If you have visited this blog before you might be aware of the challenges I face with my picky eater oh the challenges. For those of you who are new here, here is the run down.
– Aidan is 3 years old.
– He is a vegetarian because he says he doesn’t want to hurt the animals. (probably why he is anemic – although, so am I and I eat meat)
– He doesn’t like food with any kind of wet/sticky/chunky consistency.
– no condiments and somehow this includes icing on cupcakes.
– He is precocious and tells me all he really wants is yogurt and crackers.
– Some (many/most even) think me not forcing him is a cop-out. But I don’t believe that I am letting my toddler win, he vomits, cries and shakes if he is forced to eat something – no one is winning
– I no longer force him because I don’t want him ending up on a TLC reality show called – my mother made me hate food and now I kill people (or the like)
– I manage to get him to taste new foods before declaring “it’s so kaka I never, ever, never want to eat it” and consider this a win
– I have a shelf in my book case dedicated to picky eating self help books
– The pediatrician, dietitian, nutritionist and occupational therapist (yes I have taken him to all these people) all believe he will grow out of it
Okay now that we covered this, I know I am not alone in the struggle so I thought I would share how I sneak extra calories, protein and vitamins into his limited diet:
I am BY NO MEANS an expert. I just realised that he is SUPER ACTIVE and would get lethargic.
The dietitian told me that a child his age needs around 1300 calories a day, and I realised he only gets around 700cals (on a good day where he actually finishes a sitting) so I made it my mission to get more energy into him. I also wanted to decrease sugar intake and up protein.
(this is not everyday it’s just the basic – I got the nutritional value off myfitnesspal)
BREAKFAST
He used to eat:
Oatees (he eats half a cup dry every morning)
Oros (he loves this drink although it has no nutritional value)
Cals : 170
Protein: 3
Sugar: 8
Now he eats:
Oatees (if it’s not broke don’t fix it)
Solal 24-in-1 Superfruit and Veg drink (It’s a super pricey concentrate but worth it I think)
Cals: 148
Protein: 5
Sugar 0
LUNCH
Protein: 7
Sugar 17
Protein: 13
Sugar 15
Protein: 3
Sugar 1
Protein: 9
Sugar –
SNACKS
Protein: 1
Sugar 19
Protein: 2
Sugar 20
VERDICT
Protein: 14
Sugar 45
Protein: 28
Sugar 35
Oh gosh, this is hell for a mom. Not to discourage you but my one little cousin is 9 and still only eats about 10 things – have not outgrown it at all. And she has no sensory issues – she is blackmailng her parents and use it as a form of control over them. Keep an eye out for this – I do not think it's your sweetie but it may develop later and you dont want that.
Thank you for the note. Would hate for that to happen… He just never seems to be hungry EVER frustrates me to heck and beyond. Really hoping that keeping an eye on him and introducing new foods will keep that at bay. But can never be sure *sigh*
Sounds challenging but it seems like you are making headway. 🙂 My son once went through a few months of not wanting to eat anything but grapes and cherry tomatoes so I feel your pain. He is also a vegetarian except for takeaway burgers (which apparently is not meat?).
I do know of a teenager who still only eats plain rice with sour milk poured on it so it seems they don't all outgrow it.
I also have a picky eater, but not to this degree! Sounds very challenging! Good luck!
“4 Provita (apparently he is on a diet)”
This literally made me LOL
So far, Harley is a pretty easy eater since she discovered her appetite… knock on wood!
He was never hungry even when he was breastfed, chances are he is saving up the hungry for puberty…that’s my guess