I am having a hard time getting my son to eat regular food. He will only eat baby food, although he can eat cookies, cereal, and crackers. I've tried several times to give him different types of food (i.e. mashed potatoes, chicken, macaroni) but he won't eat it. I tried mixing with applesauce but he'll just spit it out. His doctor says he will eventually eat table food but he's fine now with his baby food. It's frustrating! Any suggestions?
Don't feed him baby food.
Put regular food on his plate. Eventually, he will eat it.
No child has ever starved to death with a plate full of food in front of them.
Do not cave in. It'll take 1 meal, and he'll know you're serious.
You might try getting a food mill (Kidco makes one that's available at Babies-R-Us for around $15). Use it to grind up "grown up" table food to a baby-food-like texture to get your son used to the flavors of table food. Then if that works, you can try just cutting/chopping table food into smaller pieces.
K.,
Maybe your son doesn't like table food because it has so much more flavor than the jar stuff. Since they cook baby food so much to keep it good in the jars it all tends to be pretty flavorless. Maybe try steaming and mashing some sweet potatoes or carrots and give them to him and work your way up from there just like you did when you started the baby food and he'll get used to it as you go. As he gets used to all these wonderful flavors then you can maybe stop mashing the cooked food and just start cutting it into little chunks and so on. I had the exact opposite problem with my daughter, I made her baby food and then if we were in a pinch and tried to feed her the jar stuff she just wouldn't eat it...Good luck!
He may be teething? My son becomes fussy if a tooth is coming in, he will only eat yogurt or baby fruit.
Keep trying though, I've always heard it takes a number of times to get kids to eat new things sometimes and not to give up !!
Also - What is you put the table food in the food processor to mush it up? Maybe to just get him started with it.
Best of luck !
I would just give him regular table food from your own meals and cut it very small for him. If you find over time he isnt eating enough fruits and veggies, I use to supplement and use the babyfood veggies and fruit a little longer, but otherwise, serve him the table food as if that is all he is getting, he will eventually catch on. It's like when he started on baby food, it was new to them and they had to get use to it, same with table food. Also..... Be sure to eat with him, and show him how you eat the same food, with fingers or spoon or fork. He just might like to mimic you.
He will refuse textures the longer he stays on babyfood. He can get all those nutrients from table food now and the sooner you get him used to it the better. He will refuse at first, but he will eventually get hungry. Try a little peanut butter (as long as no allergies are present) on some toast, or raisin bread. A "little" ketchup goes a long way with homemade fries or chicken nuggets...french toast (easy on the syrup..my soon to be 2 yr old doesn't get syrup on his, we sprinkle a little cinnamon) worked for us as well as scrambled eggs. Good luck, be patient but vigilant. :)
Hi K.,
My name is D. and I am a 49 year old mother of two grown children and now grandmother to two. When my children were young and I had trouble getting them to eat regular food I used to take the regular food and put it in the blender and then put it in baby food jars and stick them in the fridge. Then when it came time to eat, I would pull a jar or two out of the fridge and heat it in the microwave and feed them. Well it worked wonders and soon after we transitioned into regular food. Don't know if it will help but sure worth a try. Have a good day and good luck with everything.
Hi K., I have a 20 month old too and have dealt with similar issues. I have found texture changes can really be a problem for some kids. Have you tried putting the new foods into a food processor when you first introduce them? It may be too much change all at once to go from soft mush to solid. A new flavor with a familiar texture may help ease your son into new foods and then gradually you can puree it less so eventually he will be able to eat table food in just small pieces. Also I was told by my pedi that most kids around this age are vegitarians because meat has a difficult texture to chew. I find things like meatballs and meatloaf or very tender chicken (like in a soup) are the easiest for my daughter to eat. She used to be a lot like your son (only haveing 4 teeth didn't help matters :) ) Now she is eating ham sandwiches by her self!! It will come in time. I wouldn't obsess too much about the flavor of the food usually the table food flavor is a welcomed change. Jared food is nasty :) God Bless.
I would listen to your doctor and not worry about it. Your child will start eating when they're ready and you can relax knowing that baby food doesn't have additives that aren't good for us.
Hi K. -
So many kids at that age develop texture issues.
Unfortunately, I think the longer he's allowed to have baby food - the longer it will go on.. :(
Your pediatrician is right -- children won't starve themselves, and when he's hungry, he will eat. I know it's difficult, but at meal time, present him with his meal - and if he won't eat it, then take it away. Try it again for the next meal. If you're consistent -- he will be as well.
Just curious - is he around other kids? Sometimes a little "monkey see, monkey do" is helpful!
Good luck!
I know baby food is expensive, so have you tried making your own. It could be that your son really likes the taste of the baby food and hasn't adjusted to the flavors you use in your cooking. Trying mixing to help with the transistion. As far as nutrition, as the doctor says he's probably very healthy, but it is inconvient and expensive. I did have a friend who's daughter needed early intervention because she did not like the consistancy of certain foods. With some simple techniques she has made great progress and its all free. Maybe worth looking in to if you are really worried.
Hi K.,
This can be a problem when your son starts being the one in charge. If he is letting you know now at this age what he will and will not eat you are looking to have a very long battle with him. Eventually he may decide that he will only eat one ot two things which may not be the healthiest of choices. I know one boy who ate a hotdog at every meal, because that is what he told his mother he would only eat. He is now 13 and very big for his age and still eats only hotdogs and no vegetables.
If you are serving dinner to your family he should eat what you eat, in smaller mushier portions. Put together a small plate with samples of everything you are eating and put it in front of him. Maybe if you let him be in control (have his own spoon) he'll try things on his own. If he does not eat or try it then don't revert back to what he decides he'll eat. Just be done with your meal. (And don't suppliment with something unhealthy like cookies.) Try it again at the next meal. He will not stave to death. Eventually he will get the point that this is what is for dinner and Mom means business. The most important part of this is...if you really want to stop the baby food, then don't have any in the house for him to see and DON'T give in. Giving in, in baby language means "if I throw a bigger tantrum I'll get what I want!" Eventually it will be a huge fight at every meal.
Hope this helps, I have 4 healthy weight eaters (13, 11, 9 & 7) who try all kinds of food, with the exception of one of my children who has a peanut allergy. But that is not a problem.
Good luck!!
