Reply to additional protein options for picky eaters... nutrition shakes?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Can you share any more about her diet? Odds are she is probably getting adequate protein, since protein is not usually a nutrient of concern in kids/adults' diets here in the US. I get what you are saying about wanting to help her feel more sated  so that she stays full longer, but it's probably worth looking at her overall eating pattern and habits, as well as your own to get a sense of where the best fix is, as opposed to focusing on a single nutrient.

I have a kid with a feeding disorder, and it's taught me a lot about what we can and can't do to influence their eating patterns when they are seriously selective eaters, especially after toddlerhood (as your daughter is). Please ignore people who say a) it's your fault for feeding her junk; b) you should force her; c) you should throw out everything she likes eating and only serve what you want her to eat--when she's hungry enough, she'll eat it.

If your daughter has sensory issues around eating, she is likely a super taster, as mine is. Kids' senses of taste are more sensitive than adults', and in some people, they have "super" tastebuds and can tell the difference between brands of peanut butter, tomato sauce, or other favorite foods. Others call it fussiness, but to a supertaster, these things are legitimately really different, and not in a good way.

At the end of the day, the more you attempt to control your daughter's eating and make choices for her, the likelier she is to struggle with weight. It feels scary and counter intuitive to trust a child with their food choices, and it's not like you're supposed to give her carte blanche to eat whatever she wants in endless quantities. But set snack- and mealtimes are good, and then serving foods that include the ones she likes is only fair. Family meals are supposed to be a time for people to come together, connect with each other, and have food they enjoy. It should not be a time when anyone feels controlled, punished, bribed, rewarded, or singled out. The more you can let her make choices, and help create the conditions for those choices to be healthy ones--as much as possible without being punitive or withholding the foods she likes--the better you will all do.

Good luck![/quote]

Thank you.  I would say she's a 'super taster' for sure.  (and texture is big for her too) She can tell if there's any added ingredient, different brands of food, etc.  (ie. won't even sit at a table with pasta infused with veggies!) She is 7 - so not a toddler.  The ONLY protein she eats is chicken (she LOVES) and milk at this point.  She used to eat fish sticks & eggs & yogurt & sweet potato, but has 'turned' against them.  She turned against the 'healthier' version of cereal bars she used to eat.  Won't eat potatoes, won't eat any form of any kind of sauce, won't eat tofu, won't eat beans, won't eat hummus, won't eat peanut butter (or even jelly).  She will lots of fruit - which she eats a lot of us.  Will eat wheat crackers and fortified pasta.  Sometimes will eat wheat bread or bagels.  Sometimes will eat a carrot or peas.  Over the holidays, I bent on eating some white bread stuff & have to now push back on that since I think that's all she would eat if she could & it's clearly not healthy.

Thank you for 'getting' that she's not in the range of kids that you can force and/or only serve what we want her to eat etc.  But I'm trying to/hoping to re-expand from what she will eat to go beyond 5 options - protein or not.  I went to a nutritionist a while ago who stressed to me about how protein keeps you fuller longer and takes longer to burn off, so that is where I was thinking to start.  But honestly any other super picky eater options that are healthy appreciated!![/quote]

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