Love fuit, hate vegetables

We started the boys on solids around Thanksgiving. They took to it ok, then we switched from rice cereal to oatmeal/multigrain and they were much happier. Now they have fruit in the late morning/early afternoon, and scarf it down. In the evening they have cereal and a vegetable. And now at night both of them get really upset. There’s tears and pushing away and not opening the mouth at all and crying.

Anyone go through this?

Should we move the veggies and cereal to a different time? Seperately? Warm up the vegetables? They split on serving so I don’t think it could be too much food…

Just curious as to what to do at this point. They are 7 and a half months.

Thank you!!

 

Our pediatrician cautioned us to start with veggies (in conjunction with rice/multigrain cereals) and make that the only solid for a few weeks. His rationale is that fruit tastes like a "dessert" and who wants to go back to the main course when you know that the dessert is so much better?!

Our girls still makes yuck faces at veggies for their first few bites even though we waited forever to introduce fruits. I would maybe take a step back to veggies only for awhile and see how that goes, then reintroduce fruit once every day or so. Gradually you should be able to work towards a good variety in a day.

Good luck!

 

I would do veggies and cereal separate from the fruit. And all you can do is offer them stuff. If they don't take it, they don't take it. Keep trying though, because it can take up to 15 times for a child to decide whether they really like it or not. Right now solids are really just practice for them. They're getting used to the idea of eating and textures so make it fun and relax about it! Their nutrition is still coming from breast milk or formula and you're just trying to set up good eating habits for when they transition to solids full time.

 

When you feed them the cereal and vegetable, which are you giving them first? I always did the fruit and cereal last because it was sweeter. Also, what veggies have you done so far? Maybe they just don't like the ones you have done, or just need time to adjust. Our boys HATED green beans for awhile - eventually they got so they loved them, and they are one of their favorites now (in solid form though, rather than puree). You could also try warming them like you said. That adds a bit of inconvenience if you are traveling, but may get them to get eat them.

Another idea is you could try some of the fruit/veg combos out there. For example, they make apple carrot and pear squash. As long as you have tested one of the two ingredients, you could try that. And maybe then they would start to get used to the taste a bit more.

 

I never gave my kids fruit their first year (not until well after 12 months or more). It was just veggies first to get those really established. I do think once they have the sweetness of fruit, many kids will shun the veggies. All of my 4 kids eat most veggies now.

Personally, I would cut out all fruit and just go with veggies to get them back on the veggie track. You can always re-introduce fruit later.

 

You can always try a fruit and veggie mix. My girls scarf down everything, so I never had a problem. They do like apple/veggie mixes: peachy green beans, apple carrot, pears with butternut squash. If your boys have had both tge fruit and veggie, you should be OK mixing them.

 

Taste is partially genetic but also associated through recognition. Which is why you should introduce green beans 15-20 times before you really know if it isn't going to work. It is hard to have that patience...I know it was hard for me. There are a variety of other things that affect taste so unless you are only giving fruit all the time and occasionally introduce a vegetable I doubt the order has anything to do with it. But of course that is only my opinion from my experience. I have heard pedis advise veggies first...mine said it didn't matter. Turns out at least for our girls he was right...isn't everything a crapshoot? Anyway, you could try getting rid of the fruit. Or you might try mixing the veggie with a fruit, or mix it with a sweeter veggie, like yam or squash. You could also mix that veggie with the cereal to mute the taste a bit. I mixed veggies with yogurt sometimes even. You could switch and offer the veggies early and the fruit later. The better meals are usually always going to be in the morning and afternoon times. What is hard is they might be refusing because they are overtired if it is close to bedtime. It might not even be food-related. Good luck.

 

My DD hated pureed veggies and never ate them without a fight. Now she loves veggies. I think she just hated babyfood and ate much better when we moved to table food. DS ate pureed veggies great but now will.not.touch.them! Just keep trying and offering. I often mixed pears with the green veggies to get DD to eat them and often used yogurt too. Also, some babies do better with some added flavor. I have used garlic and oregano, basil, etc with some success and nutmeg or cinnamon for sweet potatoes and squash. Now I have to be really creative because DS figures it out a lot of the time.

 

Also, FWIW, I started with veggies and it made no difference.

 

Well last night (ted needed some prunes) and they ate it down. So we are going to try veggies for lunch!

 

What kind of food are you using? I know that my dd will eat anything I give her but her twin brother will only eat sweet potatoes with a little cinnamin and only if its homemade. Another thing my ped said was that at this point they are still getting most of their needs met from formula so if they aren't eating everything not to worry. Also my oldest dd would never eat ANY baby food. But when she was a year old we started offering her table food like a green bean to chew on while we had dinner etc and now at 9 she is still the biggest veggie eater. I get nasty looks from mothers in Kroger because their kids are screaming for the free cookie at the bakery and Bella wants a salad from the salad bar.

 

That is funny... when my DS was little we always got weird comments at restaurants because I didn't order the junk from the kids menu. I would get grilled chicken and my son always asked for broccoli fries.. I had to explain that meant he wanted steamed broccoli! Every one was always amazed to see him eat it like candy! All my kids love veggies!

 

I agree as babies it doesn't really matter what type of baby food they eat or in what order. My boys hated "green" veggies in the baby food but they eat them now as table food. Your biggest concern should be formula/bm intake and then solids should be for practice We also combined fruit/veggies like some other posters. Peas dipped in apples, green beans dipped in pears..ect. Not only did they eat them then but it cut feeding time in 1/2 :laughing:

 

Well todat we did veggies with noon feeding and then pears and cereal at night and it was drama free!! Thanks for the gyudance! And for reminding me this is practice!! Give the boobs a break a bit!