Fruit & Vegetable Refusal

[Taliggy]

My little boy (22m) is causing me great worry. I eat a very healthy and balanced diet and had hoped I would have a baby who enjoyed everything I do, from pasta to curries to sushi.

He only seems to enjoy his food separated out so it is really hard to encourage him to eat vegetables as he simply leaves it on his plate. He won't drink juice or eat fruit either.

Please does anyone have any tips for me before he gets scurvy....

Pureed fruit ice lollies

Pasta sauce pureed to liquid so he cant see vegetables.

Or pureed or very finely chopped veg in shepherds pie/bolognaise sauce etc

Fruit and veg by stealth always

I was suprised to discover recently that there is vitamin c in potato - does he like potato? - if so he won't get scurvy, lol!

If you are really worried about the vitamin and nutritional balance angle have you tried chopping vegetables 'micro' small and hiding them in dishes? For example mashing up swede with potato as the topping on cottage pie.

Alternatively you can just keep serving up portions of vegetables and try not to mind when he leaves them. By providing the visual stimilus of vegetables on the plate you will be at least 'programming' / conditioning his mind to regard a normal meal as containing vegetables (if that makes sense - it sounds like baloney but there was some research on this), and whilst he is in this faddy eating stage just use a vitamin / mineral supplement designed for children. He will get better as he gets older...

My dd now 3 used to avoid all vegetables, but will now eat carrot, peas, broccoli, sometimes cauliflower and potato....I wish she would eat courgettes, peppers etc, but believe me, carrots,peas etc are a breakthrough from her diet at around your son's age (absolutely no vegetables)

Thanks Vickitiredmum and handlemecarefully - will try your suggestions.

Go to bed Vicki and then you won't be tiredmum any more!

Yes, tali, i really should go to bed! Im v tired and ive got a cold coming i think. Just cant kick this MN habit though...............

Hi Taliggy

My DS is 22 months also and a very fussy eater as well,he will not eat vegies unless they are disguised in something, he will eat bananas,raisins and sometimes a bit of apple if I am lucky.One thing that I have been doing is making up smoothies with loads of different fruits which he loves to drink.
Just wanted you to know that you are not alone in worrying about what they will,or usually won't eat!

My DS is like this too and he is nearly four now, you will become the master of the hidden vegetable

I find soup a very useful way of adding vegetables to the diet
Tomato soup
Cauliflower soup (a surprise hit)
Mushroom soup (another surprise)
Whatever you can imagine......
I just try to encourage ds to taste things, and try not to mind when he won't eat them....

Make a huge batch of Jamie olivers hidden veg tom sauce and use in everything from pasta sauce to mince to pizza. I freeze varying size containers of thsi for various purposes (eg ice cubes for pizza topping etc)

Recipie is basically lots of veg (carrots cougettes squash beans etc etc) all diced or chappoed (use a food mixer if you ahve one), saute in oil and add some tins of toms and some herbs (basil is a good one to add) simmer for while till reduced to a nice consistancy (I go for a spreading on pizza base consistancy). Cool and freeze. I aim to make 3 saucepans full once a month or so. Its great stuff.

chewy multivitamins.

DD, 2.3, could happily live on a diet of yoghurt, pizza, spag bol and chips. So what we do is sneak fruit and veg into her. I mix fruit into her yoghurts, make pizzas w/crumpets topped w/meat and veg, use Jamie's veg spag bol sausage, and top chips w/beans and cheese.