Discussion Board

I am very frustrated with my toddler's refusal of vegetables.

He has always been my pickiest eater. My 8 and 6 year old have always eaten a lot of veggies since they began solids as babies.

My 2 year old has always refused them and it stresses me out.

It seems the only way to get them into him is through "hiding" them. He likes green smoothies, for example, and spaghetti sauce with hidden veggies. Otherwise, nada.

I feel myself getting to the point where I have stopped offering and I know that is a bad idea.

Any help for me?

Here are some of examples of what he DOES eat: cereal, whole grain breads, spaghetti with sauce, fruit, smoothies, dried fruit, peanut butter, baked french fries with organic ketchup. He does not have a great variety of food because I can't ever get him to "just try one bite". He will absolutely refuse.

I'm sure you've probably tried this, but I used to give my kids raw veggies cut up into finger food treats to snack on when we were away from the house. Surprisingly raw greenbeans were a big hit as were expected things like carrots and celery. We started doing this during "picnic" lunches at the park so it had a "fun" element to it, but then I was lucky because my kids, while picky were open to trying new things.

Is it the flavor or the texture that puts them off?

All snacks at home and away can be the cut up veg.or fruit. By having just those things available and nothing else, you eliminate the choice of another food.

Also, as hard as it might be, try not to act like you care. Just offer casually and don't react when he says no. But do keep offering and keep up with offering a variety of veg. prepared in the most varied ways that you can make them. Even little size cookie cutters can be used to cut some things. Cubed, strips, coin shaped, on toothpicks, etc. Make them raw, baked, boiled. The last thing you need is for him to be refusing out of a power struggle.

I would also keep hiding the veg. cause that's just the kind of mom I am. I think my biggest reason with getting my kids eating veg. all the time was that I stopped buying any other kind of snack. I buy fresh fruit, veg. and nuts. I don't have any kind of crackers in the house.

I'm going to assume that he sees you eating these veg. constantly. My 2yr old always wants what I'm eating.

Have you tried sugar snap peas? They are sweet and seem to charm the pickiest veggie eaters.

I think it might be a texture thing with him. He doesn't mind the flavor when mixed into things. He often gets a taste of a food and immediately cringes and spits it out.

If a banana is just slightly too ripe....out it comes. If too many raisins go in at once...out they come, etc.

He sees me and his brothers eating veggies all the time and that doesn't seem to matter. In fact, yesterday he fed me half a bag of baby carrots one-by-one with a big smile on his face but when I suggested HE try one, he stated, "No! Them yucky!" (he has never even so much as licked one, LOL).

I do need to get rid of the crackers. I never used to buy them but started getting desperate to find something he would eat. Crackers are junk, plain and simple, and, like most toddlers, he would eat nothing but crackers if he could!

I guess all I can do is keep hiding, keep offering. Sigh.

I totally agree. How is he with eating a variety of fruits? Maybe with the upcoming spring/summer growing season he will be more interested. Especially with veggies that will actually taste good and fresh.

Oh Debbie, what is it with the banana strings?! LOL! All 3 of mine freak out about those!

Thanks everyone- great suggestions.

Yes! I think she's right! (Not that I know what an alligator tastes like, but I don't like crunchy bananas, either. Actually, I like 'em best when they are speckled. Go figger. )

Me too. It's the only fruit I can't stand--the taste, the texture, the strings . . . . EWWWWWW!!!!!

baby carrots
romaine lettuce leaves
red or yellow pepper sticks
bit of sweet corn
still working on celery

i also try to give them summer squash "coins" and integrate more winter squash ... the mineral content of squashes is very high and I don't feel like i need to push other veggies when they get some.

I have been reasonably successful with a shot of blended salad or green veggies juice if I juice/blend with green apples.

My oldest has finally come around to "tacos" with lettuce, tomatoes and small chopped peppers.

I still don't force the pile of veggies (peas, cooked spinach etc) as I recall at how bad I thought it was when I was a yute!