My g/s is 20 months when he first started eating foods the parents tried one bite and if he spit it out, made a face or gagged they stopped feeding him they thought he didnt want it (very young and wouldnt listen) anyway now he is very picky and I have a hard time getting him to eat anything I am slowly introducing all kind of things to him over and over again in hopes he will inquire a taste for itbut I do have go to foods I know he will eat so if I try a couple of times a day and dont get much in him I go to my GO TO FOODS to make sure he gets at least one good meal a day (per Dr.) anyway I had a thought for you dont buy the pizzas and frozen dinners make him a plate form dinner to eat at lunch the next day buy fruit for snacks I give Thomas v-8 fusem it think thats whats its calledlol it has a serving of veggie and fruit in it but taste like fruit so he gets a serving of veggies a day with that Good luck!

I never had this problem myself...however I have heard that Pedia-sure seems to give kids what vitamins they miss in certain foods...it's a drink,,,sort of like a shake and comes in a variety of flavors...I've heard good things about it and everyone I know that has had picky eaters say this product is awesome. Good luck.

My granddaughter doesn't like to eat breakfast....I am lucky if I get her to eat 1/2 of what's on her plate. There are times that I serve her a bowl of, lets say Rice Krispies...and she'll only eat 4-5 spoonfuls. I try to put blueberries or cut up strawberries on her cereal.....she loves fruit and sometimes just eatting on the fruit "kicks in" her appetite and then she'll start eatting the cereal. Luch and Dinner we usually don't have an eatting problem....as long as I sit down and eat with the family....if I am out of the kitchen...forget it....she gets down from her chair and fusses with her aunts and uncle. When my son was a toddler, I used to worry about him getting a good assortment of vegs., fruit, and meat.....and the pediatrician told me not to worry about it...don't make mealtime an issue, because then if it is all stressful, it would just make matters worse. He told me to provide heathly sancks: cheese, fruit, fresh vegs. throughout the day and my son would eat what he needs. I worked....and I did the same thing with my daughters and now my granddaughter. Oh, and I gave and now give a chewable children's multivitamin each morning......just in case. Hope this helps a bit.

Oh yes, I have the same problem. My daughter was a vegetarian while pregnant and her son refuse to eat meat. He also hates veggies. He does love peanut butter, cheese, yogurt, cheese pizza and things like that. I have tried so many times to get him to eat the foods we do but he wont. His doctor told me that he will eat it if I dont give him anything else. The doctor said after 3-4 days he will eat if he's hungry. I just can't do it to him. If you find a remedy for this that's not to cruel, please let me know.

citylady... my daughter was like that when she was younger... the Dr, told me the same thing... i did that and she started eating just like he said...

Thanks granna. I'm going to give it a try.

My daughter has a condition called sensory processing disorder. Our pediatrician (before she was diagnosed) suggested that we insist that she try the meat and other foods that were offered. But . . . she can't handle the texture and the battles that we had did and would have continued to make mealtime torture for all of us. She can eat processed chicken nuggets (like McDonald's - grudgingly) but not unprocessed chicken - she threw up once at Logan's trying to force it down so she could have dessert (not recommended to entice with sweets, I know).

An occupational therapist is probably the best equipped to diagnose SPD - if you think your (grand)child could have sensory issues, it could be worth an evaluation. granna 205 ~ is your gs rejecting certain textures and favoring foods that require less work to chew? SPD could be completely irrelevant but I thought I'd mention it. There's a book about food chaining available from Amazon.com that could be worth a look. I haven't read it yet but need to!

Good luck with encouraging healthy eating. Sandy

With three little grandchildren it's impossible to please everybody. So unless I'm making something really strange (like bluefish or Thai food) I just make what I'm making and tough noogies.

It's interesting how prenatal and early experiences seem to color their appetites. Pinky supposedly wasn't using/drinking when she was pregnant with the eldest, and ate lots of fruits and veg. Now the eldest loves fruits and veg and isn't a big carb eater. The middle was carried and born in a rehab, and she's more flexible with what she'll eat. But the youngest was conceived and born while Pinky was living the druggie life. I think he was exclusively fed chicken nuggets, spaghetti and pizza, because that is ALL he will eat (other than breakfast). I can't remember the last time he had a snack after dinner LOL.

I have 4 children---it seems like what ever I ate while pregnant they don't like---my oldest I loved tomatoes (we had a garden--when he wasyounger he would eat tomatoes) now he hates tomatoes heis 25 next was my 24 yr old dghtr I ate spag. when I was preg with her breakfast, lunch or dinner it didn't matter(she HATES spagetti) next was the 21 yrd ols(who son I have) I ate all sorts of things I had never eaten before in my life (she pretty much eats anything) Then the youngest he is 16 now I COULDN'T STAND THE SMELL OF MEAT when i was preg with him--I had 3 other kids I had to cook for I had to cover my face and nose and the older kids would tell me when it was done. Serve them and then leave the house til the smell was gone b/c it made me ILL. I lived on fruit and veggies when I was preg with him. He loves meat and pasta---hates fruits and veggies.

My oldest grandson hasn't eaten meat since he was a baby. when introducing it to him in baby food he would gag and spit it out or through up. He is 5 now we just got him to start eating chicken nuggest(mcd's style) But he also doesn't eat veggies. My daughter has started making smoothies for him for breakfast with yogurt , fruit and veggies(like a cup or a more of both) he LOVES THEM doesn't know that either are in there.

By reading I do see he is a teenager. I stated getting the noodles that are tri colored. They are made with veggies and making spag with them or mac and cheeze. Try the smoothie thing you can put green veggies in with blueberries and strawberrys and you can't taste them. It get the fruit veggie and yogurt int hem without them knowing...good luck let me know how it goes.

My gs loved fruit and veggies from little on, but while in daycare he was fed a lot of chicken nuggets, canned spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, etc. for over a year (at lunch). It took me two years to get him to eat MOST veggies. He still doesn't like them the way he did. He used to love soups and casseroles and really doesn't care for them now.

Some of it, I think, is just the way their taste sense develops. Some of it is habit, some of it at your gs's age is probably peer influence - let's face it - what 14 yo wants to snack on carrot stix over a candy bar?? :)

Some probably is, like Sara says, ingrained in them from before they were born, and some is just differences in personality.

I had one who wouldn't touch meat until 5 yo and one who is now a vegetarian at 20. Go figure. I love my veggies, but I love my meat as well, and we always raised both (maybe that's why she's a vegetarian - could be that one bull that refused to die..... :P ) ROFL!!

Anyway, I'd try juices, especially ones you make yourself. Try buying a food processor or juicer. Make carrot-based juices and fresh fruit juices. Just, if you buy them, make sure they don't have sugar or sweeteners. Buy the real mccoy. Perhaps he can get his vitamins that way. I'd also be sure he gets a good vitamin supplement. There are certain amino acids you can only get through plant materials. They are necessary.

You can try "dressing" them up, as well - put cheese sauce on broccoli or cauliflower, glaze carrots, whatever. It sounds like you are already doing these things, judging by your comments, but hopefully you'll find something to get through.

BTW - I ALWAYS had the rule that if you didn't eat the good food I put on your plate, you did not eat until the next meal. Anything.

I do the same thing, Granny. When they leave food on their plate, then ask for dessert, I remind them that they weren't hungry enough to finish their dinner. Therefore, they aren't hungry enough for dessert! And if they want an evening snack they can have fruit or veg only.

Well, he's older now and driving so he spends his money eating out a lot. I think it's more of a social thing - the boys all get together at Buffalo Wild Wings after a practice or game. I won't make food a big battle and I won't force him to eat things he hates. I know what I would do if someone forced me to eat something I don't like, such as liver and onions. I try to remind him to eat healthy. He does like fruit and salads at least. I should have seen this coming when he was a baby and the daycare asked me to send more strained fruits because he gagged and spit out the vegetables.

Kat, how old is he?? He's not driving at 14, is he??

Once they reach a certain age, they start to make these decisions for themselves. We, as parents, don't have much influence any more. I always felt that age really hit hard around 16, but started around 14. But yes, by the time they are driving, dating, hanging out with friends, there is little we can do for them. And I agree - you shouldn't make it a battle ground. There are far too many of them in the teen years as it is.

To me., there would be a difference between a 13 or 14 yo and a 16 yo.

It sounds like you are handling it well. Some people never do learn to like vegetables..... :)

Sorry I had a typo on his age in my post. He's now 16 and driving. I'm hoping if I keep mentioning how important good nutrition is for athletes that some will sink in. He loves sports and I try to just sneak in small ideas in conversations, trying not to make it too obvious so he tunes it out.