Meal ideas for picky eaters?

My boys are killing me. 5yo and 2.5yo twins. The twins are way better eaters than my 5yo but are starting to become pickier by the day.

Breakfast is not the problem... they'll eat pancakes, waffles, french toast, yogurt, fruit, scrambled eggs with cheese.

As the day goes on, it gets harder and harder. I need some lunch and dinner ideas.

Here's what they eat on rotation.... grilled cheese, bagel with butter or cc, yogurt, fruit (they are great with fruits), chicken nuggets, buttered pasta, pizza, cheese or chicken quesadilla, cheeseburgers, repeat. The only veggies that they'll eat are cucumbers and carrots.

I'll sneak veggies into a morning smoothie, but my 5yo won't touch it. I cook dinner about 4x a night and DH and I are the only ones to eat it.

Ideas please, and thank you!

ETA: If you sneak veggies into meals, please give me ideas! The little ones will devour banana zucchini bread, but again, my 5yo can smell a veggie from a mile away. lol

Message edited 2/24/2016 5:29:42 PM.

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

sound familiar.
Will they eat cheese ravioli? my younger ones like the minis and I make my own sauce with veggies in it and they have no idea
Maybe even pasta with sauce instead of butter sometimes

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Honestly you are doing a great job. Don't change anything just keep trying to get them to try a bite of what you and your DH eat. Don't give up on that!

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Sounds good to me.

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Really?? I always hear people say "my kids eat what I eat" and it makes me feel like my kids don't eat properly. My kids just won't eat a composed meal, it's always random things quickly thrown together. I guess this is normal for their ages?

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

I'll be honest, I bribe . If they want dessert they need to eat veggies. They now will eat carrots, corn, peas, spinach and broccoli without thinking twice bc they have been eating them bite by bite for awhile now. It started out with "just try it" then it was "two bites" etc just to get to dessert. Now I don't have to bribe them unless it's something new or something they just don't like. So it became a routine and worked itself out. I still add stuff to sauces, muffins, cookies and pancakes, but mainly bc I'm used to it and it's good they get extra.

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

I'm jealous! We are down to Cheerios, English muffins, plain white pasta, rice, mac & cheese, and pancakes. I literally rotate through these 6 carb meals.

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Oh, and pizza

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

My almost 3 yr old exists on Annie's mac & cheese, string cheese, yo kids yogurt, raspberries, applesauce pouches, bananas, & turkey sausage. I will sometimes puree veggies & stir them in the mac & cheese. We really do try the you eat what we eat philosophy but he would starve himself. One night he refused pork chops, green beans, & rice so I put him to bed hungry. He didn't even care, woke up in the AM and only ate one turkey sausage link and declared himself full. So for right now it is what it is.

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

My 3 year old went to bed without dinner the past 2 nights. He just refuses to eat anything at dinner time and says he doesn't like it. No matter what it is. I'm at my whitts end with him.

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

I wish my kids eat what yours eat.

My kids only eat pizza, bagel (plain) and chicken.

It's a constant battle at my house. But they do eat fruit.

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

We are on a five food rotation here as well - so bad that if we go out to eat I have to bring food for my DS with me... He is beyond picky. So I feel you! Just keep offering and eventually something will give. Least that's what I keep telling myself.

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

I offer my son what we eat, but sometimes he just has pasta with peas and corn for dinner. A lot of time, he has our meal deconstructed - like I keep a casserole's ingredients separate for him. He has a pretty well rounded diet at daycare so I'm not too concerned.

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Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

That's more than my 3 year old will eat!

Meal ideas for picky eaters?

I had a friend recommend the book Child of Mine regarding feeding issues. Maybe you want to look into it. I found it very insightful.

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Sounds exactly like what my daughter will eat (except I think her list is a bit smaller) so I am no help!

Re: Meal ideas for picky eaters?

Message edited 2/25/2016 11:05:56 AM.