Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

DS is 8.5 months old. Within the last week he is wanting to a A LOT but I've tried to give him some "real" food (small pieces of eggo, rice, fresh veggies) and he won't eat it. So, I've been left to give him more Beachnut/Gerber jar food. He will eat 3 stage 2 foods if I let him. I tried to give him a stage 3 food (turkey with veggies) but he won't eat the veggies. He just lets them sit in his mouth. I started him on cookies this past week and he LOVES them but they are bigger and easier for him to pick up. He eats puffs but only if I put them in his mouth. He will pick it up but can't get it in his mouth.

How can I get him to start eating real food? Does it just take a lot of practice?Are there any real food items that are easier for him to pick up and eat?

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

I'm glad you posted this, I'm sort of in the same boat. DS is 9.5 months old and will not pick up the puffs himself and I can barely get him to eat the stage 3 chunkier food. I am going to try pastina with him one day as lunch or dinner. My MIL gave him a real banana all mashed up and he loved it.

A friend of mine suggested I try pancakes. I have never tried that, but I thought that was interesting. I have tried mashed potatoes and he seemed to like them, but not in love. Someone else told to try giving him the carrots from the can, as gross as that is for some. Just heat them, then they are easier to mash up smaller since they are already soft.

I think it's just that they are not used to the chunkiness of "real" food yet. My thought is to continue giving him a mixture of stage 2 & 3 and then just every so often throwing in table food.

Again, glad you posted because I like learning more ideas!!

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

I'm so happy to hear that I'm not the only one. I was starting to get nervous that there was something wrong (new mommy anxiety, I'm sure). A friend of mine told me to try pastina and the Gerber dinners that are made for toddlers. She said that they are mushier and easier to eat so maybe that would help him learn. DS will eat puffs but I have to put them in his mouth. I will definately try to pancake. I've tried eggos and he did okay with it, but not great.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

Nope, not the only one...I feel so clueless with all this stuff.

Oh wow, i did not think of the gerber dinners for toddlers.

And same with my DS, he will not put the puffs in his mouth himself.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

We are going through the same thing. i put some chopped up chicken or turkey in DS mouth, and we could wait an hour for him as he leaves it on the side of his mouth.

We have been eating some pancake, Pastina, yogurt, scrambled eggs.

The Ped said, when he is ready, he will let me know.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

Emerson will eat some table food but teeny tiny bits so she pretty much eats all baby food for her meals. I just bought pastina to try with her, she has had egg yolks, scrambled eggs, pancakes, fresh fruit mashed up, and as per my ped........half a stale bagel to nibble on. We also tried some chicken and mashed potatoes. She likes it but compared to how much baby food she would rather eat it's not much.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

this is a great post! dd is 10mos today, and is quite content with eating stage 2 jar food and formula. we have been trying the last few days to get her to try tiny pcs of fruit, cheese, meat, etc, and she just will look at us all serious, and play with the food with her fingers, but doesnt want to eat it! me being the new paranod mom was afraid to try earlier, worried about her choking. MIL keeps harassing me and comparing dd to her friend's grandkids who are younger and eating solids, whatever i am so sick of hearing it! also dh is annoying too, comparing dd to my stepson, who he claims at this age was eating bowls of pasta and couldnt eat enough. i cringe when i hear this! anyways, i want to pick up the puffs and yogurt melts as see how that goes. and i never heard of the pancakes, that sounds interesting too!

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

my DS is 8 months old, he eats puffs, but I have to feed him. I think they are too small now to worry about table food, I fig. when he gets closer to a year, I"ll start. right now he takes stage 2 foods

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

i think that he's still very young and probably not ready to for real foods. but if you really want to try, they say it takes a baby at least 10 tries with a new food before they decide if they like it or not.

i'd try mushed banana, mashed potatoes, yogurt (you can putbaby oatmeal in it to thicken it up), thicken their fruit and veggie with baby rice, barley or oatmeal cereal, farina, mushed avocado (check with ped first though), cheeses, etc. if he's hungry after plain stage 2's. after babies are comfy with thicker stuff then move to very soft & small pieces of veggies, pasta, etc.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

Kids will eat when they're ready! And they can sense your stress levels, so try not to stress!!
At this point, formula is still the main source of their vitamins and nutrients, and the food is just for practice.

Re: Wanting to eat a lot but not wanting "real" food

For DS, everything tastes better with ketchup or marinara sauce. I'm not sure why, but if I dip anything into it he will happily eat it!