Ive tried everything!! ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

I have written a post before about this and heres the update. I have 3 picky eaters. I feel like ive tried everything. The only thing that i can get them to eat is boxed food. I feel like im just throwing food away. I just dont know what to do anymore:( help!!!!! My age group i have is two 28 month old and a 6yr old. No matter what i make they either take a fit and throw it on the floor and get up from the table. Ive put them in the high chair and made them sit to clam down and try again by putting food on the tray but they just sit there.

First I would address what is happening at the lunch table. I make it clear to my kiddies that they must remain in their seats, sit on their bums and are not to get up unless they have been washed and I have said so. Second, if you throw food on the floor, you pick it up and put it back on your plate. I know the little ones do it and that is a different matter but I still let them know I am not happy when they do this. Third, I would serve plainer healthy foods and it they don't like/eat it that is up to them. I just let them know they will have a hungry tummy which will have to wait for snack time.

Well said, Mimi! That is exactly what I do here....I'm NOT a restaurant! You eat what I serve or you go hungry until snack. And about the throwing food on the floor, a big no-no here! I do the same thing ~ they have to pick it up right away and put it back on their plate. After a few times they got the picture.

Same here... I had picky eaters before, but not all were picky at the same time. At least I felt someone appreciated my cooking... For the picky eaters I have done what the other ladies had said. No second options and they have to wait until their next meal and eat when they are really hungry. They all have improved, but for some of them it has taken months until they feel comfortable eating "new" foods. I try to add some of their favorites foods in our menu, too (as long as is not junk food).

It can be frustrating because eeryone eats different at home and each of these families probably has totally different recipes/menus at home.

I think they said you often have to introduce a food 10 times before a child will eat it.

I try to serve a healthy lunch and put a teaspoon of food for the children who are picky eaters and let them ask for more if they like it. Otherwise I don't feel bad throwing a teaspoon of food away.

I also serve a fruit or a veggie along with lunch so usually theyw ill eat that if they didn't eat the 'real' meal.

Sometimes keeping it to some basics like Spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna, chicken and rice etc can help and just rotate those through and then build on it.

You can't force them to eat. You are doing your part be OFFERING - that is all you can do. Children won't starve even if they refuse every meal for 8-10 hours but hopefully they will learn that they should eat and give your meals a chance

:)

An approach I've tried that's so far been very effective is cheering them on. It sounds silly and I feel ridiculous doing it, but it seems to work. When one child takes a bite, I cheer, clap, shake my arm in the air and say "Hoo Hoo Hoo!" I can't tell you how well this has worked for my group! The kids are now trained in it and will eat pretty much anything I put in front of them. Of course, when they take a bite of something, they look at me expectantly, smiling and clapping. One of my littlest girls (1 yr) now throws her hands in the air and yells hurray and has just started shaking her hand saying 'oo oo oo'. Super cute! I think it works because it's just plain fun and they want to be part of it. At Christmas Dinner, my 19 month nephew (also one of my group) was being fussy with dinner. I got him to take a bite, then cheered. Of course EVERYONE at the table had to participate and he ate his whole dinner. We actually did the Wave for him at one point. It was fun and he ate everything! While it's a bit of a pain in the beginning and requires a fair bit of consistency, my kids are now to the point where I only have to cheer them on for things they don't like so much. Hey, it got them all to eat steamed broccoli today, so no complaints :)

I completely agree with the comments above. First the kids really need to understand that throwing the food on the floor is completely unacceptable. Second, limiting the quantity of the food provided will significantly reduce your frustration with waisting.

The things that always work here, either with picky eaters or with a food that is less liked is
1- have something they really like such as fruit or yogourt to offer afterwards and explain to them they will only get it when they are done what they have in their plates,
2- cheer them on, I have a french daycare so I will scream "bravo" after a bite and get the other kids in on the cheering
3- get all kids to take a bite together, its amazing what they will do as a group if you manage to motivate and encourage them through.
I find that with everything challenging if we spin the situation around and be extra positive with songs and cheer rather than constant repeating and nagging (when possible of course), it often works wonders and gets the kids off guard!

We started a "good eaters club." My girls are good eaters and I have always just made one meal and they either eat it or "go hungry." The 2 dcb have a restaurant style mom and won't eat much. They get 2 stickers on their chart for trying something new, one for eating something (they don't eat much so they are at least getting one sticker a meal. We also cheer and make a big deal about trying something.

I'm with the others. I insist upon good manners, doing their very best to eat all their food before they can have their fruit and everyone stays at the table until I tell them it is washup time. They eat what I serve or they are hungry. No substitutions. No food on the floor are words they hear from the day they start with me. I don't care if their parents serve them fast food, I don't!

I have a little girl who started 3 weeks ago and she turns 1 next week. She won't eat any fruit and she's very picky about everything I've served her so far. I've warned her Mom that she's going to be losing weight until she learns to eat the food that is on her plate, but luckily she's a chunky little thing, not all skin and bones like some babies because those are the ones who worry me when they don't eat.

I don't provide Lunch. It is completely the norm where I am from. Then it becomes the parents responsibility to provide what they deem healthy and what their children like at that "time" it is AWESOME, let me tell you. I now live in Ontario and it is completely not the "norm" here but I have never had one parent complain about having to pack a lunch. I just warm up in a microwave what they send. I have no extra groceries to buy and no dishes to do afterwards and never end up throwing away my hard earned money........don't know if this helps you in any way but just thought I would throw it out there :-)

I agree that dealing with picky eaters is tough but I don't understand why providers stress over it. Either way the food is gone. Either the children eat it or the garbage gets it so I really don't see what the difference is.

Why stress about it? Make healthy options and serve the food. It is up to the child to eat. or not eat. You can't force them to do it.

Food is one battle I really don't like to get into with kids. They will ALWAYS win.

I agree KellyP, I give the children small amounts, a couple of teaspoons and if they want more I give them more. I got really tired of throwing food in the garbage. If there are leftovers because the children don't eat then my supper is ready! But you are so right about picking your battles.

Picky eaters keep my composter loaded - it loves the veggeis they don't.

I am like KellyP...I serve the food and it is up to them whether or not they eat it. I don't coax, reward or punish eating or not eating. If you are hungry you eat, if not you don't. No options offered. I serve small amount and give more if they eat it all. If you make mealtime into a power struggle or circus show it just teaches them to use food as a form of control. I don't serve "kid" foods either...I serve healthy meals and I don't believe that food has to be "fun" in order to be appealing. Play is fun, food is for filling our tummies and giving us energy and making our taste buds happy...not for playing with. I find that eventually, even the picky ones come around and start eating when they realize there is nothing else and I don't care if they eat or not. Also, reading kids books in which healthy eating is stressed can also help.

I agree with sunny days all my picky eaters have shown improvement this way. It may take little while for some, but when people or little people are really hungry they just have to eat. What I personally do is try to add things that they like to our menu (along with foods that they thing they do not like). If they like eating frozen or fast food I just make a healthier version of it (like adding flaxseed or shredded carrot hamburgers; sweet potato to the egg mix of chicken nuggets, etc)