https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:02:38 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2349894 Mon, 09 Nov 2015 20:48:32 +0000 CakeLady 2349894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I am holding out hope that it will get better with age. I think I could definitely do a better job of leading with what he likes and just putting a little bit of something else on the plate. </p> <p>@Grace: Thanks for the commiseration, glad to know I'm not alone. It is just so miserable. So. much. screaming.</p> <p>@sarac: I appreciate your unique perspective. I definitely try to find things he'll eat with all the different nutrients he needs, these days he gets most of his protein from dairy, peanut butter and chicken sausages. </p> <p>@lady grey: those pancakes sound great! i'll try them this weekend.</p> <p>@Little Misters Mom: I'll definitely have to check out that book. I have no idea how much of this situation is power struggle and how much is pickiness. But I won't let him go hungry or force him, that book sounds like it might have some good tactics. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348446 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 20:36:18 +0000 Little Misters Mom 2348446@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I loved the book Child of Mine: Feeding with Love and Good Sense and found it so helpful. <a href="http://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/store/index.php?route=product/product&#038;product_id=52" rel="nofollow">http://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org/store/index.php?route=product/product&#038;product_id=52</a></p> <p>Her advice is very common sense and mostly about consistency and avoiding power struggles. But she manages to give helpful, actionable advice, without any guilt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348433 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 20:16:02 +0000 sarac 2348433@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BananaPancakes: Yeah, I have a lot to say about it. I totally get stressing out about how many veggies, how much sugar, etc etc. But at the end of the day if your kid isn't eating enough protein they're going to suffer in the short and the long term. Same with fiber. If I had a picky kid I'd be pretty generous about making sure that they got the protein they needed, even if it meant they were drinking chocolate milk daily. </p> <p>I wish that feeding therapy had been around when I was a child. I should probably look into it now, because I still have all of those problems. Some people just have a really, really hard time with food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348419 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 20:03:33 +0000 gingerbebe 2348419@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah agree your kid eats enough variety where a balanced meal is possible - I think it's more important to get the balance in and just offer one new thing in a non threatening way. </p> <p>Other moms I know do what PP have said where they offer a safe carb and veggie and throw in a mystery meat but then rotate that for each meal during the day (so a safe meat and fruit but new veggie, etc) so overall in the day or week there is a balance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348410 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 19:54:52 +0000 lady grey 2348410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 2.5 year old is very similar. At meals I usually have two things I know he will (usually) eat and one new/previously refused food. He almost never tries anything new, but we keep offering and have a success once in a while (he just ate some green peas for the first time yesterday! not sure if he'll do it again tho) Overall I focus on giving him a protein at each meal/snack and I also still feed him baby food pouches because its the only way he will get any veggies. Its tough, I feel you!</p> <p>If your kiddo likes pancakes, here is a recipe idea. My son will eat these and they are mostly egg, so lots of protein!<br /> <a href="http://balancedbites.com/2012/10/easy-recipe-pumpkin-pancakes-from-practical-paleo.html" rel="nofollow">http://balancedbites.com/2012/10/easy-recipe-pumpkin-pancakes-from-practical-paleo.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348353 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 18:26:28 +0000 BananaPancakes 2348353@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: This is really interesting to me. We recently started my son in feeding therapy because he has severe pickiness and real fear towards new foods. He's 3.5 and we found out this summer that he has GERD and is lactose intolerant. So basically he's been miserable since he was born and it led to a lot of food issues. We're actually getting blood work done tomorrow to rule out any other allergies per his therapist. Your comment solidifies that we're doing the right thing because his diet is awful and we haven't been successful changing it. Once we get further into the process or once he's graduated from therapy, I'm thinking about doing a guest post if people show interest because it's been fascinating to see. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348320 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 17:18:58 +0000 sarac 2348320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As someone who has been on the other side of this, I have a really different perspective. I was a desperately picky child who has evolved into a desperately picky adult, although I've managed to work with myself to some extent to create a much healthier diet than I used to eat. Until I was able to do that I really suffered, though. From headaches mostly, due to lack of protein, and from terrible blood sugar highs and lows due to lack of fiber and overconsumption of carbs and sugar. </p> <p>So while I'd suggest continuing to do all of those things to expand his pallet, I'd really suggest trying to meet him where he is to get him the nutrients he needs every day. Even if that means feeding him chocolate milk and black beans and chicken sausage every day of his life. </p> <p>It's far better to have a picky, limited child, than to have one who is miserable from headaches and blood sugar swings. My parents gave up on my picky eating very early and just decided that it was my problem, and that they couldn't fix it, and to be honest I have a lot of anger about it. I'm a big believer in the family meal, and not being a short order cook, and in healthy foods, but at the end of the day your child needs nutrients to grow and to feel healthy. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348274 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 16:16:10 +0000 Grace 2348274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I feel your pain. It's gotten slightly better past two, but I think it just takes time. And more time. And more time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348195 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 15:13:31 +0000 gingerbebe 2348195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My brother was like that but take heart he became a hugely adventurous eater in college!</p> <p>We always offered him what we knew he could eat - especially protein - and then put a small portion of something new next to it. So if he only eats that one kind of chicken sausage, throw a bite or two of hot dog or another flavor next to it. If he ignores it then fine. Give him plenty of carrots and 1 spoon of peas. That way he gets full on what he likes and he is exposed to something new but no big if he doesn't eat it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/picky-eating-and-hangriness-help#post-2348183 Sun, 08 Nov 2015 14:49:37 +0000 CakeLady 2348183@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DS (17 months) is a really picky eater. He'll eat most any kind of fruit, a variety of dairy products (yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese), bread-like carbs (bread, pancakes, waffles, muffins), crackers, cereal, one flavor of one brand of chicken sausage, back beans, orange veggies, and corn. That's it. He won't even taste anything else. </p> <p>Everyone, pediatrician included, says just keep offering -and I do. The problem is lately I offer him food and he just plays, makes a mess, eats the few things on his plate he likes and gets really mad or tired of being at the table so we end the meal. Then a short while later he gets super cranky because he is hungry. Meal time is super stressful for DH and I. </p> <p>Any advice? I do make muffins and pancakes with veggies and healthy stuff in them and smoothies with spinach which he'll sometimes drink. But other than that I am at a total loss. </p> <p>FWIW we try eating together and feeding him the same thing as we have but he is totally uninterested. Also DH and I are pretty adventurous eaters and like lots of variety so this sucks for us. </p>