Comments on: Getting kids to eat vegetables http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/ mom's search for meaning Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:19:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Lisa http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5860 Lisa Sat, 12 Jul 2008 02:16:44 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5860 We continue to serve new foods and the kids have to try the 'no thank-you bite'. Sometimes the bite leads to the child finishing the meal! They have to at least try it. For me personally, I've given up fighting about food. I serve things they like, I expose them to things that they may or may not enjoy (with the no thank-you bite in place) and we all eat rather well. I make mean banana muffins, a great zucchini loaf and the kids love my beat chocolate cake (to die for) so I'm all for sneaking them in when i can but I don't go out of my way to do so (like putting the carrot puree in the spag. sauce....but hey, what ever works for ya....) When the kids are hungry before supper, I fill one of those big divided trays with raw veggies and dip....and cheese cubes and pickles....they go crazy with all the variety and sometimes, that's what they end up eating for supper. They don't even realize that I'm serving them veggies in this case because it's not 'supper'....just a snack. Somehow that makes a difference. Go figure. Who would have thunk it? We continue to serve new foods and the kids have to try the ‘no thank-you bite’. Sometimes the bite leads to the child finishing the meal! They have to at least try it.

For me personally, I’ve given up fighting about food. I serve things they like, I expose them to things that they may or may not enjoy (with the no thank-you bite in place) and we all eat rather well.

I make mean banana muffins, a great zucchini loaf and the kids love my beat chocolate cake (to die for) so I’m all for sneaking them in when i can but I don’t go out of my way to do so (like putting the carrot puree in the spag. sauce….but hey, what ever works for ya….)

When the kids are hungry before supper, I fill one of those big divided trays with raw veggies and dip….and cheese cubes and pickles….they go crazy with all the variety and sometimes, that’s what they end up eating for supper. They don’t even realize that I’m serving them veggies in this case because it’s not ‘supper’….just a snack. Somehow that makes a difference. Go figure.

Who would have thunk it?

]]> By: Jordan http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5857 Jordan Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:20:51 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5857 Malnourishment horror story (saw this on True Stories from the ER or something like that): A little boy, about 2, was brought into the ER because it hurt him to walk. At first they suspected child abuse, but when the drew blood, the parents were more upset than the child was. But the blood work didn't reveal much either. Finally, after several hours, one of the nurses thought to ask what his diet was like. The mom informed them that he ate oatmeal, because that was what he liked. The followup question was, "What else?" The mom answered, "Well, nothing. He only likes oatmeal." The nurse (it may have been a social services worker) informed the mother that they had to feed him more than just oatmeal. The child had SCURVY! But he was okay. Malnourishment horror story (saw this on True Stories from the ER or something like that):

A little boy, about 2, was brought into the ER because it hurt him to walk. At first they suspected child abuse, but when the drew blood, the parents were more upset than the child was. But the blood work didn’t reveal much either.

Finally, after several hours, one of the nurses thought to ask what his diet was like. The mom informed them that he ate oatmeal, because that was what he liked.

The followup question was, “What else?”

The mom answered, “Well, nothing. He only likes oatmeal.”

The nurse (it may have been a social services worker) informed the mother that they had to feed him more than just oatmeal.

The child had SCURVY! But he was okay.

]]> By: Lindsey http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5856 Lindsey Fri, 11 Jul 2008 02:16:35 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5856 My son is the same way. Doesn't matter what's being served for dinner, he doesn't like it. I'm guilty of the bribery: "just try it and if you don't like it you don't have to eat it, but then you can't have dessert." Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't. My parents did it with me and I like most vegetables now...go figure. I'm just afraid he'll be malnourished, but I can't shove veggies down his throat. Ah, the worries we face. My son is the same way. Doesn’t matter what’s being served for dinner, he doesn’t like it. I’m guilty of the bribery: “just try it and if you don’t like it you don’t have to eat it, but then you can’t have dessert.” Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn’t. My parents did it with me and I like most vegetables now…go figure. I’m just afraid he’ll be malnourished, but I can’t shove veggies down his throat. Ah, the worries we face.

]]> By: Dorla http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5853 Dorla Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:33:48 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5853 I came upon your blog today on the lpm blog and I so needed to read this. I have 5 boys and have always been terrible at this and I so want to feed them better. Thank you! I came upon your blog today on the lpm blog and I so needed to read this. I have 5 boys and have always been terrible at this and I so want to feed them better. Thank you!

]]> By: Noelle http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5852 Noelle Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:25:18 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5852 Dr. Whitney Anderson knows of this problem all too well. Eight out of ten kids don't get enough veggies and that is why she and her husband started Full Tank Foods-www.fulltankfoods.com. Full Tank makes frozen veggie enriched favorites like Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta & Red Sauce, Pizza Fondue and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes in a pocket sandwich. Full Tank encourages parents to try the real veggies first, but if a child refuses, these products can solve that problem and provide the nutrition the child needs. Parents of kids with sensory issues also fight this battle. It can be very difficult to provide the nutrition they need due to an increased sensitivity to taste, smell, texture and even color! Veggies pretty much cover all these senses. Full Tank veggie enriched kid favorites offers a solution for these kiddos as well. Dr. Whitney Anderson knows of this problem all too well. Eight out of ten kids don’t get enough veggies and that is why she and her husband started Full Tank Foods-www.fulltankfoods.com. Full Tank makes frozen veggie enriched favorites like Macaroni & Cheese, Pasta & Red Sauce, Pizza Fondue and Cheesy Mashed Potatoes in a pocket sandwich. Full Tank encourages parents to try the real veggies first, but if a child refuses, these products can solve that problem and provide the nutrition the child needs.

Parents of kids with sensory issues also fight this battle. It can be very difficult to provide the nutrition they need due to an increased sensitivity to taste, smell, texture and even color! Veggies pretty much cover all these senses. Full Tank veggie enriched kid favorites offers a solution for these kiddos as well.

]]> By: Erin http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5850 Erin Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:58:23 +0000 http://www.mamablogga.com/getting-kids-to-eat-vegetables/#comment-5850 Thankfully, my older nephew has an incredible appetite. He was eating salads at two years old and is willing to try anything and actually LOOKS FORWARD to trying new vegetables and fruits. So we didn't have to pull any fast ones over on him. However, my mother had to think of something with me because I was (and still am) a horribly picky eater. So she started putting vegetables in my Happy Meal boxes. Yeah, I wouldn't recommend it either. It was a sad sad day when I asked for green beans at the counter of McDonald's. The cashier thought it was adorable and couldn't pick up on my mother's signs to "go along with it" and I've never touched a green bean since. Or any other cooked vegetables for that matter. I do think patience is key and just casually introducing new foods without pressuring them to try it works. Over the years I've managed to add whipped cream and cucumbers and broccoli and hummus and tomato sauce to the small list of foods that I will eat. I really think the problem comes in when parents try to exert too much control over what kids eat. Give Hayden a BIG hug for me! Thankfully, my older nephew has an incredible appetite. He was eating salads at two years old and is willing to try anything and actually LOOKS FORWARD to trying new vegetables and fruits. So we didn’t have to pull any fast ones over on him.

However, my mother had to think of something with me because I was (and still am) a horribly picky eater. So she started putting vegetables in my Happy Meal boxes. Yeah, I wouldn’t recommend it either. It was a sad sad day when I asked for green beans at the counter of McDonald’s. The cashier thought it was adorable and couldn’t pick up on my mother’s signs to “go along with it” and I’ve never touched a green bean since. Or any other cooked vegetables for that matter.

I do think patience is key and just casually introducing new foods without pressuring them to try it works. Over the years I’ve managed to add whipped cream and cucumbers and broccoli and hummus and tomato sauce to the small list of foods that I will eat. I really think the problem comes in when parents try to exert too much control over what kids eat.

Give Hayden a BIG hug for me!

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