14 mos old and no fruit/veggies

[Punchie]

How on earth do I get her to eat fruit and veggies?? It's been a slow progression from eating anything, to only some things, and now nothing. Anything that smacks of fruits or veggies causes a raging temper tantrum. Bananas, carrots, apple sauce? The world has just ended. I did get some blueberries in her yogurt the other day. I need to try that again to see if it will work a second time. If I knew where my blender was (in a box somewhere), I would try making a smoothie for her.

 

And it's not like this is a hot-dog-mac-and-cheese-only kid. She'll suck down kielbasa and curried lentils/sticky rice (not at the same meal) like there's no tomorrow. It's just the fruits and veggies that are so distasteful.

 

What's really silly about all of this is that my older loves fruits and vegetables, but has to be coerced into eating anything else.

[ktgrok]

She may be a "super taster", where everything tastes more strongly. Lots of fruits actually taste a bit tart to some kids. I'd definitely mix it into yougurt, or mix the veggies into the rice. There is a cookbook called something like the sneaky chef..maybe try that. Also, do you let her feed herself? Maybe putting out chunks of soft fruit, rather than purreed stuff would work?

[Mrs Mungo]

She may be a "super taster", where everything tastes more strongly. Lots of fruits actually taste a bit tart to some kids. I'd definitely mix it into yougurt, or mix the veggies into the rice. There is a cookbook called something like the sneaky chef..maybe try that. Also, do you let her feed herself? Maybe putting out chunks of soft fruit, rather than purreed stuff would work?

 

:iagree: super tasters often don't like the orange foods-winter squash, cooked carrots. It could also be a texture issue. I agree with giving her cut up fruit. She doesn't need it pureed at 14 months old.

 

Try things with mild flavors-avocado, zucchini, there are lots of things that would be more palatable to her.

[lailasmum]

I watched a program about 2 weeks ago about families that had children with a similar dislike of fruit and veg. What worked for one family was attending these sessions with a sort of play therapist. There were a group of toddlers and they were given the fruit or veg to play with and mush and sing songs about and chop up with small knives with no expectation that they would eat it. They did stuff like sniffing it and maybe touching it with the tip of their tongue but going no further. Then after a few sessions most of the kids ate the food. A bit long winded I suppose but you could replicate it at home and it might work to introduce some things into her diet.

Edited June 4, 2011 by lailasmum

[OrganicAnn]

At that age we found that dipping things in things worked well. We would put veggies in front of her with ranch dressing/hummus or whatever. Or fruit with a yogurt dip. Do it before the meal. As an appetizer. If she doesn't eat any of it, okay.

[Punchie]

I've wondered if she's a texture kind of kid b/c of what she will and won't eat. I give her purees right now b/c she wouldn't touch cut up food (she did eat green beans, but only Trader Joe's frozen haricots verts, she won't touch any other green bean I give her, and the closest TJs is 4 hrs away). Bananas were the first thing to be snubbed - in cut or pureed form. I went back to the purees b/c it was the only way she would eat fruit/veggies. Now she won't touch that either.

 

She does feed herself the majority of the time, and is fairly adept w/spoon and fork. If I put a bowl in front of her of fruit/veg, she'll push it away from her or try to hand it back to you. If I hide it in her food, she'll pick out the veggies and drop them on the floor. I've heard of the sneaky chef books, but don't you end up cooking any nutritional value out of the food by double/triple cooking it?

 

I'll try putting a bowl of food in front of her on the kitchen floor for her to play with. If I tried that in the high chair, she would dump it. I've debated sending her to daycare 2x a week to see if positive peer pressure might help her in the eating front.

 

Foods we've tried so far are: carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, peas, mixed veggies, apples, pears, peaches, mixed fruit, strawberries, watermelon, avocado, corn, grapes....there's probably more, but that's what I can think of at the moment.

 

I was successful once w/mixed veggies when I ran them through a food processor and mixed them w/cheese sauce. (She doesn't like milk either, but will eat yogurt and cheese sauce)

[Soror]

If she is eating whole foods and not junkfood/processed food I wouldn't worry about it. Keep offering it, it seems all of mine have went through various stages. At that age all of mine have had the majority of their calories from breastmilk anyway.

[Veritaserum]

My second dd was like that. :glare: What she finally liked after shunning bananas, avocado, peaches, peas, corn, etc. was green bell peppers. :confused: I was chopping some for dinner and she asked me for one. I gave her a slice. She gobbled it up and asked for more! She also liked those little grape tomatoes. Eventually she accepted the other fruits and veggies and she is now (at 9) willing to at least try most foods.

 

I like the play idea where she gets to experiment without pressure to eat. What about juice? Would she drink juiced fruits and veggies (freshly juiced with a juicer)?

[celticmom]

Have you tried fruits and vegetables as unconventional breakfast options? I always introduced foods first thing in the morning when dd was most likely to have a good appetite. In my case it also allowed me to watch for any potential allergic reations before it was time for me to go to work in the early afternoon.

[Punchie]

Thank you all for the advice. :) Children can be frustrating. I'm sure it will be even more fun as they get older and we add more kids to the mix. One of the best pieces of advice given was by our first ped - just give them food and don't stress it if they don't eat. They'll get enough nutrients over the course of a week. It's just hard to remember that when she refuses day after day.

 

I haven't tried giving her veggies at breakfast. Maybe I'll do that - say add some sweet potatoes to the pancake batter or something.

 

Hmm...haven't thought of juicing. If smoothies don't work, I'll give that a shot. I'd have to buy a juicer for that. It would get used frequently, esp w/popsicle season coming up.

[KellyGirl]

My now 18 month old went through a phase like that. He stopped eating almost all fruits and veggies and became a carb addict who would tolerate meat occasionally. Our ped said it's pretty normal for kids to stop eating fruits and veggies at that age - just keep offering them. I eventually found that if I offer him a piece of fruit about an hour before dinner and tell him "If your hungry you can have this fruit" he might eat it. I guess if he's really hungry he decides a banana isn't such a bad choice:)

 

After a few months of insane pickiness, my little guy is more likely to eat the fruits and veggies when they are on his tray with other stuff. So stay consistent and you little one should come around, too!

[YLVD]

My dd was a bit like that with other foods. It sounds a bit funny but the best way to get her to try them was peer pressure! If she saw one of her little friends eat and try stuff, she wanted to try it too.

[Alicia64]

I have the same kind of kid. Although mine is 8 now but it's been like this the whole time.

 

When he was a toddler (15 mo. or so), I started making smoothies. And thank goodness I did because I can conceal all kinds of healthy things into smoothies.

 

The basic smoothie that I started him on that he loved/loves:

 

Orange Juice

Vanilla Yoghurt -- a tasty one. I use the Walmart brand called Great Value. Really tastes good.

1/2 cup frozen blueberries (smoothie comes out super cold like ice cream)

Milk

Banana

 

As he got older I started putting in:

 

whey protein powder (I get it at Trader Joes; I don't use soy)

 

applesauce

 

A tablespoon or so of Flaxseed oil (Omega 3's)

 

Some cinnamon

 

A Tbl. of local honey (to help w/ allergies)

 

A handful of spinach -- WHEN HE'S NOT LOOKING!!!

 

If I have 4 or 5 strawberries I put those in too.

 

 

Both of my boys have this every morning and they have no idea that they're drinking spinach/flaxseed oil etc.

 

I would start your toddler on the very basic smoothie and add one thing at a time through the months.

 

One other thing: my son got hooked at the 15 mo. age on pumpkin muffins that weren't loaded w/ butter. So I make them year round. I have to stockpile cans of pumpkin when it comes out in Oct.

 

I love the idea of hiding stuff in pancakes -- great idea.

 

Alley

[Teachin'Mine]

I've wondered if she's a texture kind of kid b/c of what she will and won't eat. I give her purees right now b/c she wouldn't touch cut up food (she did eat green beans, but only Trader Joe's frozen haricots verts, she won't touch any other green bean I give her, and the closest TJs is 4 hrs away).

 

She has a discerning palate. The TJ green beans are awesome!!! :D

 

I wonder what would happen if you planted a garden and let her help you pick the green beans you grow? She may prefer her veggies more on the fresh tasting side.

[misidawnrn]

My 2 year old DD was just like that with fruits (she would eat veggies, even broccoli) but absolutely.no.fruits.of.any.kind! She loved baby food fruits and especially bananas but when she moved to finger food and I put them on her tray, she was like yours...scream fest until I removed it. We didn't push it on her. She has some sensory issues and I thought maybe she doesn't like the slimey feel of fruits. Now at 27 months she will eat a real banana-in the last month only, grapes if they aren't wet, and an occasional strawberry and I think she has eaten 1/2 of 3 blueberries (and put the other halves on my plate of course). Still no oranges, mandrin oranges, watermellon, apples etc. ---I take that back... she did eat 2 slices of apple that were dipped in nutella :lol: until she figured out that it was an apple. Just give your child time and maybe she will like it. Keep eating them in front of her so they aren't new....then again...maybe not. DH is 45 and still doesn't like fruit. :confused:

[Punchie]

It's nice to know that there are other picky fruit and veggies eaters out there!

 

I'll have to try putting curry powder on her veggies to see if that makes any difference. I've seriously contemplated making the 4 hr one-way drive to TJ's if it means she'll eat the darn green beans (that and then I can stock up on my other TJs staples). I'm not doing a garden this year since #3 is due in Sept, and we have yet to move into our new house. I'm helping MIL out w/her garden. She's keeping it simple w/winter squash, carrots, and tomatoes. I need to hunt down some farmer's markets.

 

We went to a Lebanese restaurant for dinner tonight, and she turned her nose up at the lentils. She did drink the combo carrot/apple juice they offered - freshly juiced! Maybe I'll have to look into a juicer. What is a good brand?

 

For smoothies, I sliced a banana up and put it in the freezer. I'll make one tomorrow w/the little food processor I use(d) for baby food.

 

I backed off of her today w/the fruit. I tried giving her apple sauce this morning and she spent the next 20 min laying on the kitchen floor screaming. *sigh*