I hate mealtime

I hate mealtime. The boys are so picky it seems, and I get frustrated so easily that they don't want to try new things. I know that some of it is my fault for being in a "food rut," but I'm ready to throw in the towel.

The boys started daycare three days a week, and they hardly eat anything at lunch. The center serves a hot meal, usually something like fish sticks, spaghetti, etc., along with both a veggie and a fruit. The boys try a little of everything, then wind up usually just eating their fruit and drinking their milk. By the time snack time comes along after nap, they are ravenously hungry and usually eat a big snack (graham crackers, animal crackers, etc.).

For lunch at home, I've been giving them lunch meat and cheese, which they usually like, along with some fruit. For dinner, they get a Gerber Graduates meal, some bread, and some kind of fruit and/or veggie. They usually eat everything except the veggies. I know that it's mostly my fault for not pushing more "mommy and daddy food." But like I said, I get so frustrated so easily with the throwing, the spitting, the iron-clamped mouths.

What can I do?! I've tried chicken nuggets this week, and they're skeptical. I've tried pizza in the past...no luck. I don't know what else to do. They seem to not like ground beef and tomatoey things (spaghetti sauce, ketchup, etc.).

Please help! :drown: :gah:

 

I hear ya! I have picky eaters as well. (Knock on wood) I can actually say it is starting to get better. I can remember having days where I felt like beating my head on the wall. I got soooo tired of throwing food away and all they wanted to eat were snacky foods (crackers). During the time when it was REALLY bad, if they didn't eat what I was serving then they would get yogurt or a fruit and cereal bar (Earth's Best makes them). I knew they would always eat that. I would just say keep offering them new foods along with stuff you know they will eat. It is frustrating, but it will get better. Hang in there!!

 

I have picky eaters too. I usually rotate the same stuff over 3-4 days and add new things from time to time. They get 3-5 different things for dinner (lunch is usually grilled cheese or something like that). I give them one snack only around 3pm and it's not a huge one, so they're still hungry for dinner (and oh, it works, they're screaming at dinner time -_- ). Veggies are not working here either though.

 

We try to keep pushing Mommy and Daddy food, some days they eat like they are starving and the next they hate everything we give them. Mine will not eat tomato products, so we are having pizza, spaghetti or anything like that, we give them the Gerber graduates. My one BF, her middle child went through a phase where all he ate was bread & butter, Cheez-Its and doughnuts. They could not get him to eat anything else. Now he is almost 5 is much more adventurous with his food. Maybe you can try scrambled eggs with cheese, waffles, pancakes, pb&j...or at dinner try to offer them some of what you are eating and then have something easy that they like as back up. This is a phase that will pass!

 

I'm in the same boat. I get so frustrated with dinner. They don't eat anything, when they do love something I fix it again and they hate it. Lasagna is about our only steady like over the last few months. I think they could live on graham crackers though and I'm really tempted to let them.

On a positive note, out of pure frustration and at the suggestion of a coworker two nights ago I got out the travel boosters and put them at the table. I'm not sure they ate any more or threw any less on the floor, but dinner was quiet!!

 

I still do a lot of plain cooked/baked veggies and fruits... acorn squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, apples (baked - these are yummy) etc. my dd also loves tofu right out of the box (now that's easy!). and when I think they haven't gotten enough and might still be hungry I cut a nice ripe avocado in half and they usually eat it all up. I like the avocado option b/c its so full of wonderful nutrition.

I do the typical mac & cheese when I have time to make it and grilled cheese sandwiches too.

 

Some things that saved our sanity at that age. But remember that they take their cues from you. If you eat the peas, they are more likely to also.

Ravioli - We bought the frozen stuff that needs to boil for just a few minutes. Cut into 1/4. Ours devoured these.
Quesadilla - Try a mild cheese like monterey jack.
baked sweet potato, then cube it
whole blueberries
creamed corn
peas - try frozen fancy, petite variety. Some babies like them frozen.

In the end, most babies/toddlers go through a picky phase. By the time they were 2, we had adopted the "one supper" approach. Supper was supper. Eat what you want from the plate. We'd save it in case they were hungry later (ie no alternative if they didn't eat it). We tried to make sure there was always something on the plate that they liked. It was hellish for several months, but they adjusted. There were days that they went to bed without supper. The next morning they compensated by eating me under the table.

 

Mine are also going thro a picky stage. So I have figured out some tricks to help them eat more veggies (in a sneaky way), mine like rice, so I will mix a baby food veggie as a sauce for the rice (carrot, pumpkin, sweet corn somethign like that). I find if I do mashed potatoes and sneak in veggies (like small peas, or mashed up brocolli) that can work to get more veggies in too.

The other thing I do, if they don't eat much at lunch or supper, then I put some of the leftovers in a dish and leave them out on their snack table, and often mine will snack on them as they are playing. Cold pasta is their favorite after supper snack!

Good luck - I say, just keep offering them veggies and other foods, and eventually they will like them....at least that is the hope in our house!