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Parenting

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Original poster

Can anyone recommend a book to help me cope and hopefully overcome ds's picky eating?

10 replies

ilovespinach · 19/10/2008 10:09

I feel really down today. The eating habits of my ds1 are becomming increasingly poor. I feel that I am lost and unable to cope with it and I want to know what positive steps I can take to make it better...

Would appreciate any tips on books that anyone in a likewise situation has felt helpful.

OP posts:

Weegle · 19/10/2008 10:34

How old?
If a young child then I really recommend Mange Tout - have forgotten the name of the author - Lucy someone. Enables you to chill out and make eating veg (but it can be applied to anything) fun - we've had real success using the techniques from the book.

LornaESMurray · 19/10/2008 10:36

How old is your son? Does he go to school or nursery?

Original poster

ilovespinach · 19/10/2008 10:37

thanks weegle..he's 2.6 and is slowly restricting his range of food...I think we are down to about 5 things now - the inevitable fish fingers etc....He also will not eat anywhere but home and this is a problem as he will be starting kindergarden in 2 weeks

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LornaESMurray · 19/10/2008 10:46

My son has always been a picky eater, he just wants milk all the time as opposed to meals. He started going to Nursery last summer and eats really well there. He's still a bit picky when i give him meals doesn't want any "green bits" etc, but at nurse3ry he will eat whatever they give him. I think it helps to see the other children eating and enjoying the food. Also at nursery if he turns his nose up at the food on offer mummy isn't there to give in and let him have his beloved milk.
It did take him a while to eat well at nursery however.

Original poster

ilovespinach · 19/10/2008 11:55

i've got to pack him a lunch so I will make sure that I pack the things he likes (bit difficult as he doesn't eat sarnies) and always make sure I pack something that is new but not unfamiliar...I'm planning on getting him to help choose the food to put in his box...

I just feel so down about the whole thing today....I know he'snot going to starve himself but I am just unsure as to how to handle it and help him through it...

Thanks for the suggetsions, I guess there's no quick fix....

OP posts:

wtfhashappened · 19/10/2008 12:03

I bought loads of books and nothing helped tbh. However, when he started nursery, his eating improved dramatically, over about 3 weeks, and now he is 5 he will eat anything and everything put in front of him. I would not make too a big a deal of the eating witht he nursery staff - let them treat him as they would any other child and he may respond very quickly. Good luck - I know how hard this is to deal with. Have been through it 3 times now, and 2 have come out the other side- the other is still trying to battle it through.

Original poster

ilovespinach · 19/10/2008 12:59

thanks a lot wtf....

OP posts:

macherie · 19/10/2008 13:22

Ds2 has been a picky eater for 6 years now, he is 8. I have read every book on the subject and tried every trick, but nothing works. He would happily live on bagels, chorizo, pasta and apple juice for the rest of his life (I am not exagerating that is pretty much all he eats).

The thing is though he is healthy, happy and full of energy. I make him have a good multivitamin, and then I try to ignore the whole subject of food with him. Mealtimes can so easily become a battleground and that's no good for anyone.

I find his eating habits deeply frustrating as I have ds1 and dd who are really good, try anything eaters who are a pleasure to cook for.

Most children grow out of this phase, maybe mine will some day, but I'm not holding my breath

macherie · 19/10/2008 13:26

By the way, a good book I bought recently is Deceptively Delicious by Jesssica Seinfeld. The idea is too hide veggies in child-friendly food. Have made choc chip coookies with chickpeas, and brownies with spinach. Both were devoured by my non pickly eaters, but ds2 wouldn't even try them as he doesn't eat biscuits or cake

Weegle · 19/10/2008 20:57

Found the book - it's Mange Tout by Lucy Thomas. DS is 2.5 and the techniques really work on him. The first thing I tried the principles on were cucumber - he never ate it. Now, using those techniques it's one of the first things he'll eat off his plate. It's silly things, making food less threatening so with cucumber we have shouting "green means GO", "crunchy crunch crunchy", "can you make a moon from your cucumber? I can" take a bite, "look a moon". It's silly, it's fun, but unbelievably it works! But you build up to it - so you play with some food away from meal times, no comments or encouraging to eat, just play with the food then build up to smell, licking, making monster teeth marks etc, and most of all eating yourself but no pressure on them. Worth a read, for sure.

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