Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Do you have any secrets to make meal time easier? Jenna loves breakfast, but lunch and dinner are so difficult. She also now refuses to take her Polyvisol vitamins anymore, and I am afraid she is not getting enough vitamins and nutrients

Message edited 10/10/2007 7:43:19 PM.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Jacob is a very picky eater... Did you get to read the article in the Times about toddlers and being picky eaters... You should definately read it, it was very interesting...

Regarding vitamins-- I would ask your doctor to switch over to the chewables... It is so much easier..

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

My daughter is the same way. Breakfast is great and the rest is a toss up. She does take a vitamin. Maybe you can try another vitamin that she would eat. Abby's looks like a gummy bear so she thinks it is candy and eats it every morning without a problem.

I am also going to try and that book Deliciously Deceptive. It seems easy enough to puree the veggies and sneak them in. I am excited about it actually.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

My daughter is very picky too. I try to sneak veggies in where ever I can. I do a lot of smoothie and pediasure drinks to supplement what she might be lacking in her diet.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Michelle - I second the chewable vitamins.

As far as meals...try Jessica Seinfeld's new books - Deceptively Delicious. It's got some great recipes for turning things like chicken tenders and mac and cheese into veggie-packed meals that you will be happy she is eating.

She was on Oprah this week...check out Oprah's site for the info on the book...and some of the recipes she featured.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Kevin is good for breakfast and sometimes dinner but lunch is getting to be a battle.

He's a good veggie / fruit eater but eating meat is hard unless its a hot dog or chicken nuggets.

Its also tough because of his food allergy which limits some "kid" faves (mac-n-cheese, grilled cheese...)

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Jacob is the WORST eater.. i try to offer the good stuff, and when he refuses, I just give him whatever he'll eat basically. Like tonight, I made chic cutlets, roasted potatoes and roasted asparagus. He ate 3 slices of american cheese and bread with butter. I dont force the issue. I was forced to eat as a child, hence MY food issues. I credit myself for trying. Thats all I can do. I will check out jessica seinfelds new book. Other than that, I am fresh out of ideas.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

No suggestions other than to keep trying everything. That's what we do.
We also make sure to sit down with her at lunch and dinner as a family as often as we can because we notice that she actually will eat what we are eating a lot of the time if we are all eating together.
Oh and we've cut out "snacks" a little and let her actually get hungry for meals.

Re: Moms of 2 year olds that are picky eaters

Alex was the worst eater too. Breakfast would be great but the rest of the day was torture. All he wanted was crackers. I have to say in the last 2 months he has changed dramatically. In the past he wouldn't eat any meat. Unless I snuck it in a quesadilla or grilled cheese. Now he is eating pork chops, hamburgers and steak. He is also more willing to try things at meal times. I don't know if it was an age thing (he is now 2.5) or the fact that in the afternoon I would start talking about what I was making for dinner and kept asking him "Do you want to try pork chops tonight" I am making yummy pork chops tonight, etc.

Good luck I know how frustrating it can be. I gave Alex gerber graduates mashed potatoes until recently because that is the only way I could get veggies in him and he still liked the Earth's best winter squash until recently.

My ped said not to fight with them because it is a battle you will lose.