While it would be a grand idea to think that I'm doing it purposefully, I'm not. Miles just won't eat meat. I gave him a mini cheeseburger on Saturday and he ate the bun but left the patty. Grilled chicken on Sunday went untouched. And I don't ever attempt fish unless it's in the form of tuna casserole.
It's a bit disconcerting because I want him to be a well-rounded, adventurous eater ... and I have failed to make appropriate adjustments for his preferences. I'm in no way saying I'm going to be a short order cook but I want to make sure that there are convenient, non-meat protein sources offered at meals.
Here's what goes down.
1. Breakfast. Miles' breakfasts vary from homemade pancakes to oatmeal to the oh-so-convenient frozen waffle. I also like to offer an egg scrambled with cheese, which he loves, to give him some protein and also hold him over as one of his favorite phrases is, "I hungry."
2. Lunch. Five days a week, Miles is at day care and his meal options are out of my hands. Our provider noticed he didn't eat the beef offered earlier in the week. However, she frequently offers vegetarian protein sources in the form of lentil sloppy Joes, bean burritos and vegetarian chili. The weekends prove harder but it's sometimes a peanut butter sandwich or - gasp - an all beef hot dog, which he will eat. I also try to include some cottage cheese or yogurt in the event he doesn't eat the other proteins, along with a raw vegetable and a cooked vegetable.
3. Dinner. The fight. Every single night it seems. I almost died last night when Miles happily gobbled up sloppy Joes made with ground turkey. It was more than likely a result of the cheese I put on top but it went down the hatch. I'm also making it a habit of offering edamame with dinner, and I have kidney and black beans on the grocery list as they are all on his top food list. Not only will it fill his nutritional needs but hopefully avoid some of the hangry tantrums we get come 5:50 and I'm still coking dinner/
I'm not hoping to raise a prefect eater but a good eater. I just came across this post from Mel's Kitchen Cafe that offered some great tips. My favorite was having the kids count the colors on the plate. Not only will it be fun for Miles as he learns the colors but it will be a good challenge for me to include more in my cooking.
Tips. I'l take them. Or feel free to share your misery!
Don't fret too much- my parents had to bribe my brother to try new foods (which usually only got one mouthful down, but it was better than subsistence on grilled cheese alone), but when he met his now-wife, he tried soooo many new foods just to impress her (or avoid insulting her), and now he eats like a normal adult.
ReplyDeleteBut, if you get desperate in a few years, I've seen the proof that kids will eat for money! And benefited- my parents used to give me the dollar, too, for being a good eater.
I tend to bribe with food. Money opens up a whole new world!
DeleteMy child is the opposite which is hard because I don't eat a lot of meat. The only way I can get a vegetable in her is if I make MYSELF a smoothie (she won't drink it if I make her one, only mine) and pack it full of spinach and kale. At least its something.
ReplyDeleteSeveral nights a week we have an all out showdown on trying ONE bite of the dinner I've made and after a time out, and light spanking (if she is really defiant) she will finally take one bite, and then she promptly says "yogurt?" (if you are what you eat then my daughter is yogurt).
My only ease of mind is that I hated veggies when I was young, but now I love them. I figure if I keep eating them in front of her and set a good example that she will eventually, one day follow suit. But until then it can be frustrating!
I keep meaning to do more smoothies since Miles won't eat fruit. I will say I'm lucky that he'll usually eat broccoli and green beans, even if that's his whole dinner.
DeleteElla also seems to be on the vegetarian train. Though I made a pork tenderloin last night and she chowed down on it. The potatoes and asparagus went untouched but I was so excited she ate the pork. Finally some protein that isn't Greek yogurt or cheese.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to be patient, but grr, it is so frustrating. Sometimes we're reduced to bribing her to take just a single bite. Other nights she eats like mad, primarily carbs.
Definitely checking out those suggestions.
So glad I'm not alone! I picture everyone else's kids as perfect eaters and Miles as the McDonald's poster child. I am not good at the bribing thing, mostly because I get annoyed too easily.
DeleteThe only thing I can say with certainty is that he will eat what he will eat. You can offer what you want, you can insist on him trying stuff, but in the end, all you can do is make sure you offer him mostly good stuff.
ReplyDeleteBecause JUST when you think you have his eating figured out, he will change. And then he will change again. ("I hate that!" "Um, you ate it last week just fine..." "But NOW I hate it!" Grrr...)
I wonder: if I offer him only nuggets and hot dogs, will he tire of them? HA!
DeleteWe're in this huge "I no want to"/"I don't want to" stage, and it rears his head at dinner. Blech. Don't do it. I don't care. Just let me eat in peace! (I'm so terrible.)
I don't think not being wild about meat is that unusual, so nor worries! It certainly isn't Hailey's favorite. I think it's a texture thing? H eats largely vegetarian most days.
ReplyDeleteNutritional yeast gives things a cheesy flavor and adds protein!
You're doing great with healthy eats, so don't stress :) & thanks for linking up!
I have no advice because Lucas doesn't really do veggies and fruit. He likes only watermelon and broccoli so that's what he gets daily. He is definitely the conductor of the meat train and devours chicken and red meat first. Some days he barely eats at all. I just keep offering new thing and hope that he will eventually eat it.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Leo goes through stages - sometimes he's adventurous and eats whatever and other times he eats the same old things and refuses new stuff (or loves it one night and hates it the next day).
ReplyDeleteDon't stress - keep consistently offering what you guys eat for dinner. He won't starve and will eat when he's hungry. Look at the entire day's worth of food, instead of the individual meals. Aim for a protein, a veggie/fruit and likely the starchy carbs are already covered between snacks and vehicles for the other 2.
ReplyDeleteMy boys (19mos) are in a huge dipping phase - so ketchup on potatoes, applesauce to dunk french toast or toast or whatever, yogurt or sour cream for various things or cottage cheese and fruit.
I made fish the other night and while my youngest two refused, my oldest (5) gobbles it down. I gave them another protein (yogurt) and some fruit and called it good. Eventually they will like it (they LOVE sushi). I'm not worried.
Experiment with the cut of things. My boys disliked apples until I cut them into pencil-stick shapes and now they eat them up. One of them prefers to suck the juice out of oranges pieces instead of eating them, and the other prefers his slices whole so he can hold them easier.
Just wait til he can argue with you about having dessert because he "finished his dinner" (which was all of 2 bites and in no way looked finished)
Some great advice here. I got nothing new to add except, don't offer things you don't want them to eat. Which sounds obvious until your child refuses to eat anything you're willing to offer them and you're feeling desperate. So really -- if you don't want him eating (for example, pick your own unacceptable item) sugary yogurt, processed cheese, hot dogs, whatever, don't offer them. Even when you really want him to eat.
ReplyDeleteFind a core group of meats, vegetables, fruits that he'll eat and that you think are okay, and let him eat as much of them as he wants to. Our kids eat somewhere between 2 and 4 apples a day apiece. Insane? Yes, but if your kid's going to eat a ton of something, apples aren't too bad.
Keep offering what you're eating and eventually he'll try some of it. And eventually he'll like some of it. My kids are far from perfect eaters, but they'd be worse if not for some of these techniques. Good luck to you!
We keep snacks around our kids can have virtually any time (just not 10 min before dinner), lately carrots, red peppers, and apples.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to have "treat" foods that you don't want them to eat ad lib (for us, chips and dried fruit), have a defined setting in which those can be eaten and only offer them in that setting. (For us, chips as a midmorning snack while watching a favorite TV show; dried fruit as dessert). If you never offer them outside that specific time/place/activity, kids don't ask for them at other times.
I don't have any tips, but I like the ones posted! I especially like your idea of the colors on the plate! Hope it helps! :0)
ReplyDeleteI know you didn't specifically mention concerns about adequate protein for miles, but I found this article comforting, because it helped me see that meat isn't something we need every day at every meal. The are plenty of healthy sources of protein. From reading your post, it sounds like miles has a balanced and healthy diet. (my kid barely eats and if she ever said she was hungry, my eyes would bug out). Guess we all have our challenges. Mine does love tofu, so we tend to do that a lot. She also likes organic ham from apple gate farms. Other than that, she isn't a fan of meat either. W keep trying tho - that's about the best we can do. But honestly, I think you're doing a fabulous job! (might have to post the article in a sep post - my iPads being a b!tch! Sorry!)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/19/why-are-americans-so-concerned-about-protein/
ReplyDelete