Picky eaters

[Starshine]

For some kids, it doesn't seem to matter what you serve, they won't eat it, lol. What do you do for these kids? Let them be hungry or make something else just for them? I don't want any kid to be hungry, but I don't want to cater to pickiness either.

[Momof4]

No, I run a daycare, not a restuarant.

So I do my best to cook food that all the children like to eat. However, I have one who doesn't like carrots and one who only eats corn and french fries and no other veggies and I have one who doesn't like broccoli, etc. etc. etc.

Most of them like the protein and the grain portions and fruit is always a big hit. It's the veggies where I have problems so I make two kinds at every lunch meal and sometimes for snack we have cold veggies like pepper strips, grape tomatoes, or cucumbers.

Now here's the kicker, I have a boy who won't eat combined foods like chili or casseroles or even if I cook the veggies with the meat in the crockpot. Sometimes he goes home darned hungry but I give him a huge afternoon snack to try to fill him up a bit.

Just do your best to serve the food that most of the children will eat and give them seconds on something they really like and give them tiny portions of the things they don't like but ask them to do their best and try everything. Believe me, we all feel your pain.

[Inspired by Reggio]

No, I run a daycare, not a restuarant. ....

Ditto ... I serve healthy snacks and meals at regular intervals in small child size portions - children choose to eat or not and how much.

I do not cater to picky eater syndrome - if a child claims they do not like some specially without even TRYING it I just play it down with a 'that's ok everyone's taste buds grow differently - maybe yours will be big enough next time - you can just keep us company at the table' .... I find that children are often obsessed with being viewed as 'big enough' by adults and so they are more likely to try new foods and to also 'try again' with foods specially when they are required to stay at the table and see OTHERS enjoying the food .... it can take several exposure to new foods and textures for the palate to accept it.

My crew eat a lot of things for me in daycare that they would not and do not eat at home.

Another thing I find that helps is my kids, starting at about 18 months old, begin to help me to plan the menu for the upcoming week ... each child helps to pick one morning snack, lunch and afternoon snack. I have photos of all sorts of food on my lap top filed in 'food groups' and by 'snacks' or 'lunches' and I work together with them to ensure we pick a 'balanced plate' and I will also do things like 'hide' the photos of things they tend to often pick to help push them to pick something 'new' to try ... being a part of meal planning and meal prep helps children to develop a healthy love of foods and understanding of nutrition and healthy eating 'naturally' through everyday choices. Plus to be honest it pushes ME to eat things I do not normally like ... I have a child who LOVED cabbage as a toddler - something not normally my go to veggie for sure but she had us having cabbage rolls, coleslaw, steamed cabbage etc cause she picked it every week for on her lunch time.

[Dayhome Mamma]

I hear all of you....I've got one who won't eat a certain shape of pasta. or if a banana is cut up. or another who if the toast isn't sliced into 4s or halves. I am pretty opposed to making different meals for different children....ie, my own daughter just won't eat eggs, and I know she never will but I still offer her them in a smaller portion and she will eat the toast and fruit instead. I just present to them again the food they didn't eat if they are hungry and sometimes they will eat it if they are just being picky as opposed to truly not liking a certain food, like eggs. When I'm onto the next meal then I give them what everyone is being served as well of course. If they really don't want it. They wait until the next meal/option.