The KInd Life Community Forum

Sounds a little like my 5 year old, although yours eats more than mine. People always tell me to sneak things in sauces or soup, yea right, like she eats those. I have the sneaky chef too, and can get her to eat the pancakes and other sweets, but that's it. Mind will occassionally eat chicken nuggets, mac and cheese (only from the box) plain noodles, waffles...(white carbs in general) but she will eat carrots and some fruit. Protein and calories are my concerns. She barely eats anything, her bites are miniscule, it takes like 5 bites to eat a cheez it. Mine doesn't like sweets either, except candy which you can't sneak good stuff into. No meat or beans, peanut butter yes, but not enough. Just last night she did eat a little quinoa, that at least has protein. Mine is underweight, always has been, and we've seen nutritionists, gastrointerologists... been tested for various crap. I feel your pain. I will say that everyone is happier when I just back off. I feel like I'm creating an eating d/o when I contantly probe her to eat. Since about august, I've decided to just relax about it and I actually think she eats better. I always put 1-2 things she likes to eat in front of her, with 1-2 new things. I always encourage her to eat, but try not to make a big deal out of it. So dinner last night was quinoa with black beans, cuban sweet potatoes, but I added canned peaches and chicken nuggets to her plate. That way I know she'll eat something, and she did try the quinoa and lick the sweet potato. If you always provide one or two of her staple foods, at least she'll eat something and maybe mealtime will be more pleasant. Also, she may be hating to eat (as mine often has) just b/c I think we've made mealtime unpleasant with all the nagging.. Let it go for awhile. Give her juice plus vitamins too, then at least she's getting a serving of fruit and vegetables.

Thanks angela! Yeah she started this at about the age of 5 and hasn't stopped. She is 5'1" and is 90 lbs. Everyone comments how thin she is. The funny thing is she is the least sick out of all of us and she eats the worst! You are right for some reason she is drawn to white carbs. So I don't buy white I but whole wheat and brown. I am okay to back off, it is just my husband who is relentless!! My main concern is that it will affect her health in the long term.

How about a chart and reward system? It is common for younger kids but even older kids respond to positive reinforcement. Make a chart for 1 fruit and 1 vegetable and let her mark off each day for 7 days if she eats it. At the end of the week have a non-food agreed upon reward (shoping trip, movie?) if she eats the 1 fruit and 1 vegetable each day. Once she can do that for 7 days add one more thing to the chart but don't take anything away. Keep going and make a rule that whatever she adds the next time has to be a different color than the previous week. Its sounds like she needs a fats so maybe a macaroni and cheese with whole grain pasta or tomato soup made with cream? Also, might be obvoius but have you tried smoothies or vegan pacakes with real maple syrup?

Thanks everyone, yeah unfortunately she will not eat ANY fruit, and the only veggie is potatoes. She won't touch soups and she likes pancakes so I will try the vegan ones. I just got a food processor for christmas for this exact reason, so I can puree and hide more ;) I think I will just have to keep going and trying?

my pediatrician told me varied fruits are ok, b/c mine won't eat many veggies. try a smoothie w/out strawberries. maybe just try to have that be a daily breakfast thing so you know she gets a serving at breakfast. blueberries, bananas, mangos, peaches with yogurt, honey, and milk, maybe even a little protein powder?? She is old enough to maybe really ask her the why's, does she not like the taste? I really wander if she just eats to live, not lives to eat (like me) I feel like my daughter would just as soon not eat at all if she didn't have to. See if you can convince your husband to focus on making mealtimes simply a happy, pleasurable time for the next 3 or 6 months and maybe get her to enjoy eating again. In my job I have worked with kids who develope behavioral issues around eating b/c it has become so unpleasant with the bribery and such that they just don't want to do it. If her dr. is not concerned with her weight, and she's not sick terribly often, she's probably okay. mine on the other hand is always sick and very underweight, sigh!! I'm just trying to be laid back about it so she has a healthy relationship with food in her future.