What if they don't like veggies?

I have a terrible time getting Annelise to eat cereal or veggies. I've discovered that the only way she will eat them is if I sneak in spoonfuls of veggies between spoonfuls of some sort of fruit. She loves fruit. Anyone else have this problem? Is she just training me to get what she wants if I offer her fruit to get her to eat her veggies? I don't think I'd get anything down her if I don't do it that way though. I hate that feeding time has become a battle. Solids are a battle and bottles are a battle. It's wearing me out.

 

Hi! I used to have the same problem with my son when he was that age. I did the same thing, sneaking it in between. My advice is to just keep trying. Sometimes it takes them a while to learn to like the vegetables. I don't think it is a bad thing to give her a bite of veggies in between fruit. Maybe you could try increasing how many bites of veggies you give her before you give her another bite of fruit. If you slowly increase the veggies, she will soon be eating more veggies than fruit at her meals. I know the food battles are hard. We still have them sometimes and my son is 3.5. But he does eat most of his fruits and vegetables most days so just stick with it! Good luck!!

 

Beth,

One of mine, Sullivan, tends to strongly prefer fruits and Yo Baby Yogurt - he blows a lot of raspberries when he's eating veggies and cereal. I have found that if I "sweeten" the cereal up for him using either Gerber Pear Juice (rec'd by their Ped for constipation) or a fruit, he's more likely to eat it well. As far as the veggies, I've realized that he does the best with Squash and Sweet Potatoes. I'm guessing b/c they are both sweet! So, honestly, I try to give him mostly those veggies. I'm still staying away from carrots and peas as those cause constipation according to my Ped and it is still an issue with them, so I'm not adding anything to their diet that will make it worse.

My older DS also was not a big pureed veggie lover - but once he was old enough to eat veggies in their true form, he really liked (and still likes) carrots, corn, peas, green beans, and broccoli. Not too bad for a 4-year-old!

So, I wouldn't worry too much about it. If sneaking them in between bites of fruit works, I'd keep doing that. And know that most likely she'll be more willing to eat veggies when she can pick a pea up off of her tray and feed herself!

 

Just a suggestion, maybe consider mixing the fruit with some veggies...I know to us the taste might sound awful, but to them it just might work. My babies will eat veggies, but certain ones they dont really like - brocolli and asparagus - so I try to mix them with a veggie they do like, then by the end of the meal I sneak in a few spoonfuls of the plain food they didn't like - and they usually eat it by then.

HOpe things get better soon. But, I say keep offering the veggies, and cereal!

 

Beth!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ME TOO! I've been close to tears this past week because of what you are describing!

My boys do NOT want to eat! They seem to hate everything I make and I end up tossing it. It's driving me INSANe!

They definitely know what they like and literally refuse to eat what they don't. If they don't like it (70% of the time they hate it), they'll clamp their mouths shut OR if I do get it in there, they spit it right out.

Last nite, they went to bed with ZERO bottle! They just didn't want it. That has only happened 3 times in 11 months!

It's driving me nuts cuz I feel like they're starving but they just won't eat. It's reallly been weighing heavily on my mind. To the pt where I'm dreading the days now.

Feeding them is a total battle. Changing their clothes and diapers is too!

UGH UGH UGH UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My boys even have a FIT when they see me bringing them near to their high chairs. THAT is how much they hate to eat!

I don't know what to do anymore.

 

My girls liked veggies, but I still used to mix fruit and veggies. One of their fav combos was applesauce and green beans. Might be worth a try.

 

My Annalise was the same way!!! I ended up mixing a fruit and veggie together for her. Her tolerance for other foods gradually increased over time .

 

We are having a similar problem. Our ds won't eat fruit and our dd won't eat veggies. I mix applesauce and peas togther and call it p-sauce and I have also mixed sweet potatoes with fruit, but my dh asked that I not do that it he feeds them. Dh says it reminds him too much of what comes out...
Anyway the mixing seems to work, and when it doesn't I don't force the food they just take a bottle.