Baby refusing homemade food

[spewgloriousspew]

So, my baby started off on solids brilliantly, but the last week or so he's become a nightmare to feed. Out of desperation, I bought him a jar of Organix stuff today, which he wolfed down. Looking at the ingredients, it really didn't look that different to the stuff I make. He's 6 1/2 months and pretty sure there's a tooth on its way. But surely that would put him off all food, not just my homemade stuff?! At the moment, I just feel like I'm throwing money away. Anyone got any words of wisdom?

The food from the jars is much smoother than homemade. I had it round the other way! I have learned from bitter experience that you cannot make a child eat anything and they won't potty train until they are ready. If he's happy then I guess jars are okay. At least you know the proportions of protein/carbs is correct. What about jars and finger food? If you are determined to use homemade he will eat it when he's hungry enough. The odd missed meal won't hurt. I preferred homemade as I felt like a 'proper Mum' aka 1950s housewife! But jars are much more convenient when you are out.

Thanks, Spanky. I just feel like I'm doing something wrong. Also, I can't afford to keep buying jars. This jar was 'fork mash' texture, so not really that smooth. He won't do finger foods, lord knows I've tried. I've also got a freezer full of food he won't eat. Days like today, I just feel like crying...

Ds1 would projectile vomit if dinner wasn't to his liking. He is now 7 and threatened to vom up a tiny bit of pork chop that was chewy! What is he like? Pork chops are a treat! From bitter experience offer the food, encourage, if it is not eaten in what you consider a reasonable time, just take it away, make no fuss or comment. No pudding or snacks inbetween so he is hungry for dinner. He is obviously a bright boy and has worked out he is an independent person to you and has control over whether he eats or not. I couldn't afford jars either and worried that a missed meal might cause harm to ds1. It hasn't and he will eat most things I put infront of him, not pork chops though . He has also grown really well. If your health visitor is nice you could go to her for moral support and ideas. You are doing nothing wrong.

My health visitor is a little on the passive aggressive side and makes no secret of the fact she doesn't think jars are a good idea. It's just so dispiriting, having started off so well. For example, he used to eat my cauliflower cheese, no problem. But flat out refused it this evening. Ditto for pretty much everything else. It just feels like we'll never get there.

But, thank you for your moral support. It is just what I need!

A babies interest in food is inversely proportional to the amount of effort you put into it's preparation.

Thanks, Ladyintheradiator. I just don't get why he'll still eat the jars quite happily. I thought teething would put him off all food! We'll just keep plodding on. I should now think about cooking for our dinner, and hope my husband doesn't turn his nose up at it !

I love food apart from when I am in pain or feeling unwell and then it's like, meh. I see no reasons why babies are different.

DS went right off food for four weeks while he popped six teeth, and now a month later he is a eating machine. It was very dispiriting having it all refused, all the lovely little omelettes and tiny spag sauce portions and broccoli in cheese sauce and so on but hey ho, mumsnet advised to roll with it nd do more milk feeds and it passed.

Ah, cross-posted there. Thanks again

ds was occasionally the same, he went through phases. At one point I even put home cooked food in a clean food jar. "Popped" open the lid and fed ds.... he wolfed it down hahahahahaha!

After going on about nutritious home food, is it wrong to have a bowl of cereal for dinner?!

Nagoo is right, they will quite happily eat a bit of old toast off the floor, but make them something special and you will end up eating it yourself

Cereal is excellent for dinner

I'd agree with the poster that said he's only just started weaning so he'll be getting most of his nutrition from milk.

Like the "inversely proportional to the effort you put in" too LOL !

Worth introducing them to lots of diff tastes though as it does make a difference later ( DD much better with her veg than DS who was weaned on rusks and banana ! )

Yeah, ready brek with fromage frais and some fruit puree from sachet stirred in was devoured when all else failed.

I find most of my parenting is inveresly proportional!!

Neither of mine would touch homemade food, I actually found if I made good use of multibuys jars worked out cheaper anyway

My dd is exactly the same, I have slaved over a AK cookbook and come up with tasty delights and she screws her face up. I then get out either a jar or packet (only buy plum/ellas kitchen/organix) and she wolfs it down! little madam!.

But I have just frozen the stuff I have made and will try it again in a couple of weeks. TBH its making my life a little easier.

I wish I'd got shares in Ella's kitchen before I started weaning! I've actually given up putting any heart and soul into cooking after DS has spent the last 2 years steadfastly refusing to eat anything vaguely exciting. DH is a fab cook and it would bring him to tears when DS turns his nose up at something he's slaved away to make for hours. DD is at least a little better but even she squeals with excitement if I crack out a pouch. In fact DS will still try and fight her for it, sigh.

I wouldn't worry though you may have a home cooking lover in there - they sometimes take a couple of months to warm up to the eating thing. If you reckon it's the smoothness, you could try a mouli (I only know this cos DH uses it to make soup!!)

If it doesn't break your bank, and you dislike cooking as much as I do then enjoy having someone else make a tasty organic nutritious meal for you I say

Sorry for the late response, but thank you all for taking the time to post. It's really good to know he's not the only one!

We've had a bit of progress - yesterday if I put the spoon with homemade food on it into a jar (but not put any jar food on it) then he ate some. Today he very begrudgingly ate some veggie and bean curry.

I'm feeling a lot better now, and not making up big batches (no more room in the freezer!) so we're only wasting a little if he doesn't eat it.

I honestly don't think it's to do with smoothness - the jar he loved had bits of couscous in it and was pretty textured, rather than smooth.

He is just weird!

Oh, and he loves cereal, yoghurt and fruity semolina (at least that last one is homemade). So he does like food. Like I said, he's just weird.

Just keep remembering how new it all is for him spew

A bit like if we were given a plate of sheep's eyes and calf's foot jelly for lunch Or some really smelly durian fruit !

DD quite likes smelly durian. Now that IS wierd