Food help for 15 month old son.

Ok ladies, Matthew is going through a stage of being a VERY picky eater. He LOVES fruit. He also likes meatballs, sausage, chicken nuggets and now bologna. I feel like these things probably aren't very good for him. Do you give your children deli meats? Any other suggestions? He used to like grilled cheese, but now hates it, and usually just throws his new foods and won't try anything. But he loves his meats. Should we stay away from hot dogs, bologna etc, or is this ok? Thanks.

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

The only thing is that sausage and hot dogs are full of salt. And I think that deli meats probably are too. My son never liked deli meats. Have you tried eggs - my son likes scrambled or a little omlette with cheese. He also likes almost anything if I put ketchup on it. How about peanut butter. That on some whole wheat bread would be a healthy meal. Maccaroni and cheese is also something kids ususally like. My son is not the best either at eating a variety of foods but he also likes his fruit. He still at 4 years old will not eat vegetables. I wish I had found different ways to try to get him to eat them back then, because now it's impossible to get him to eat them. Good luck!

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Ryan doesnt have the most broad choices of food either. He does like Steak and string cheese as some faves. And as weird as this sounds, he LOVES the Gerber meat sticks. They look like Vienna Sausages and are a little strange to look at but I figure if Gerber makes them they must be OK. Ryan will be 3 in 2 weeks and he still LOVES these.

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Hmmm, Gerber meat sticks? Where in the grocery store do you get these? I'm assuming down the gerber aisle of course, but what type of packaging is this?

Unfortunately Matthew used to like lots of things, but dislikes most now. Won't eat mac and cheese, I tried putting the bologna on some bread, spits the bread out, eats the bologna..... won't eat the grilled cheese anymore..... I'm thinking of trying some veggie burger type of stuff.... I'm at a loss, he can't just eat peaches all day and I hate giving him all that salt. Thanks!

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Jack is almost 15 months and here are some things he likes:

baked potato with broccoli and cheese- quick and easy, - I buy the frozen brocolli with lowfat cheese sauce and put it in the microwave.

mini quiches- he loves those appetizer sized quiches...it helps me sneak a little spinach in his diet.

Gerber Graduates cereal....loves it! It is like little flakes that get soft and mushy when you add milk in.

pasta shells with sauce and some peas and carrots mixed in

Yogurt
cheese
meatloaf
mashed potatos
ravioli
bagel with cream cheese and jelly
scrambeled eggs

Jack's favorite is pizza in any form, pizza english muffin, regular slice, bagel

He also eats about two snack cups of peaches or pears a day

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

My daughter(she's 16 months) will not eat any fruit or veggie that isn't mushed up. I still am giving her baby food fruits and veggies. She gets a veggie and a fruit everyday. She doesn't like bananas. She'll eat apples (not baby food)though, but that is it. Veggies, she'll only eat sweet potatoes that aren't baby food. String beans, carrots etc. she'll throw on the floor. She loves her meats. She'll eat chicken, meatballs, roast beef, turkey, hamburgers. She also likes grilled cheese. Mac and cheese and pasta is hit and miss. Some nights she loves it and other nights it is all over the floor. I do give her Motts flavored applesauce. Emily likes hot dogs, but I've noticed when I give her a hot dog, later that night she gets fussy. I think they don't agree with her, so now I am staying away from them. She has had turkey from the deli. She ate it on bread, but I lightly toasted the bread. What kind of fruit do you give your son? I wish Emily would eat fruits and veggies that aren't baby food. I just reread my post and geez, sorry I went off rambling. I read your post and felt your frustration. Something is telling me it must be a phase they are going through. Ahhhhhhh

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

I'd say its probably a phase, Aidan was the same way a few months ago the only thing I could count on him eating was fruit, yogurt, toast and cereal. This only lasted a few weeks, then he was back to his good old eating habits!
I did ask the Dr. though during that time (16 months), at what point do I stop scrambling for different meals to feed him when he turns his head, and his response was to stop being a short order cook. Make a nutritious meal, offer it and if he doesn't want it, thats it. He will eat when he's hungry. I had it so stuck in my head that he needed to eat 3 meals plus 2 snacks and the Dr said 3 square full meals for some children are just not necessary.

I also started buying baby food again after we were completely off it for months because I discovered that was the only way he would eat vegetables. The Dr. said to stop buying baby food immediately, getting the veg was not that important. If he was pooping nicely, then he was getting enough fiber and he was having his fruit so it was fine. It took me a while to feel comfortable doing it, but then saw that if he eats a HUGE breakfast, a light lunch (yogurt) and snacks, he will be hungry for dinner. O if he has a larger lunch - he will have a lighter dinner, etc.
Then after a few weeks he was back to eating alot of things he decided he didn't want anymore.

Here is a normal day (at 19 months):
Breakfast:
Tiger Cereal and/or Barely Naked Granola while waiting for breakfast.
1 1/2-2 cups of Pineapple or cantalope
3 mini pancakes
8 oz milk

Snack:
Snyders Oat Bran Organic Pretzels
2 oz juice with 4 oz water

Lunch:
Chicken Quesadilla
(so easy, put tortilla in pan w/non stick spray, add Tysons Fajita chicken strips diced up, green onions and shredded cheese, top with another tortilla cook til brown) I'd say this is his favorite lunch and you can mix up the ingredients and hide veg.
1 Apple
4 oz Milk

Snack:
Animal or graham crackers or goldfish
4 oz Milk

Dinner:
Whatever we are having, if he doesn't want it (which is rare these days) he'll just have his fruit or something leftover from lunch.
4 oz milk

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Thank you ladies! You've been a big help. I really do hope it's a phase because I feel like he eats the same things over and over again..... come to think of it though, if I had my choice, there probably are several things I would choose just to eat over and over as well. I think he's trying to be in charge of his meals... which is great for him but frustrating for us.

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

My DD doesn't really eat veggies and fruits she will eat meats and pasta though. what about waffles and french toast f or breakfast I by the mini's and she eats them for breakfast or scrambled egg with cheese.

for lunch grilled ham and cheese is an option if he likes deli meats or grilled bologna and cheese. They also have those gerber graduates that have a variety of meals. as well ahve you tried any of them?

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

He refuses to even try those gerber graduates. I just bought 12 different varieties and he turns them all down.

Re: Food help for 15 month old son.

Claire is 12 months and a VERY picky eater these days. She would be happy to eat chicken nuggets and plain pasta for every meal. Lately she has liked the Gerber Graduates Garden Mashers, its mashed regular or sweet potatoes with veggies mixed in, I tasted and it is actually pretty good and it is perfect for them to eat with a spoon.



Claire hasn't had the Gerber meat sticks yet but my niece who is 2 LOVES them, even though they seem kinda gross to me!