picky eating all of a suddne

Noah used to eat veggies of all kiinds..He'd eat what I was eating and now he picks up he veggie and throws it off his tray..I tried eggs today..same thing. All he eats is:
Fruit
Dairy products- cheese, yogurt
bread
chicken nuggets

Does this mean he's just going to be this way or do most of them go through this phase at this age?

 

I hope there is an actual answer to this question as we are going through the same exact thing. Lorien used to eat anything and everything (except she never liked plain cheese). There was a good coupld of weeks where I swear the only thing she would eat was crackers, yogurt and fruit. It has been very frustrating. She started to reject foods that in the past she loved (like eggs, and pasta). She would actually look at it and turn her face with this unbelievable look of disgust as if to say "get that crap away from me." This has been going on for a few months and just now she is starting to eat SOME stuff that she used to eat (last night she ate pasta) but it's a constant battle. To be honest, sometimes I actually have to squeeze her cheeks and force the food in her mouth which is horrible I know but once she gets one bite, I know she will like it and usually she does and then she will eat it all. If she spits it out even after I force it in her mouth then I KNOW she really doesn't like it.

 

I think 12 months is the beginning of the picky eater phase, but it gets worse before it gets better. Sarah used to eat anything and now she has become the pickier of the two. Amy will usually at least try something if it's related to something she likes (i.e., she will try a tortilla casserole because it looks like enchiladas), but Sarah will often eat only bread.

I try to follow the guideline (in "Child of Mine") never to require them to try anything -- but I have also noticed with Sarah that sometimes if she gets one taste, she will decide she likes it. She will turn her head away, but if I dip my finger in the food and just wipe a bit on her lips, often she will change her mind. Sometimes I have to do this even with foods I KNOW she likes, because they just look a little different (different color yogurt) or something. With Amy I don't even try, because she pitches such a fit, it isn't worth it. You will figure out how much "coaxing" your kids can take before it backfires on you.

Just keep trying. Also, you can deal with the throwing as a separate discipline issue. Sarah also went through a throwing phase, and I followed our ped's advice. The first time she threw food, I said "No throwing" (calmly but firmly) and took her tray away for a few minutes. Then I gave it back. The second time, I took it away and ended the meal. There usually wasn't a second time, or if there was, it meant she really wasn't hungry or was done. It only took a few days and we haven't had much of a problem with throwing since then, though it depends on the child, I'm sure.

 

I saw some show I think on Oprah about picky eaters......the guy said you have to try a food 10 times before they'll decide if they really don't like it!

Mine seem to change their mind on a regular basis on what they do/don't like. I talked a little about it with the dr at their appt & he said, "If they're hungry they'll eat". But not to make special dishes for them. Plus, their appetite started slowing down around that age & they started to get more interested in playing with the food than eating it.

I still just offer them something & if they eat it, great! If not, I don't force it. If I notice they barely ate anything for lunch, I'll do a little cheese & cracker snack later on.

 

i hand fed my kids from birth until they said mom can i have the spoon please

im not kidding.. i only gave mine bread at the table.. everything else was put in..

its normal to be picky,, but i add cheese to vegies to make em eat em

 

I recall reading somewhere that this is a picky phase because a) they're asserting their independence and proclaiming NO! is a great way to do that (at least to their minds), and b ) they suddenly become more aware of food textures. So while they used to like blackberries, they suddenly notice that they're seedy and decide that they don't like the seedy texture.

Mine are becoming a little more picky than they used to be, but I'm trying not to make it a battle. What works best for me is to show how much I enjoy eating it. I'll eat right off their plate, only offering them the occasional piece, or even pretending that I'm going to eat it all and not let them have any! When they see me pigging out on their food, they're inclined to try a bite too. I don't give them other foods if they don't like what's offered. They also like it if I feed them with adult forks and spoons for some reason. They want to be little adults so badly!

Adding more flavor and providing options also helps. We offer at least three foods at each meal, so if they don't like one thing, they'll still eat something else. Cheese on brocolli (or anything else!), garlic salt on corn, any seasoning or flavor that you like will likely appeal to them.

As a formerly picky eater, I strongly recommend that you not make a big deal out of this. I was a big eater until I hit a year old, then suddenly turned picky overnight as you describe. My parents and grandparents tried to force me to eat and sneak things into my food all my life. They'd never tell me what was in the food on my plate. I became very distrustful of any food they put in front of me and didn't get over my pickiness until I moved out and started cooking for myself in my 20s. Now I LOVE food and have the extra pounds to prove it! But I was told my whole life that I was a picky eater, and every meal was a battle of wills. Please don't force your kids to eat -- repeated no-pressure offerings is really all you have to do. They WILL eat when they're hungry.

 

Definitely a phase! They all seem to go through the picky phase. I think they have just discovered that they have control over something &, let's face it, they don't have control over much so they latch onto anything they CAN control. Mine have all gone through that phase & I only have one who is still quite picky. I make her try everything, just one bite, & if she doesn't like it, fine. It's amazing how many things she will try this week & like when she didn't like it last week!

 

I think it is a constant come and go phase. They go thru periods where they will eat a variety of foods then weeks of nothng but fruit and chicken nuggets. But I always offer different foods, going into knowing they may not eat them and thats okay. I offer veggies every night at dinner and lo and behold every now and again they will eat some.