5 year old barely eating

[crispaddict106]

Hi. Wondering if anyone has any tips to get my increasingly fussy child to eat. Since starting school DC has refused school dinners as barely ate anything and then some days and most days over the last week barely eats packed lunch. DC has got so unbelievably picky over everything and refuses to try new things. Is this normal and how can I help it get better? Feeling a bit at wits end today after a barely touched lunchbox and not much dinner. I’ve said if packed lunch not eaten DC will have to have school dinners or go to hospital but I think he knows they are idle threats and also not sure if that’s the right way to go as it feels uncomfortable!! Any tips or websites/books gratefully received!

Hi, wow this sounds very stressful. I've not got any tips for you but wanted to point you towards SR Nutrition, child nutritionist. She does lots on fussy eating and runs webinars etc.
Key messages seem to be to take the pressure off and always offer meals that contain at least something you know they'll like. She also suggests modelling behaviour (more aimed at toddlers) but eat meals together when you can.
Is there a restaurant he enjoys? Pizza express or something?
Another thing I've read is having them help prepare the food. Would he cut things up or perhaps you could make pancakes for lunch at the weekend. Smoothies?

Is there things he is filling up on? Milk? Juice? Rubbish snacks? Don't make hospital intriguing though. My dd would have starved just to make me see that threat through! Back off and don't make eating an issue.
Let ds see you enjoying cooking and eating your meals instead.
Invite people over. Let ds see meal times can be fun not just dm nagging!

This coincided with wobbly teeth in my house. He didn't tell me that, he just sobbed on the way to school and it emerged it hurt him to eat the school dinner pizza. So I promised to give him soft packed lunch.

That said he is quite fussy. I try to work out the limited things he does like and add a random bit of veg and just explain that bit will help him be healthy.

A friend had success with a method where.at.mealtime you talk about anything BUT food, so it doesn't become a routine/cycle of focusing on that.

I feel your pain I have the same with my 6 year old! When she gets home from school and says she hungry I give her her packed lunch to eat, which is barely touched. She’ll eat some of it but then won’t eat any of her dinner! It’s so difficult isn’t it. We’ve always eaten together as a family and given her a variety of things to try. I always give her something she likes on her plate at mealtimes as well as stuff I know she won’t touch. Sometimes she’ll try a nibble. Somehow she seems to be healthy and thriving but goodness knows how as she eats hardly anything. I always give her multi vitamin. If she had her way she’d just eat biscuits, chocolate and crisps. Luckily she likes fruit and salad but it’s really difficult to find protein and carbs she will eat. She mainly eats bread, cheese and eggs.

Thanks for your replies ❤️❤️