Child refused fruit or veg

[user1486640810]

My child, now 12 refuses any fruit or veg. He’s always had a problem with food textures too, no sauces of any sort at all, not even ketchup, he wont eat stews or anything made with mince so i can’t hide veg in anything! What vitamin tablets could i give him to compensate?

All fruit and veg? What does he eat instead?

I think you need a strong multi vitamin, and I'd also look at extra vitamin C. But I'd think about seeing a nutritionist to figure out how to improve things AND to get better advice on supplements.

what WILL he eat?

You may have already tried this but just in case, and assuming you've already been to GP etc, I read about a technique whereby you put a tiny helping of the food you want them to eat on their plate, every day for at least 10 days, without pushing or even requesting them to eat it. Then you ask them to try one tiny bit, eg one pea, increasing slightly every day.
It worked to some extent for for DS1, and it meant we weren't having constant food battles. I had to do something, his younger siblings started copying him with the veg refusal.
It's worth a try, but also go to GP.
I'd also think about what he is eating, and maybe cut out any unhealthy snacks and drinks. Have you tried smoothies, making them yourself or getting him to make them? And he's old enough to understand that sometimes your health requires you to do things you don't want to, and that bearing in mind he needs some roughage and vitamins, he has to start eating some veg or fruit - but he can choose the least offensive. Mine had a strong preference for raw carrots over cooked veg, and for a while had raw carrots as his only veg- that was a texture thing. Have you experimented with that?
Sorry if you've already tried everything ! Being hauled to the GP might make him realise that this is serious.

I have a friend who's DC has ARFID. Gad his nutritional levels checked by blood test and they came out as OK as he eats fortified breakfast cereal. Does your DC eat this? I would also request a referral to a dietician. If you don't get any help from GP you could try the school nursing team.

Barring health issues or SN, I would just cook good nutritious meals. You can't control what he eats but you can control what you give him. If he doesn't eat then he gets to be hungry til next meal.

I'm sure some people on here will tell me it's child abuse to not cater to their every whim, but I run a family, not a restaurant. If mine don't want what's available I do allow fruit. Aside from that, if they're not hungry enough to eat it, then they're not that hungry.

That works if they don't have ARFID. If they do, they will starve themselves and get badly malnourished rather than eat what is given.

OP, I used to add Abidec drops to milk or milkshakes and give DS vitamin gummy bears. Also fortified breakfast cereal and fortified bread help.

As a PP suggested, put a teaspoon of healthy food on his plate ( in a ramekin if need be so it doesn't touch the good he will eat) Discuss with him the nutrional purpose of different food groups and casually say that at some point he might feel ready to incorporate them into his diet. Maybe when he hits his teens and wants to start building muscle, or wants to take care of his skin and hair. Casually suggesting this might probably happen in the future helps him segue into trying new foods.

DS went from eating only about five things to being one of the most adventurous eaters i know. He's still weird about fruit. Only eats bananas and apples but he'll eat lots of veg now. It took years and years to get there. Just be patient and don't give up.

@WinterFoxes I did say barring health issues or SN...

It’s clear from the OP that there must be some SN with the issues around texture etc.

OP, I’d suggest that you see the GP. We have a similar issue and supplement with prescription milkshakes that have vitamins and fibre.

Wanted to add, OP, I read this specific advice for younger children but maybe worth a shot - that's it's better to encourage diversity than quantity. So instead of a huge plate of carrots try to have a bit of carrot, a bit of corn, a bit of peas... Etc.

The smaller quantity is less daunting, and the variety makes it more likely they might find something they actually like.

I think it's normal for children to say they don't like X. Just yesterday my son said he doesn't like carrot mash, but once I coaxed him into eating a bit he was like "well it's not so bad after all" and ended up finishing his plate.

I also try to mix things a bit. So a healthy lunch and pasta for dinner, or vegetables but served with sausages... Etc

Thats a really blanket assumption. I dont know where this narrative has come from in recent years that only people with special needs have sensory preferences, likes dislikes or issues around texture and senses.

Lots of people do. Its much more prevalent in those with LD or ND but not exclusive.

I mean that the sensory avoidance is the special need. It’s very unusual for a twelve year old to eat no fruit and vegetables at all. Presumably the OP has tried all the standard advice for feeding young children. Therefore, even if not related to a wider diagnosis, I’d say this in itself is a difficulty that requires a higher level of care/support, i.e. a special need.

Could you make him a thick shake after dinner - milk, ice cream and fruit like strawberries or bananas?

Actually I have a great healthy-ish recipe for milkshake - frozen fruit, preferably with some frozen banana for texture, and milk. Blend. It's amazing in summer as a treat.

My DS also 12 is very similar. No sauces, no mince, very limited diet. I was beside myself with joy earlier this year when he decided pesto was ok!

For breakfast he loves waffles. Crap food obviously so I let him watch tv so he's super relaxed and add a sliced babybel and tiny bits of fruit. He knows it's the only way he will get waffles and will eat it. Another win this year was a tiny smoothie. I buy the M&S banana and strawberry one and put an inch or so in a tiny glass. I call it a smoothie shot. He has the bassets chewy vitamins.