to hold out until he's eaten some thing savoury but he also would quite happily have his fruit first (or a yoghurt) while dinner is being cooked and then eat.

In general though he does not do too too well with normal 'dinners' though... Some nights he will eat meat and nothing else... other nights will eat mash pot and nothing else, he will only eat raw carrots, other veg is thrown in digust off the highchair.

My ds is 22 months... but has been like this for ages. I guess we could have worse problems. My 5 year old will only eat bananas apples and grapes. I would love her to be eating more fruit ! we're never happy ;)

Drusilla · 21/09/2006 20:45

No advice but am with you. DS (17 months) in lurve with all things berry-like too. I like it as they seem to create less mess than most things. I buy them in bulk from the freezer at the farm shop and defrost a bowlful as and when. Also he has realized the dog doesn't like them so they don't get thrown on the floor either

WishICouldGiveUpWork · 21/09/2006 20:49

Well my dd shook her head vehemently at strawberries today becasue they weren't accompanied by blueberries!!!
I just know come Winter I will either be bankrupt or rocking quietly in a corner with a plate of fish pie and veggies....

nikkie · 22/09/2006 19:29

My dd2 has phases like this and she is 5, I just let her eat them now (usually with some bread or crackers) and after a couple of days she will eat a proper meal before going back to normal, no ideas for a little one though as you can't 'reason' the same.

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