Many of you know that I struggle with getting my son to eat anything but pizza, Chick-Fil-A chicken nuggets, chocolate, store bought pigs in a blanket, pancakes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I really have to try something new each week to trick him into eating much of anything. I have the Sneaky Chef’s book, but if it doesn’t look like cheese pizza, he’s not going to eat it. I cut things up into cute shapes, build animals and faces with the food. I have even tried rolling meatloaf up into little sausage looking things and making pigs in a blanket. He is so darn stubborn. When I do make him take a tiny baby bite, he gets so upset that he gags throws up!
Recently, I found a great blog with the cutest ideas for serving your kid’s food in muffin tins. I need all the help I can get. So last night I did this…
Believe it or not, he actually ate more tonight than he has in a long time! He didn’t touch the turkey burgers, but he ate his grapes, crackers, half of the carrots, tiny bites of banana and later a pickle and strawberry!
If any of you have more tricks up your sleeves, please let me know! I’m sure this tin thing will get old and he’ll go back to his old ways of gagging and whinning. I mean, common… how can you not like mashed potatoes or spaghetti? His poor future wife may never get to cook anything unless it’s shaped like pizza!
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I’ve been tagged by Michelle at Brain Drops! My first time to be tagged for anything… how exciting.
So here are the rules:
1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. link back to the person who tagged you
3. link back to this parent post
4. tag a few friends or five, or none at all
5. post these rules— or just have fun breaking them
My 5 reasons for blogging and how it’s affected me:
I only have one negative, I spend way too much time on my computer! yikes! Since I was already doing this before blogging, I won’t count it as my 5. Okay moving on to the good stuff…
1. Friends
I started blogging to keep track of family events because I let my scrapbook get too far behind. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined meeting so many lovely women! That has been one of my favorite positives, making new friends from all over the country. It’s crazy how connected I feel to so many of you. I’ve really enjoyed your family stories, photos, getting to know your personalities, hearing about your struggles and how you get through them. I can’t wait to boot up my best friend, Mac, each morning and see what each of you are doing! Plus, I don’t have many friends who are stuck to their computers like me, so I feel normal when talking to you gals! ha.
2. Inspiration
I get so encouraged and inspired by reading other’s blogs. Whether it be in a creative way or personal way. There are so many neat women out there, it’s amazing! I only know a few handfuls of truly creative people in my real life. The past 10 years, I’ve worked from home and this summer I really began to miss being in a work environment with other creative types. It was so bad that I was beginning to have a mid life crisis! I was craving something more. I couldn’t figure out what it was at the time, but since blogging, I have felt so much better. I just needed to find you artsy fartsy people!! If you are reading this and you think you aren’t creative or artsy… if you have a blog… you are! Blogging is a very creative outlet for anyone, it can bring out your hidden talents for sure. Everyday I find a new busy mom who has something wonderful to share on her blog. We all wear many hats as moms, wives and women in general… it’s very inspiring to see you all doing so many neat things in addition to your everyday life.
3. Creative Outlet
Like I just said, blogging is very big creative outlet. I enjoy writing or creating things to entertain people. I have so many ideas in my head that need to come out! Designs I want to share! It’s so nice to have people appreciate what I have to share:-) And even if you don’t like it, at least I get my brain farts out. (I’m using the word fart a lot here today… sorry… brain gas just doesn’t sound as good.)
4. Learning
I have learned somethings about myself. Who knew I could actually write some witty things? According to some of you… I actually make you laugh at times. Wow! That’s cool. I also love all the tutorials and ideas you all share. Learning how to get my kids to eat, recipe and decorating ideas, computer technology and even Photoshop shortcuts… there is so much to learn here in blog world.
5. Faith
I feel so blessed to have met so many Christian women. I think that is the greatest thing blogging has done for me personally. Getting to know you has helped me grow spiritually as well. I have been so down and felt so alone sometimes, then I read something one of you wrote and I cry with relief. I get so encouraged by your openness. I am surrounded by great Christian women in my life, but never expected to find a whole gang of you online. God is good and I think he has spoken to me through blogging! What a blessing.
* Okay, so now I am supposed to tag some of you. I will choose five new friends who I find hard to believe I didn’t know a few short months ago. I’m not one to send chain type letters out, but would love to hear what you all have to say:-) If you aren’t tagged, please leave a comment on how blogging has affected you.
Angie
Tammy
Heidi
Living Locurto … the ramblings of a creative mom.
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That is a great idea for the food! My 18 month old has been having issues with eating lately- this might give her something ‘new’ to look at during meals 🙂
I’ve raised 3 kids and some grandkids and most were picky at one time or another. Some suggestions:
Mine loved ranch dressing so it became “snow” on top of trees (broccoli) or anything else you can think of to dip in it. The same with catsup if he likes that.
Also, mix spagetti sauce with veggies that have been pureed like spinach for instance. Then use this sauce (may need thicking with tomato paste) for pizza sauce and let him build his own pizza. Different chesses or make faces with chucks of pineapple, raisens, pepperoni, sliced chicken…whatever it takes!
Also a make his own burrito with things he’s choosen to pick to make it. Of course you lay out the items up for grabs. Be creative.
A lot of times if you give them the “power” and hands on in helping put it together SOMETIMES they actually eat it better.
My husband thought up this one for hot cereals in the morning by instead of using sugar…sprinkle sugar topping for cookies or cupcakes over the oatmeal or malto meal and they will usually dive in. It’s pretty hard to pick off the sugar once it’s melted into the cereal.
I never let it bother me, because when it did it usually became a battle. But, if he gets hungry enough he will eat. If he doens’t want what your serving sometimes tough love is better (and his wife will thank you later!!) by just saying well this is it if you don’t like it that’s all we’re having and maybe by the next meal you will be hungry. That or save his plate and he can have it until he decides he really is hunger enough to eat it. I would never force feed or get into that battle and I wouldn’t cater to him either. It’s important for your sanity and the fairness to everyone, that everyone eats the same meal.
Good luck…this too will pass!
Wow! What a great idea. I have the opposite problem. My kids won’t stop eating. I am so tired of “I’m hungry, can I have a snack?”. I refuse to believe anyone needs to eat every 10 minutes from sun-up until sun-down.
What a cool idea for toddler foods! But I think it would easily work for other things in picky eater households….like putting different salad toppings in each spot for those who don’t like mushrooms or tomatoes or cucumber or you know….so you could serve a basic salad and pass around the muffin tin!
Now I’m hungry! LOL!
Blessings,
Tammy ~@~
OMG that is the BEST idea!! I am so going to try that! My little boy D does not eat a damn thing! He’s the same way – won’t hardly touch any meat. But opposite on the mashed potatoes – that is about the one thing he will consistently eat! And once in a while he’ll eat a spaghetti noodle 😉
I have 1 that will eat and three that won’t. None of my kids will eat red meat of any shape or form. But for what ever reason the will eat red hotdogs. I just don’t get it.
I love your blog.
My daughter is the same way. I swear that girl lives on bread and cheese. I’ll have to try this muffin tin idea. She likes little snacky things, so it might work for her.
What a fun meme! I haven’t seen this one before. Thanks for tagging me for it. I think my 5 things will be very similar to yours, but I’ll try to come up with something a little original. -Julia 🙂
Oh, and p.s. Thanks for tagging me…I just put up a meme today, so it might be a little while before I get to this one, but it looks very fun!
Even with little Anja, I have experienced bouts of pickiness. Carrots, in particular, she would eat a bite and then refuse the rest. But…I kept offering them and offering them, every day, until now she eats them without fuss! Also, even though they say that babies don’t need spices or seasoning or sauce, she doesn’t seem to like bland food much. For instance, I’ll heat her up some pinto or black beans on the stove, and she doesn’t want them. But if I put even a few drops of ketchup on 1/4 cup of them, she’ll eat the whole bunch!
I’ve seen the muffin tin trick before, but not for a meal…as a “nibble tray.” Dr. Sears recommends putting one out so that when your children are hungry for a snack, they can always go to their nibble tray and have something healthy on hand. He recommends putting in things like carrots, cucumber slices, hummus and pitas, whole grain crackers, cut up fruits, etc.
Again, I haven’t had experience with an older child like your son, but I think if you keep offering things he’ll eventually grow out of it. At least..for your sake, I hope he does!
Biologically speaking were built to often reject foods until we have seen them 7-10 times- to avoid eating poisonous or harmful food. So don’t get discouraged if you have to offer something a lot. Jack loves chicken, pizza, and peanut butter with a few random fruits and veggies here of there. I tried taking sweet potaotes, green beans, and broccoli and using shake-n-bake on them thinking that if they were “breaded” he would eat them. He did try it. It took a while for pasta and pasta sauce but now he eats it. I try to pass lots of things off as chicken- fish, tofu, ect. He has gaged and thrown up before, but I don’t push it and I tell him how happy I am that he tried it. I also have a “this is dinner, if you don’t eat wait till the next meal”. Last night we had turkey burgers, the kids didn’t eat. Oh well. We’re having chili rellenos and quesadillas tonight. I left a package for you at church- I hope you get it!
I just saw your comment over at Julia’s. 🙂
Those muffin tin meals are just the neatest thing, aren’t they? I wish I’d known about that when my son was little. Thanks for stopping by!
Saw this article today and thought about your post…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/health/healthspecial2/15eat.html?_r=1&pagewanted=1&em&oref=slogin
It list out several ideas on how not to act with a child who`s a picky eater. Number one was don`tkeep them out of the kitchen because including him in the preparation of the food will in turn get him to eat what he helped make. Really so cute when you think of it 🙂
This is one completely fantastic idea Amy…thanks for sharing it! Now I need to dig out the muffin tin and try it out with my youngest son who is a terribly picky eater. We had peas for dinner last night and I thought he was going to have a heart attack because I made everyone eat at least one to “see if your taste buds have changed and maybe you like peas now!” 🙂 Amazingly my little speech worked with our third child…he cleaned his plate and then I was the one having a heart attack!
Holy cow…I just saw that you tagged me. I’ve never been tagged before, but I’ll try to think this through and post something about it tomorrow. I think you wrote all of my thoughts though ~ I’m in complete agreement with everything you wrote about.
Have a great day!
Angie in OH
I have no suggestions but the muffin tin idea is cute. I wonder if he does not like the texture of the different foods…..maybe there a commonality in the textures.
Good luck
Thanks for checking out my blog. I have a three-year-old son who never wants to eat. This is a great idea! I’m going to try it today.
I have a household of picky eaters.
All of them have grown out of it, except my husband :o)
I say. Offer healthy food and what your little guy likes….
he will be fine.
Have you read the book by Seinfelds wife? She wrote how about to sneak healthy things into the food.
That is a great idea. I don’t really have any suggestions as I never had that problem. I do tell my girls they have to have 3 bites before they can decide they don’t like it.
My menu planning is not super organized. And probably 90% of the time lately it doesn’t happen. But….I have the items for the meals in case I do get around to making it. Building the house takes all the time.
Chicken Paprikash is a soup that is I believe originally from Poland, but other European countries have versions as well. The key is lots of paprika and sour cream in the broth base. It is a very simple soup. When I make it, it’s just onion, garlic, chopped chicken, broth, that has paprika and then is thickened just slightly with sourcream and flour. At the end I make little dumplings to go in it. I think I posted the recipe on my site.
Have a great week. I love the darth vader picture below. Especially your sons pose. Too cute.
That muffin plate idea made such a beautiful picture!!
Also, don`t get discouraged, something i read said that half to two thirds of all children go through a period of picky eating at one time or another…and I think my husband is going through it right now 🙂
Keep making mealtime fun for you and your child and he`ll be more likely to start eating the nutritious foods on his own. Good Luck!