Hi there IMs...
I'm looking for some advice/hot tips/strategies for overhauling my children's diet (without the Curtis Stone/Pete Evans 'there's no excuse' argument please ;p)
My husband & I eat a varied & healthy diet... I love to cook & spend a lot of time, energy & money planning our meals... The problem is, our 6yr old & 3yr old refuse most meal options I very thoughtfully present to them... More specifically, anything with fruit or vegetables, pulses or grains (& in the 3yr olds case, she refuses most anything edible at all, apart from porridge & sweet treats, despite being a fantastic eater in her earlier eating career) I've tried encouraging them to help me in the kitchen, presenting the meals in a colourful/playful way, I've stopped begging & bribing them... We've even planted a Vegie patch... I am at a loss as to how to ensure they are getting their 5 a day & I'm running out of ways to encourage them to try all of the yummy foods they are missing out on?! Meanwhile, I discourage sugary treats & i do the 'hidden veg' in most of their meals (where they can be non traceable to the sharpest of vegie finding eyes) I feel like the 'vitamin lollies' & kids Sustagen drinks could all be avoided if they would just eat the foods they have available to them & realise how yummy they are!
Wondering if any other IMs have managed to get through this issue & if so, how they did it? Do we need an intervention or is this a phase that might hopefully pass? Trying not to make this about control & all about what is best for them... It's breaking my heart & I feel that I am failing their future health... Many thanks in advance for any advise... Thankfully, a Mum on a Health food mission
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3 Replies
Your not alone, Im have the same problem with my 2 year old boy. He just refuses to try anything, the only healthy thing he seems to enjoy is peas by them self in a bowl. Following
It's a phase. Take the pressure off. Cook what they will eat (within reason, I'm not saying nuggets and chips but freshly prepared bolognese, homemade burgers etc, make it fresh but familiar to them), with a small serving of a new thing and implement a "one bite" rule. They must at least try the new thing with one bite, then the pressure is off regarding that food.
Don't worry too much about pumping their 2 and 5 into them at this stage but just get them comfortable with these foods.
One thing my daughter loves is raw veg. She'll eat a plateful of cucumber, carrots, frozen peas and corn, tomatoes and capsicum every night before dinner. She often won't eat much of the main meal (she has some favourites) but at least I know she's had a few serves of veg before dinner.
It's a phase, stop stressing about it. As long as they are eating they are doing well. We put way too much pressure on ourselves. If hiding the veggies work, keep doing that for now. You are not failing your kids, your kids are just kids doing what kids do!
It gets easier as they get older.