https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:03:17 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1563217 Fri, 11 Apr 2014 13:08:17 +0000 Jenn23 1563217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: I haven't grabbed his hand, but have done the firm no and he pretty much laughed at me or just threw it again. This morning he threw all of his toast all over the floor. </p> <p>@locavore_mama: I'm going to have to start implementing time-outs for this. I did try taking him out of the highchair when he wouldn't eat food (the things he won't try/doesn't like) last week, because he just kept doing the sign for "more" to get something else, but once I put him back in the highchair a few minutes later, he had a meltdown when I gave him the same food. And then threw that on the floor! Ugh! Sorry your LO is so sick. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1561102 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 18:52:33 +0000 regberadaisy 1561102@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: we went through the throwing stage briefly. We usually gave her one chance and if she kept kept throwing we took her food away. I have even gone as far as putting her in time out after taking her food because she was throwing a tantrum about me taking her plate away. </p> <p>And LO refused her dinner of panko crusted chicken fingers and yam fries. Usually two of her favorite. But because she has HFM , again, I made her a peanut butter sandwich instead. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559869 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:53:26 +0000 mrs. wagon 1559869@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That's still a lot of foods!! During Wagon JR.'s picky phase he only ate eggs, cheese, pasta, yogurt, and ham. It lasted more than 6 months.. probably closer to a year... I thought I was going to go bananas. </p> <p>We just kept offering. So frustrating but what else can you do?? I don't like hiding nutritious food because I want my kids to learn to eat and appreciate nutritious food, but during this phase we used veggie pasta and the yobaby yogurt that has fruit and veggie puree mixed in. He didn't even eat any fruits!! The pediatrician just told us to keep offering. Eventually he grew out of it, and now he will try pretty much anything, but he's 4 now and only JUST started getting less picky..!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559850 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:49:02 +0000 skibobrown 1559850@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Two thoughts --<br /> 1) Our pediatrician always said we should focus on what DD eats over the course of a full week, not an individual meal or even an individual day. Even if they're really picky for certain meals or certain days, it can often be surprising how well they eat over the course of a full week.<br /> 2) We've had a lot of success with involving DD in cooking. At first we just tried to hold her while we cooked. Then we got a learning tower, so she could stand next to us in the kitchen. We also let her stand on a chair when supervised. We've found that when she feels involved in the cooking process, she's willing to eat more foods. One of our favorite meals to do with her is tacos b/c she likes to choose which toppings will go on her taco. It might still be a little early for that at 14 months, but keep it in mind when you hit the toddler stage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559801 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:40:56 +0000 2PeasinaPod 1559801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: We try the firm "no" while grabbing his hand, but it's so hard when he's so high up. He's in the testing phase too...so it's definitely something he continues to test us on to see if we'll let him get away with it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559744 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 13:31:03 +0000 Jenn23 1559744@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: Are you doing anything to try and stop the food throwing? I've tried a few things and none have worked. Oh boy, this is quite a stage! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559528 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:51:21 +0000 2PeasinaPod 1559528@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: If it helps, S won't budge either with the bribing. He just throws it on the floor or he'll totally ignore what's on his plate.</p> <p>@septca: I feel your pain! S's only veggie right now is carrots. And even those he doesn't eat all the time. He used to eat pretty much any veggie except for peas, but now he's on a veggie strike. It's also few and far between that he'll take a pouch. I usually offer 3 out of 4 things that he likes and 1 veggie. He'll usually throw the veggie on the floor, but I just keep trying to offer it. I'm hoping he grows out of this stage too, but at 18 months, we're in the thick of it!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559495 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:47:13 +0000 Jenn23 1559495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: Great, thanks for the tips. I've tried telling him to just "try one bite" or have a little more of something before and it has never worked. I'll keep trying, though! I feel like this is the one and only area in which I have no control and he is running the show and from what I've read in some research on the topic, kids love to have control over their eating. I just feel beyond frustrated lately but I know this is normal and I'll just keep at it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559428 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:30:37 +0000 regberadaisy 1559428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Jenn23: I bribe. Lol seriously. She's a carb fiend and will always go for her carb first. If she wants more but hasn't touched any meat I will ask her to eat some meat first then she can have more carbs. Yes, she will whine, cry, stomp her feet, etc. But unless she's not feeling well I don't back down until she take one bite of a meat. I'm anal about it because LO was pretty severely anemic and has low iron levels compared to most kids. So even though she's on multi with iron it's important she gets iron through food. And meat is the best source. </p> <p>The other thing I do is try to hide foods in foods she likes. Ie we're back in a no leafy greens stage. But leafy greens are an amazing source of iron. So I hide spinach, Kale, etc in mini quiche for breakfast, which she loves. Or make green smoothies. </p> <p>I realize what works for my child might not necessarily work for others. So I hope you find a solution that works for you during the picky stage! </p> <p>Also, I always keep in the back of my mind what a child nutritionist on the blog said. Look at their overall intake over the course of a week versus that day. If she's not eating much greens tonight but did last night then I'm happy. A friend told me at this age they're much more of a grazer versus meals. And some days that's definitely true for my 23m! She might not eat all of her dinner but if she's ate well throughout the day I try not to worry too much. </p> <p>Sorry for the novel! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1559394 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 12:18:06 +0000 Jenn23 1559394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: I do offer new foods or foods he used to eat at least once a day and he simply throws them on he floor and will scream eventually until he gets something he likes. So I agree with you, yet I don't see how to go about changing this? Your example of putting down at least one food they like is what I do try to do and he will just eat that one food, then have a meltdown wanting more of something he likes. How do you handle that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1558066 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 07:53:47 +0000 looch 1558066@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think in general it's good advice to keep trying and offering new things, but at some point, if they aren't eating enough to keep them in their percentile ranges, you have to look at the situation.</p> <p>Are they hungry, what are they eating through the course of the day, what subsitiutions could you make, are there oral motor issues? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1558002 Thu, 10 Apr 2014 07:21:57 +0000 ValentineMommy 1558002@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Going through the same thing here (DS is 14m). He eats ANYTHING from a pouch, but barely any "real" foods.</p> <p>I'm reading "Give Peas a Chance" and am making some headway with some of the books suggestions. </p> <p>I've found two things - if he can "dip" it into something he likes, he's more likely to try it. Yogurt, ketchup, hummus....loves dipping. And if you keep exposing him/her to the same food over and over, eventually they'll try it. First couple times they may ignore it, then they might play with it, then they might try it. It's a process.</p> <p>Just keep trying! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1557467 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:28:09 +0000 regberadaisy 1557467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would keep offering variety and NOT just what he would eat. When LO went through a picky stage we just made sure there was at least one thing on her plate we knew she would eat.</p> <p>She's 23 months and curretnly been going through a meat strike for about 2 weeks. Even her favorites, meatballs and meat off the bone like a drumstick are no gos. But it can also be from cutting her 2 year molars. But we keep offering at each meal. I personally feel when you just offer what they will eat is how the pickiness will stay.</p> <p>We've gone thru two other picky stages and it comes and goes </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1557457 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 19:21:14 +0000 Jenn23 1557457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Going through the same thing here! J is 18 months and for the last few months has been the same way. He pretty much eats the same foods every day and will not even try most new foods and those that he has tried he hasn't liked except for one (in the last few months). It is beyond frustrating and I am at a loss. I try giving him the new foods or foods he used to like first when I know he is hungry but he just tosses them on the floor! </p> <p>I still give one pouch a day, too. Although he does eat a few veggies besides the pouches. But he really just wants mac n cheese (only Annie's here, too. I made my own last week and he wouldn't even eat it!) cheese, deli turkey, oatmeal, bananas, graham crackers, green beans and applesauce and could eat that ALL DAY long. I have attempted pizza, pasta with sauce, meatballs, fish, eggs, waffles, sandwiches, fresh fruits besides bananas that aren't pureed, all recently over the last few months and I've given up lately. He refuses all of them. I hope this is just a phase, too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/getting-through-the-picky-stage#post-1556380 Wed, 09 Apr 2014 12:36:26 +0000 septca 1556380@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My adventurous-eating-1 yo has become a freakishly picky 14-mo. She will eat Annie's mac and cheese (no other type), Annie's bunnies, graham crackers, eggs, peanut and almond butters, broccoli, bananas, oatmeal, black beans, pizza, sometimes Cheerios, and sometimes butternut squash. She will, however, eat anything from a pouch and green smoothies.</p> <p>How do we get through this stage? Just offer her what she wants? Keep offering green smoothies and pouches as a way to get variety into her diet? Keep offering a variety even though it will just end up on the floor?</p> <p>Any tips? I am okay just giving her what she wants IF this is just going to be a stage, but I don't want to get her in the habit of being a picky eater or only eating vegetables when they are disguised in a pouch or smoothie. I am also a bit concerned about protein, as she will only eat eggs, nut butters, and black beans. Any other protein source ideas? </p>