Food for picky eaters

[Starshine]

I can't believe how picky some kids are! I have one that hardly eats anything other than fruit. Anyhow, this one is pretty new and parent tonight asked me what he ate for lunch, I said what I had offered and that he only ate a couple bites. Then he asked me if I provided him with an alternative. Now, I was kind of taken aback--this isn't a restaurant, lol. I said, no, that I serve what we are having and he can choose whether or not to eat it. I get that the kid is picky, but I'm not going to cater to that, and I seriously hope his parents don't expect me to!

[Bookworm]

I have one like that too. I never offered him an alternative and now he is starting to eat stuff he wouldn't before. I just give extras at snack time.

[Momof4]

I have picky eaters too, one won't eat any veggies so I always double her fruit and she does like the protein and grain products. I always serve two veggies for lunch and give her a teaspoon of each every day hoping for a miracle. Then I have a boy who won't eat food that is combined. Even when I cook a roast and carrots and potatoes in the crockpot he knows and says it smells funny. I tell him that he has to try everything or be hungry for the same reason you said - I run a daycare, not a restaurant. Today that is what I cooked in the crockpot, then I dumped it and drained it and rinsed it all. For pete's sake!

I'm honest with the parents every day about all the food that is offered to the children. If they don't eat it they aren't going to starve. Hopefully they will eat lots of dinner in the evening. It used to drive me crazy but now I start with really tiny portions and give them seconds if they want them, then I don't have to put as much food into the garbage.

So Starshine and Ashleigh, I agree with you both completely.

[Inspired by Reggio]

I do not cater to picky eaters as that is not part of my nutritional philosophy and goals for raising healthy children ~ and that is in writing in my client handbook so they know that starting out!

Children need a wide variety of foods to get all the nutrients they need for growing brains and bodies and the only way they are going to learn to increase their palette enough to accept that wide variety is if we consistently keep supplying them with variety ... and I tend to be over passionate about this because my SIL catered to picky eating in my niece as an infant / toddler / preschooler who decided she only liked Eggos and maple syrup, Chicken nuggets, fries, corn and grilled cheese and corn.... and so she fed her that day in and day out and at 8 she ended up with Type 1 diabetes .. and since there is no genetic history of that disease in their family on any sides it was her DIET that caused that damage to her body and pancreas not getting the nutrients it needed to work and grow properly!

[Crayola kiddies]

I don't cater to picky eaters either .... You get what you get and actually the parents are amazed what the kids actually eat here .... I have one that when he started would gag on the most basic food like potatoes carrots ect.... Now he eats all kinds of veges and eats them off his plate first ... He eats cottage cheese and tuna ! And asks for more ..... No catering to picky eaters !

[Inspired by Reggio]

....actually the parents are amazed what the kids actually eat here ...

This is my experience as well ~ most of my kids eat better in their two snacks and main meal here than at home.

[Crayola kiddies]

Oh for sure Reggio .... I have one Parent that says "thank god he eats for you" ..... Most parent don't want the aggregation of disciplining their kids after a 'long' day at work and are only interested in keeping the peace so they have a nice stress free evening. They leave all the work to us and we end up being the" bad guys "