SB helping with my picky toddler...

lovielareau · Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:26 pm

i have a VERY picky two year old. it is hard to get her to eat new foods. we have given her some of what we make now and she likes it! we made the "sugar cookies" based from beans and she really likes them, along with the flaxmeal pancakes. i love knowing that she is getting more nutritious foods like beans, eggs and flaxmeal and to her it is a treat! :) yay!

potatoreplacer · Tue Sep 25, 2007 1:09 pm

I have a 2 1/2 year old and what I discovered is that he behaves just like an adult. He want to eat what he wants and when he wants it. As an example, Sunday night is grilled fish and veggies night with whole wheat pita or bread. This Sunday we had the Steamfresh Broccoli and Cauliflower. We stopped buying this type of Steamfresh because when he does eat veggies it is almost always green beans, carrots, or corn. This week he could not stop eating the flowers of the Broccoli and Cauliflower, we actually ran out of it and I had to steam carrots at the last minute while he was still eating.

Bottom line, I think toddlers are just as picky as most adults.

RedRox · Tue Sep 25, 2007 11:43 pm

It takes awhile, but their tastes seem to come around. our kids were much older when we started, so more set in their ways as well. now they really prefer the "healthy" stuff, whole grains, veggies, fish, etc. It's really been a wonderful journey for the whole family and very rewarding to see them making healthy choices all on their own now too.

lovielareau · Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:24 am

glad to hear your kids prefer the healthy stuff red! it has to be a great feeling to know that you have laid the groundwork for them to enjoy a healthy lifestyle as they get older.

my daughter is slowly coming around, but there are still very few veggies or meats she will eat. we are excited about getting her some extra protein by way of egg and bean based foods, and keep offering her everything we have. she is at that age where half the time she is just saying no for the sake of feeling in control. :)

RedRox · Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:03 am

We grill a lot in the summer and the best "investment" was a grill "wok" to cook veggies on the grill. (Don't know how much it cost, got it for Father's day) Doesn't work so well for thin round veggies like green beans or asparagus as they tend to "escape" through the perforated holes, but good for things like zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts etc. I usually cut them up into relatively bite size pieces, marinate in a little oil and vinegar or oil and teriyaki and spices and then throw them on with whatever else I'm cooking. They won't eat brussels sprouts any other way, but will this way. Effect is similar to the oven roasting recipes.

Other than that it just takes time. I remember when our younger daughter was 4 and not eating any veggies that we would count out 4 green beans (1 for each year) and she had to eat those. When she turned 5 and was given 5 green beans plus 1 to grow on, there was a major palace revolt as we tried to bump it up from 4 to 6! Couldn't sneak that extra one by her! Now she is the one who asks for the grilled brussel sprouts! (She just turned 13, so she was 9 or 10 when we started)

Keep setting the model. Hopefully it'll get through at some point! Stay creative!

peabody · Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:53 pm

Our youngest son is 14 he was 12 when diganosed with diabetes, I have always feed our children what I called a "healthy" diet. Supper is protein, wheather it's from meat or things like pinto beans, green vegtable, yellow or orange veg., and or a starch, pasta, potatoes, or rice. But never 2 starches at 1 meal, (my pet peeve is to see someone sit down to supper with meat, rice, mashed pot. & mac and cheese, plenty [i] of peolpe eat like this) Anyhow, after starting this WOE for myself (they swore they wasn't going to do this with me) Unbeknowing to them they were suddenly eating healthier too. My sons sugar has improved greatly. I believe it is because he is eating (I know) 2 healthy meals per day. So now he asks for grilled fish and (after I pointed out to him he lost 4 lbs.) is healthier. :D

Lori83 · Fri Oct 05, 2007 3:31 pm

I was wondering.... Soon I am starting my new WOE and I want my kids to eat healthy foods also. At first I know it will be much different, but my big question is: I have a 6 year old in 1st grade so he is at school for lunch everyday. He really likes school lunch and takes his lunch (he likes the lunchables that come with a capri sun) about 2 times per week. Would letting him continue this and let him take 2 lunchables per week and eat at school the other days be a big deal? At home we would have nutritious whole foods and snacks and he would eat at school 3 times (on average) a week. Also, when we are out and end up going to get food... say we stop at Mcdonalds and I would get something SBD friendly of course, but my son really likes chicken nuggets with apple dippers. He isn't overweight by any means. But I do want him to grow up making healthy choices. Will letting him make choices at school and eating occasional chicken nugget kids meals sabotage his ability to learn to make healthy choices????? Thanks for any opinions.

Myrealana · Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:15 pm

I started putting my family on a better meal plan long before I committed to SB, so I've got about a year under my belt of making my kids eat two types of veggies for dinner, and making their lunches for them, etc. I banned fast food for three months as a money saving measure and started instituting a fresh snack policy - where they had to choose fresh fruits or veggies for their snack instead of something from a package.

My boys are 12 and 4. The 12-year-old is in the 24th percentile for weight for his age, so we're trying to build him up - but I'd prefer to add muscle more than fat. But if he doesn't start putting on SOMETHING soon, I don't know how I'm going to buy him pants. Even now, he has to wear a belt on his 14 slims. The 4-year-old is a perfect weight for his height and age, so I'd like to keep him that way.

For the first month or so, Grandma (My MIL) was both kids' favorite person in the world. Unbeknownst to me, she was coming over every Friday morning with McDonalds breakfast for the boys. But eventually, they more or less lost their taste for junk food. When I ask what they wanted for dinner while we were driving home, I used to hear a chorus of "McDonalds! Sonic! Taco Bell!" Now I hear "Chicken Soup! Salmon! Veggie Lasagna!"

Their packed lunches have changed from sandwich on white, chips and juice box to sandwich on whole grain, celery sticks or grapes and milk or 100% juice for the little one, sandwich, fruit or fresh veggies, yogurt and water for the older boy, plus a cheese stick and fruit for a morning snack after PE.

It wasn't quick, and it wasn't easy. They complained and whined about each change. Getting them to eat split pea soup the first time, you'd think I was poisoning them. Let's not talk about the resentment I endured from the little one the first week he didn't get chips in his lunch!

Now, the school lunch thing -- I don't know what choices are available in your area, but at the middle school where my older son goes, every day, there's the main choice, but there's also pizza or burgers. He could eat pizza for lunch every day, and the only way I'd know is if he chose to tell me. My husband and I decided together that until we could be certain his choices would be healthy the majority of times, the decision of what he would eat would be ours and not his. Therefore, he's still packing a lunch every day.

It's hard to teach them that all those things they hear about day after day on commercials, billboards and from their friends are bad, but it's worth it. They've even gotten to the point where they don't think McDonalds tastes very good. I've gotten them involved in choosing and preparing the meals, and that makes a HUGE difference. I've been trying to teach the older one the difference between actually healthy food and "buzzword" food (Organic! Low Fat! Low Carb! Nutritious!)

When I started SB, my family went to SB dinners with me. I'm in week 4 and still basically eating a phase 1 dinnner. Lean meat or fish, a nice big salad and some sort of vegetable side. I don't think it has hurt anyone. In the past, I've tried to cook something different for them because "They're growing boys" but even growing boys can be satisfied with good, healthy food, well prepared.

Lori83 · Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:35 pm

Thanks. It would be wonderful if my son decided he hated the taste of McDonald's! He does love salad. They have a salad bar at school everyday, potato bar also on Monday and Friday, and the regular lunch all week which usually has a fruit, meat, and carb or fruit, veggie, and meat. I think he could make good choices at the salad bar. He really loves salad. But I think the salad bar also has pudding (not SF) which he also loves. I switched his pudding that we had for him at home with SF pudding and he didn't even notice. He drinks a LOT of water which he loves so he atleast does that. I think if I talk to him about it he may understand better. I may have to break it in slowly though. Such as packing his lunch as normal 2 days a week. The next week add a day. 2 weeks later add another etc...

RedRox · Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:39 pm

He will not stop liking McDonald's until you stop going to McDonald's and finding better choices elsewhere. Unless he is driving the vehicle of course! ;)

nygirl22 · Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:07 am

Lori83 wrote: Thanks. It would be wonderful if my son decided he hated the taste of McDonald's! He does love salad. They have a salad bar at school everyday, potato bar also on Monday and Friday, and the regular lunch all week which usually has a fruit, meat, and carb or fruit, veggie, and meat. I think he could make good choices at the salad bar. He really loves salad. But I think the salad bar also has pudding (not SF) which he also loves. I switched his pudding that we had for him at home with SF pudding and he didn't even notice. He drinks a LOT of water which he loves so he atleast does that. I think if I talk to him about it he may understand better. I may have to break it in slowly though. Such as packing his lunch as normal 2 days a week. The next week add a day. 2 weeks later add another etc...

Is the sugar-free pudding the kind that you make yourself (instant powder out of the box - mix with milk)? Because I know the premade sugar-free cups have all kinds of wacky ingredients plus often cause gastric distress/laxative effect :? I'm assuming you meant the instant kind but just makin' sure because that other stuff can be a pain (literally).

Lori83 · Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:40 am

Really?? No actually I have been getting the Jello Sugar Free Pudding Cups. He hasn't had any problems with them. Should I be worried?

Lori83 · Sat Oct 06, 2007 12:43 am

RedRox wrote: He will not stop liking McDonald's until you stop going to McDonald's and finding better choices elsewhere. Unless he is driving the vehicle of course! ;)

lol yea, sometimes I bet he would try to drive himself if I let him lol

nygirl22 · Sat Oct 06, 2007 1:44 am

Lori83 wrote: Really?? No actually I have been getting the Jello Sugar Free Pudding Cups. He hasn't had any problems with them. Should I be worried?

Well they really aren't the best choice either (as far as SB and "healthy" goes). You could ask him if his stomach has been bothering him at all. Another tip would be just to buy some small tupperware-type cups with lids and make some of your own and put a serving in each. Then send those off with him. You could tell him that if you make it instead of buying it premade he can have more flavors..? (I believe there are more/different flavors of the kind you make than the already made stuff. I know my store has sugar-free instant chocolate, vanilla, white chocolate, butterscotch, banana cream, pistachio, cheesecake, I think that's it).

Does he like yogurt? You could switch to yogurt (if it's something he takes in his school lunch) and then just leave the pudding as something he has as a treat at home (if it's not already).


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