Dinner suggestions for an almost 4 year old PLEASE!

[Anonymous]

We have started with the rules 1. You can't say you don't like it until you try a bite and 2. This is dinner, if you are hungry later, it will be here for you. We have a picky 3 year old. It is more behavior than food aversion. She has gone to bed without dinner once or twice. I try to have her kid friendly food once or twice a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I donno OP. I think you either get a good eater or you don't - I don't think he's going to like a filet of sole anytime soon.

What I would do is to bribe him. Give him one unknown food each night. He takes 1-2 bites, he gets a point. He gets 5 points, he gets a prize etc. That way he can be slowing trying new things.

I still think once a picky eater, always a picky eater.

Not true. If they are exposed to a variety of food and see everyone around them eating it, they will eventually join in.

"Eventually" being the key word. Prepare for "eventually" to be a long time. I've been serving my two kids the same meal as the adults in our family since they were 3-4 years old. 10 yr old DD eats most of what I serve. 11 yr old DS does not. He would rather go hungry than eat something he doesn't like. So, he goes to bed hungry and waits until breakfast. Still has to sit at the table and be polite. I find he's getting a bit more adventurous about trying things in the last year but it's still really hard to predict. I don't force him to try things because I was also a picky kid and I remember how awful it felt to have to choke down things that tasted nasty to me or had an awful texture. I did eventually eat a more varied diet without being forced to it but not until college, with the social environment of school being a big factor. I eat lots of different things now, although I still don't like spicy foods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I donno OP. I think you either get a good eater or you don't - I don't think he's going to like a filet of sole anytime soon.

What I would do is to bribe him. Give him one unknown food each night. He takes 1-2 bites, he gets a point. He gets 5 points, he gets a prize etc. That way he can be slowing trying new things.

I still think once a picky eater, always a picky eater.

Not true. If they are exposed to a variety of food and see everyone around them eating it, they will eventually join in.

"Eventually" being the key word. Prepare for "eventually" to be a long time. I've been serving my two kids the same meal as the adults in our family since they were 3-4 years old. 10 yr old DD eats most of what I serve. 11 yr old DS does not. He would rather go hungry than eat something he doesn't like. So, he goes to bed hungry and waits until breakfast. Still has to sit at the table and be polite. I find he's getting a bit more adventurous about trying things in the last year but it's still really hard to predict. I don't force him to try things because I was also a picky kid and I remember how awful it felt to have to choke down things that tasted nasty to me or had an awful texture. I did eventually eat a more varied diet without being forced to it but not until college, with the social environment of school being a big factor. I eat lots of different things now, although I still don't like spicy foods.

God, you are a JERK. You had this same issue yourself, and now you let your child go to bed hungry?

You shouldn't be a mother. Your JOB is to FEED YOUR CHILD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I donno OP. I think you either get a good eater or you don't - I don't think he's going to like a filet of sole anytime soon.

What I would do is to bribe him. Give him one unknown food each night. He takes 1-2 bites, he gets a point. He gets 5 points, he gets a prize etc. That way he can be slowing trying new things.

I still think once a picky eater, always a picky eater.

Not true. If they are exposed to a variety of food and see everyone around them eating it, they will eventually join in.

"Eventually" being the key word. Prepare for "eventually" to be a long time. I've been serving my two kids the same meal as the adults in our family since they were 3-4 years old. 10 yr old DD eats most of what I serve. 11 yr old DS does not. He would rather go hungry than eat something he doesn't like. So, he goes to bed hungry and waits until breakfast. Still has to sit at the table and be polite. I find he's getting a bit more adventurous about trying things in the last year but it's still really hard to predict. I don't force him to try things because I was also a picky kid and I remember how awful it felt to have to choke down things that tasted nasty to me or had an awful texture. I did eventually eat a more varied diet without being forced to it but not until college, with the social environment of school being a big factor. I eat lots of different things now, although I still don't like spicy foods.

God, you are a JERK. You had this same issue yourself, and now you let your child go to bed hungry?

You shouldn't be a mother. Your JOB is to FEED YOUR CHILD.

Well, that was helpful.

[Anonymous]

I alternate between things I know my 4-year old will eat, and new things.

Most nights, he has soup - I make a big pot of thick soup (several kinds of lentil, black bean, chicken noodle, anything with protein, carb and veggie, really). If not soup, then rice with vegetables. He is a champ with pasta (red sauce or pesto) and he will eat cooked broccoli, green beans or edamame or peas.

If I feel completely lazy, I will scramble eggs over some kind of greenery and toss some cheese on top of it. He will also eat any amount of bread.

I don't feel, though, I've been helpful to you, it sounds like your issue is not cooking but rather figuring out things your kid will eat... In this position, I wouldn't mind cooking the same thing every day as long as it is healthy and he will eat it guaranteed. I.E. there have been days when my kid eats whole wheat pasta with read sauce, cheese and broccoli three days in a row. So? he's fed, it's healthy, everyone's happy...

[Anonymous]

Someone posted recently that their kids can have a sandwich if they don't like dinner but they have to sit at the table for the duration of dinner first and often they just end up eating what is served. I like that idea

[Anonymous]

Embellish the sure things with healthy things. My kid lives tuna salad...so I serve that with some chopped spinach.

I make him try foods in order to get something he likes (pb sandwich, etc). I serve him things he loves half the time, what I choose the other 50%. I find that he'll surprise me often.

[Anonymous]

Almost 4yo DD, not the most adventurous eater ever but not super picky. I do think most of her "i don't liiiiike that " whines are the result of typical kid defiance and not actual dislikes.
She does, however, seem to completely loathe potatoes.
I try to serve at least one thing that she likes - ex tonight was beef, broccoli, and baby corn stir fry with chinese egg noodles. I kept the noodles separate knowing that she prefers them plain. She got a little but of everything on her plate. Want more noodles? Eat your meat. Eat your broccoli. Very small portions, and in the end she ate two helpings. No bribes, no sticker charts.
That said, that is MY kid. She doesnt like soup unless she can clearly id each item so hiding has never been a great option for us. Laying things separately on the plate helps her a lot.
She does like the fish bites from WF - basically fish sticks shaped liked chicken nuggets. I just call them "nuggets" and let her have a bit of ketchup with them.

[Anonymous]

We struggle with this as well- but even worse than catering to the picky eater is having him then not eat the specially prepared meal to suit his pickiness! I have totally given up. Our 5 YO now knows that he gets nothing after dinner except his leftover dinner if he doesn't eat. So if he eats a reasonable meal, he can have a snack before bed. If not, his dinner goes in the fridge, and he can have the rest of it before bed if he wants. If not, he can have breakfast in the morning. It's actually working out quite well. I make sure not to including anything I know he finds repulsive, though. But I consider any standard meat / veg / fruit fair game as long as it's not spicy. I also think it's fair to always offer something you know the kid likes that's decent, like bread, cheese, fruit. I know, for example, that my kid is not going to eat sautéed spinach, but he will eat frozen mixed veggies, so I'll quickly heat up a little portion for him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ravioli? I make a pasta that looks like Mac 'n Cheese but is really pureed roasted butternut squash (and is delicious).

At 4, I would honestly stop serving something different to him. He either eats what's offered or waits for breakfast. He will not starve himself.

Nip it in the bud now, or you will spend the next 14 years catering to this.

Yup, paying the price for this now. Wish I heeded this advice long ago. Hungry kids aren't picky - at least that's what my pediatrician told me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He should be eating what the rest of the family is eating, every night, no exceptions. He has become picky because you have allowed this behavior for too long.

+100

[Anonymous]

Pasta like rotini or mini-wheels. I make it, put butter and parmesan on it. She can't get enough of it.

Raisin bread
If he likes hot dogs, maybe turkey sausage.
Orzo pasta with chicken
Danish ham wrapped around a cheese stick
Blueberry muffins, banana nut muffins. They have mac and cheese muffins too. I have a recipe but haven't tried it yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I donno OP. I think you either get a good eater or you don't - I don't think he's going to like a filet of sole anytime soon.

What I would do is to bribe him. Give him one unknown food each night. He takes 1-2 bites, he gets a point. He gets 5 points, he gets a prize etc. That way he can be slowing trying new things.

I still think once a picky eater, always a picky eater.

Not true. If they are exposed to a variety of food and see everyone around them eating it, they will eventually join in.

"Eventually" being the key word. Prepare for "eventually" to be a long time. I've been serving my two kids the same meal as the adults in our family since they were 3-4 years old. 10 yr old DD eats most of what I serve. 11 yr old DS does not. He would rather go hungry than eat something he doesn't like. So, he goes to bed hungry and waits until breakfast. Still has to sit at the table and be polite. I find he's getting a bit more adventurous about trying things in the last year but it's still really hard to predict. I don't force him to try things because I was also a picky kid and I remember how awful it felt to have to choke down things that tasted nasty to me or had an awful texture. I did eventually eat a more varied diet without being forced to it but not until college, with the social environment of school being a big factor. I eat lots of different things now, although I still don't like spicy foods.

God, you are a JERK. You had this same issue yourself, and now you let your child go to bed hungry?

You shouldn't be a mother. Your JOB is to FEED YOUR CHILD.

Well, that was helpful.

LOL. And if I served him what he prefers to eat every night (pizza) then I'd be criticized for that. Parents with picky eaters can't win and parents who don't have picky eaters think it's all from their brilliant parenting rather than luck of the draw. Some of our meals are more kid-friendly, some are not. I also serve things "deconstructed" so he can just eat pieces of things while DH and I mix it all up. Still, he opts to go hungry. This kid won't even eat plain pasta (who doesn't like pasta!). I guess he's not that hungry. He's growing fine.

And, my job is to provide a healthy meal. His job is to decide whether to eat and how much to eat from what is provided. (See Satter's Division of Responsibility for feeding)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I donno OP. I think you either get a good eater or you don't - I don't think he's going to like a filet of sole anytime soon.

What I would do is to bribe him. Give him one unknown food each night. He takes 1-2 bites, he gets a point. He gets 5 points, he gets a prize etc. That way he can be slowing trying new things.

I still think once a picky eater, always a picky eater.

Not true. If they are exposed to a variety of food and see everyone around them eating it, they will eventually join in.

"Eventually" being the key word. Prepare for "eventually" to be a long time. I've been serving my two kids the same meal as the adults in our family since they were 3-4 years old. 10 yr old DD eats most of what I serve. 11 yr old DS does not. He would rather go hungry than eat something he doesn't like. So, he goes to bed hungry and waits until breakfast. Still has to sit at the table and be polite. I find he's getting a bit more adventurous about trying things in the last year but it's still really hard to predict. I don't force him to try things because I was also a picky kid and I remember how awful it felt to have to choke down things that tasted nasty to me or had an awful texture. I did eventually eat a more varied diet without being forced to it but not until college, with the social environment of school being a big factor. I eat lots of different things now, although I still don't like spicy foods.

God, you are a JERK. You had this same issue yourself, and now you let your child go to bed hungry?

You shouldn't be a mother. Your JOB is to FEED YOUR CHILD.

Wait. The other PP said she created this problem because she caters to her picky child and her child rules the roost. You can never win. NP, by the way.

[Anonymous]

My son isn't exactly a picky eater -- he hardly likes anything but he will eat almost anything. I focus with him on the importance of having a healthy and strong body and that it doesn't really matter if it tastes good or not because that is not why we eat. We called it a win if he didn't think it would make him throw up. I almost never made him separate food (I'm not unreasonable, and I accept that he doesn't want to eat squid or eggplant). I never serve kid foods like chicken nuggets. Beginning at Age 2 he had to eat salad every single night - first two leaves, then more until finally we were up to a portion. We were very matter of fact.