https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:46:07 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2772049 Thu, 07 Sep 2017 01:26:08 +0000 My Only Sunshine 2772049@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The biggest hit for my 4 year old is snack dinner- which is just tiny piles of healthy-ish food we have in the fridge. Some usual additions are thawed frozen peas, baby carrots with hummus, crackers, fruit, babybel cheese, strung cheese, lunch meat turkey or salami, turkey meatballs, and black beans.</p> <p>I also love the suggestion of deconstructed dinner from Dinner A Love Story: <a href="http://www.dinneralovestory.com/top-10-deconstructed-dinners/" rel="nofollow">http://www.dinneralovestory.com/top-10-deconstructed-dinners/</a></p> <p>Basically she pulls ingredients out while cooking so she only cooks once but still accommodates different tastes. When we have chili, my kids get a plate of diced tomatoes, beans, plain ground beef, and shredded cheese, all separate. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771972 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:43:44 +0000 gingerbebe 2771972@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: Yeah, daycare has snack for my kids at 3pm and even then some days my boys are not that hungry for dinner at 530pm, depending on what they have. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771969 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 16:17:43 +0000 Shantuck 2771969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, these are great suggestions. Thanks, everyone. I think his snacking is contributing to a lack of hunger at dinner and thus making him less motivated to try things. I asked our nanny about it and she said she stops giving him snacks at 4:30, which I guess explains why he isn't hungry when we eat at 5:30 or 6!</p> <p>I'd never heard of food chaining but that is a great idea as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771889 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:45:25 +0000 looch 2771889@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: Oh, that's interesting about the egg white, I might have to try that too!</p> <p>It seems like the fiber would still count, but I've never actually asked a nutritionist about it. Fiber is more of our issue, over protein. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771884 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:38:07 +0000 gingerbebe 2771884@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I don't see why not. I use shredded yellow squash when I make mac n' cheese and if you use the small holes on your grater, you can't even see them. We added extra butter, a few slices of Kraft singles, and heavy cream to our mac n' cheese because DS1 had weight gain issues as a young tot and I couldn't get enough fat into his diet!</p> <p>Also, I've whipped egg whites into oatmeal without tasting it at all - that might give you a boost of protein. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771880 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:25:08 +0000 looch 2771880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I am very curious about the idea to add zucchini or squash to the pasta water as it gets cooked...I think I could get away with that, but I have a question about the fiber content, does it still "count?"</p> <p>Another thing we do is to make mac and cheese, but using an egg in addition to the cheese. I can get my son to eat an entire egg this way, and he doesn't even notice it. Scrambled eggs are a no go.</p> <p>I also add a bit of ground flax to oatmeal I am contemplating adding ground oatmeal to a yogurt based smoothie, but I have to test that out on myself first. Not sure if it's a good idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771873 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 11:08:00 +0000 gingerbebe 2771873@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think the first thing to do is eat what you and DH are eating with great gusto. Enjoy your own food. DH and I went through a phase where we ate a lot of entree salads and he and I would make loud noises when we ate like "MMMMM, this is SOOO good!" while DS1 ate his dinner. Sometimes it would include deconstructed pieces of things from our salad, like some of the chicken, a few bites of carrot, etc. Sometimes it would be something totally separate. </p> <p>Food chaining and helping with meal prep helps too. For example, I had DS1 help out with the salads. I would chop lots of romaine into Tupperwares and ask him to help me sprinkle toppings on each one. Shredded carrots, cucumber pieces, cherry tomatoes, chunks of chicken, etc. I would snack on things while I did it, and he would try a few pieces of stuff too. He discovered he really loved croutons so when he would see us eat our salads for dinner, he'd lean over and pick some croutons out. Which is how he discovered ranch dressing or honey mustard (which we sorta picked strategically) were also tasty. Then he would sorta ask for a bite. Then he would ask for his own salad and insisted that a salad had "lettuce, cumber, cawwot, cooton, no tayto, no adocado, I don't like."</p> <p>Its not like we eat salad for every meal or anything, but now when he sees us eating a salad, he'll ask for a little on his plate too. Its not this crazy foreign thing and we never pressured him about it - its just a normalized portion of someone's meal, kwim?</p> <p>I add shredded zucchini or yellow squash to pretty much everything. Its virtually tasteless and gets soft when you cook it, so it just sorta melts into whatever you're cooking. I throw it in with the dry pasta when I make mac n' cheese, I put it into my sauce pot when I'm making spaghetti, etc.</p> <p>There was a time when I made a big pot of marinara with all sorts of veggies (spinach, onion, peppers, celery, carrots, zucchini) and then blend it with a stick blender. THEN I would add separately cooked browned meat to the pot and that would fly. Now they don't really care about the veggies if they are soft and chopped small. </p> <p>I've made a broccoli sauce for pasta that's just soft boiled broccoli, garlic, olive oil, parm cheese, and a little lemon juice (optional) blended until smooth. Its a green sauce which might be kinda fun for kids. Without the lemon juice, it tastes more like broccoli cheese soup.</p> <p>We also bought a sandwich pocket maker:</p> <p><a href="http://a.co/f7dxGuY" rel="nofollow">http://a.co/f7dxGuY</a></p> <p>This is a way to kinda make a pizza-type meal a little healthier. You can use whole grain bread, have your son help lay on healthier toppings, like chicken sausage or turkey pepperoni, then you can tuck in a little bit of spinach or mushroom and make a little hot pocket type meal. You can obviously also use this for other kinds of sandwiches with different kinds of meat, sauces, cheeses, etc. </p> <p>My kid also really thrives on routine. So we'll say "today is soup day" and he knows that day we're having miso soup with tofu for dinner with a bowl of rice. Now he asks if its soup day because we always have a soup day during the week and its become one of his favorite meals. Its a comforting thing to him. So maybe find a soup he might like (we did Italian wedding and chicken veggie soup with rice too) and that's something you can tuck a good amount of nutrition into as the weather gets cooler. </p> <p>In the same vein, I sorta use menu templates when I'm planning for the week. Like pasta, curry, soup, Mexican, leftovers, etc. There's a rhythm to our weekly meals so even when one week its Indian curry and the next week is Japanese curry and the week after that is Thai curry, its "curry day." Same with pasta - the kind might change, but its "pasta day!" </p> <p>And FWIW, my brother was a NOTORIOUS picky eater. Like, he ate so few fruits and vegetables he had horrific constipation as a small child and had to have enemas regularly. Obviously, as a family we ate a varied and pretty healthy Asian diet, but he ONLY ate certain brands/flavors of certain (highly processed) things and he was like that all the way until he was like a junior or senior in high school when he started broadening his palate a bit to go out to eat with his friends. Then he went to college and it was like a switch flipped and he wanted to try everything the wide world had to offer, including food. Now he's one of the biggest gourmands I know and eats everything and enjoys fine dining as a hobby. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771845 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:42:34 +0000 skipra 2771845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: mine loves pesto pizza which seems crazy to me but we just go with it lol</p> <p>Sorry to hijack the thread! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771844 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:37:59 +0000 looch 2771844@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@skipra: Oh, thank you for that suggestion! My son will eat ketchup but is not so keen on tomato sauce, so for pizza, he likes it with white sauce, which is so shocking to me, but whatever, I will take it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771842 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 09:34:44 +0000 skipra 2771842@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: exactly! One thing that was successful for us was pizza. LO used to only want the crust so I started to make his own and kneaded some cheese into it, the chopped spinach, the moved on to spinach in it with cheese on top and now we can actually go out to eat and order pizza. Seems so minor but it is groundbreaking.<br /> And yes, everyone loves to blame mom for picky or disordered eating and think forcing it will solve the problem when it really only makes it worse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771807 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 07:50:43 +0000 looch 2771807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@skipra: going further on the foodchaining thought, it also means introducing foods that are just a little bit different than what your kid eats. It can be really lonely as a parent with a kid that has food issues...a lot of people like to tell me it's my fault for a whole host of reasons!</p> <p>Say you want your kid that eats French fries to eat a baked potato. You wouldn't go from one to the other, you'd do it in steps, introducing first different French fries, like thick cut if your kid eats shoestring. Once they accept that, you do the different shaped potato patties, like those face shaped ones. Then you do tater tots. Then you try hash browns. then you try mashed potato, then the baked potato.</p> <p>It can be really effective, there's a great book that I am using for my son's issues, with the support of a feeding therapist. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771806 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 07:41:39 +0000 RonjaL7 2771806@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I made this 1-pot taco pasta the other day and my daughter loved it. You can easily hide some vegetables in it too if you wanted more than what is in the can of salsa. Or add some black beans for more protein. I made mine with ground turkey.</p> <p><a href="http://www.motherthyme.com/2016/07/one-pot-cheesy-taco-pasta.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.motherthyme.com/2016/07/one-pot-cheesy-taco-pasta.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771805 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 07:41:30 +0000 skipra 2771805@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My 5 year old has issues eating and the recommendation is usually food chaining, offering one meal with at least one item that he or she likes. I know making them try at least 2-3 bites of everything works for some kids. If it is very problematic you can go to an ot for feeding therapy.<br /> Eta I try to make the favorite foods healthier. Shredded sweet potato or zucchini in pancakes, muffins loaded with veggies (toddler muffins), using squash in place of sauce on pizza. We have no luck with any meat so lots of hummus, bean quesadillas, peanut butter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771792 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 06:10:18 +0000 looch 2771792@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: Have you ruled our oral motor issues? I have a problem eater (picky doesn't even begin to describe it) and I was approaching it all wrong.</p> <p>One thing you can do is food chaining, which is introducing new foods that are slight variations on things that your kid already eats. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771776 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 23:22:20 +0000 ALV91711 2771776@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Get him involved in the prep of dinner, setting the table. I find DS is more willing to try something unusual if he's helped make it. </p> <p>We do family meals but nights we are having something spicy or I know DS just really doesn't like I'll do a separate meal. Just keep trying as I know that DS will one night declare he doesn't like something and the next night eats it. I always make him try one bite. </p> <p>In your case I'd try and make things in bigger volumes for him that you can have in the fridge a few days or freeze. Then you don't have to cook a separate meal so often. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771755 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 19:49:38 +0000 Bluebonnet 2771755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: you might be underestimating your kids. My 5 year old LOVES salads. She likes to dip lettuce in ranch dressing. </p> <p>Are you familiar with Weelicious (website and cookbooks)? Their slogan is something like one family one meal. Maybe start with recipes close to your kids' palates and gradually expand. Be persistent and you'll be amazed at what your kids will eat. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771750 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 18:49:18 +0000 ocean81 2771750@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: you aren't alone! This is my biggest struggle. Will he eat tomato sauce on pasta? Sneaky chef makes a tomato sauce with a bunch of hidden veggies. I also tried zucchini noodles the other day and she ate them... I was shocked.<br /> I will also cut sweet potatoes like fries and she will eat those. She likes hummus so I try to give her vegetables to dip because dipping is fun (she's 2 :) )<br /> <a href="https://www.thesneakychef.com/products/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thesneakychef.com/products/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771747 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 18:27:48 +0000 yoursilverlining 2771747@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shantuck: I know making other meals isn't ideal, but you're not alone. My DH and I eat a lot of very spicy food and meals and there is often no way to make them non-spicy for LO, who won't tolerate any spice. I also don't really want to alter my own dinner and eating just because LO doesn't want to eat tuna salad or jalapeño cabbage slaw, kwim? So, I get it. </p> <p>I thought of another food item LO will always eat: apple/chicken sausage with rice (either white or brown). Sometimes I make a little sauce with a can of crushed pineapple, but she'll also eat it just separate and plain. Then I can add to my rice if I like . Oh, and she loves fried fish and we were able to go from fried to her accepting just baked/grilled fish too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771743 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 18:19:44 +0000 maddyz 2771743@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's such a hard habit to break. I find that DS is more willing to try new things when he's just a little hungry. If he's very hungry it's hopeless and everything will be terrible... It's hard to hit that perfect moment. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771718 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 16:09:02 +0000 Shantuck 2771718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travelingnanny: I generally agree with that sentiment but I've admittedly been on some very specific diets over the years (including a fertility diet from my acupuncturist that had me cutting all flour and sugar from my diet while I was TTC and eating very specific veggies on certain days of my cycle) and then recently my husband and I have been eating a lot of entree salads, which I guess I don't expect my 5 year to eat. Thanks for all the ideas! I need to figure out how to get all of our diets to meet in the middle again somehow! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771709 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:35:29 +0000 yoursilverlining 2771709@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not like super heathy, but my picky 5 year old will OK pesto, zucchini noodles (any sauce) and fried rice which our family loves.</p> <p>ETA: she will also eat soups and chili well; mainly chili and Italian wedding soup </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771708 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:35:17 +0000 travelingnanny 2771708@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm very old school in this aspect and firmly believe that parents should cook one meal for everyone. Do not offer other options if they refuse to eat their dinnner. This just teaches them they can get what they want if they throw a fit. They will learn to eat what you serve. Remember kids are pretty manipulative. You got this! It will be ok. Some recipes that I've tried with kids that were a success-<br /> <a href="http://betsylife.com/cheesy-zucchini-turkey-casserole/" rel="nofollow">http://betsylife.com/cheesy-zucchini-turkey-casserole/</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.thecasualcraftlete.com/2015/09/29/clean-eating-slow-cooker-beef-stew/" rel="nofollow">http://www.thecasualcraftlete.com/2015/09/29/clean-eating-slow-cooker-beef-stew/</a></p> <p><a href="https://dearcrissy.com/clean-eating-turkey-chilli/" rel="nofollow">https://dearcrissy.com/clean-eating-turkey-chilli/</a></p> <p><a href="https://www.averiecooks.com/2015/09/easy-30-minute-homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.html" rel="nofollow">https://www.averiecooks.com/2015/09/easy-30-minute-homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771706 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:30:06 +0000 LuLu Mom 2771706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>homemade chicken strips, tator tot casserole (both my kids favorite), pork tenderloin with veggies, I throw in carrots and spaghetti squash in spaghetti for added veggies, grilled chicken of any kind, stir fry/Chinese/Asian chicken of any kind with rice. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/recipe-suggestions-for-a-picky-5-year-old#post-2771704 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:19:57 +0000 Shantuck 2771704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Does anyone have any recipe suggestions for meals that even super picky kids will eat? My 5 year is super picky and I struggle to get him to eat anything other than a short list of items (pizza, pb&amp;j, hotdogs, pasta, bagels, etc.). With a lot of coaxing, we usually succeed in getting him to try what we are preparing for dinner and he will take a tiny bite and promptly announce that he doesn't like it (and then we usually cave and give him a banana or a yogurt tube - I literally can't even get him to eat a dinner roll!). I've probably done plenty of things wrong that brought us to this point but I'm just wondering if anyone has found any great, healthy recipes that the whole family eats (that must include your picky eaters!). Thanks! </p>