Long term prepping for picky eaters?

[kenser321]

So.....  Unfortunately my toddler who would eat everything is now a 5 year old who literally throws up if the food I ask him to try isn't just right. For instance I had him try pierogi the other day and he gagged and told me it was slimey. Were limited to most fruits, almost 0 vegetables, pizza, chicken nuggets(those have to be specific as well.), cereals, peanut butter and jelly, and like grilled cheese. Hell also eat most breakfast stuff that doesn't involve meat like waffles, anything dairy, and most bread products.

 At this rate I don't think its a let him go to bed hungry issue. He's willing to try stuff in most cases, but can't seem to stomach it. I'm the same way with any and all seafood.  My guess is I can't be the only one out here that has a picky eater who we need to store stuff away for. Any thoughts?

[Frugal Upstate]

Is it a texture or gag reflex issue rather than taste?  If so maybe you can look up strategies for those?

Also I read that it can take up to 10 times of trying something before a child decides they like it-so maybe don’t give up too quickly?  My kids weren’t particularly picky, but when they were young we talked a lot about the fact that food is fuel, and maybe something isn’t their favorite (I think words are important so I never said that they disliked or hated something, just that it wasn’t their favorite) but that if they were really hungry they could probably eat it.  Then the rule was to try a bite of everything but then they could fill up on the part of the meal they liked (and we’d always have one thing per meal that I knew they would eat).    If a kid showed a continued dislike of a particular ingredient (mushrooms for my son & nuts for my daughter) we eventually gave them a pass on that (and I either stopped cooking with them or left them big enough to pick out.

Every kid is different, but maybe something in there will help with you?

[Zef_66]

Is it a texture or gag reflex issue rather than taste?  If so maybe you can look up strategies for those?

Also I read that it can take up to 10 times of trying something before a child decides they like it-so maybe don’t give up too quickly?  My kids weren’t particularly picky, but when they were young we talked a lot about the fact that food is fuel, and maybe something isn’t their favorite (I think words are important so I never said that they disliked or hated something, just that it wasn’t their favorite) but that if they were really hungry they could probably eat it.  Then the rule was to try a bite of everything but then they could fill up on the part of the meal they liked (and we’d always have one thing per meal that I knew they would eat).    If a kid showed a continued dislike of a particular ingredient (mushrooms for my son & nuts for my daughter) we eventually gave them a pass on that (and I either stopped cooking with them or left them big enough to pick out.

Every kid is different, but maybe something in there will help with you?

This is basically what we do for our kids. And we've found the daughter doesn't like broccoli. So we don't force that issue. But everything else, they have to try. But we also don't make special meals for them. If we are eating steak and salad, so are the kids. They don't get something special made for them just because they don't like it. If they don't eat it, they don't get any dessert or snacks until after the next meal. They learn pretty quick to eat what's in front of them.

[atherts]

As they say in Ireland, "Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras."
Hunger is a good sauce.

[LvsChant]

hmmm. Store multivitamins? With a picky eater, it is sometimes hard to get all the nutrients in their diet that they need...

[Citizen Zero]

As they say in Ireland, "Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras."
Hunger is a good sauce.

Agreed. I don't prep for the picky eaters. Eat what you are offered, or don't eat.

It sounds kind of harsh, but you cannot afford to cater to pickiness in a survival situation.

I will acknowledge that allergies are a different bailiwick, those should be planned for if you have folks that need those dietary restrictions observed that are in your plan.

As usual, just my $.02 ;-)

[Stwood]

Agreed. I don't prep for the picky eaters. Eat what you are offered, or don't eat.

It sounds kind of harsh, but you cannot afford to cater to pickiness in a survival situation.

I will acknowledge that allergies are a different bailiwick, those should be planned for if you have folks that need those dietary restrictions observed that are in your plan.

As usual, just my $.02 ;-)

I tend to go along with that thinking also.
If you are hungry, you will most likely eat about anything that is available and in front of you.

[David in MN]

I'm having issues with my 3 year old. Mommy and daddy seem to understand that we eat at a house that could get a Michelin Star but as we've been long used to dishes like Milanese risotto or steamed mussels which are not hits with the kiddo. As much as I tried to do Bobby Flay's "the kids eat what we eat with us and don't know any different" some things weren't hits.

But I've also talked with my daughter and gotten feedback on what works. She LOVES pulled pork. OK, I'll do pulled pork every so often and keep some in the freezer. I like grilled pork too. She also likes bean dishes so we do a lot of Mexican frijoles charros based dishes and Louisiana red beans and rice. In a stunning event she loved a salad Nicoise I made while my wife was traveling (wife hates that dish).

I've also had a lot of success with picky kids serving things like quiche. I also really like foods that offer the youngster a "buy-in". Things like tacos or the proverbial baked potato bar can be fun and let them feel they are deciding their meal which is great. If I got real desperate I'm not above blending spinach into queso dip.

I'm in this problem a little bit but for us it's more like 'this happy meal is awesome' the day after dad made scallops in sauce vierge for dinner.

[nocturnal]

All toddlers go through periods of being picky eaters. That's their job.
Ours is to stay calm and patient.

Though I would do what has worked for many many generations (pretty much up until ours): put whatever you are having in front of him too. If he's hungry enough, he'll eat it. If not, not.
With my son, there have been times where it's been a battle to get him to eat. But I've learned that if we remain calm during mealtimes he'll remain calm. I make healthy meals, and if my kiddo don't like them, he can wait til the next meal to eat.
Kids catch on fast, and start eating whatever is in front of them. I hear parents say things like "my kid will only eat chicken nuggets so we have to make them" and I'm thinking WHAT?? Yes, that's not easy and it does sound harsh, but kids must know that nuggets won't be there always for them.

So if he don't have any food allergies, I'd offer him a regular prep.

[Prepper456]

part of the problem might be box and heat and eat meals like the mentioned chicken nuggets?

[richardr]

...my toddler who would eat everything is now a 5 year old who literally throws up if the food I ask him to try isn't just right. ...

... I'm the same way with any and all seafood.  ...

I'd say your child is emulating you. If you cater to misbehaviour of dysfunctional behaviours, you get more of it. I'm not saying force the child to eat but those sort of over-reactions need to be trained out, not allowed to be cemented or rewarded with special / replacement foods or worse yet cooking a separate menu for one person over this sort of behaviour. Everyone else at the table should be evincing great satisfaction with their food. This should be overcome before the behaviour worsens or becomes deeply ingrained. 5yrs old is getting pretty late in the training game.
You should probably be looking into child psychology texts at this point, for best methods and ways not to make the behaviour worse or incur different / worse behaviours in the tussle that's to come.

There is no prepping for picky eaters. Catering to picky eaters is not healthy or a strategy for success.