NEED HELP PLEASE with food and my son....

[JustMe0326]

 I can't take this anymore. It is literally driving me INSANE.

Every meal is an argument. My son won't eat anything I make. The only things he will eat are: PB&J, hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken nuggets or patties, mac n cheese, grilled cheese, or cereal. Oh and of course any kind of junk food that he thinks I will let him have...THAT'S IT. He won't eat any sort of actually cooked meat...grilled chicken, pork, ground beef (or I usually use ground turkey) none of that. He won't eat. He will fight and argue and sit there and starve. Won't even eat lunch meat. He loves green beans and green peppers...and sometimes salad, but there can't be anything else in it but lettuce...but that's about it for veggies.

I'm concerned that he's not eating right because all he eats are greasy, fatty foods. It's not good for him. But he actually will make himself sick over eating anything else. And now, because those things are all he WILL eat, he's starting to not like them either. I let him get away with having one of the things he likes for lunch, but like today, I made him pb&j and he's whining that he doesn't want it and doesn't want to eat now. He's a skinny kid...just really tall. And he's always hungry.

I just don't know what to do about it. He's 5 now and I have asked the doctors about it and they just say that he will grow out of it. That it's just a stage. He's been like this his entire life. I don't think he will grow out of it esp. if these things are all he's eating!

PLEASE HELP ME

[grammarpolice]

Don't keep the junk in the house and do not serve it. He'll eat when he's hungry enough and WILL NOT starve!

How about fish, since I see no mention of that? (NOT fish sticks!) Broiled salmon, scrod, tilapia, scallops.

[jenniepepsi]

sounds ok to me. let him eat pbj hot dogs corn dogs chicken nuggets grilled cheese mac n cheese and cereal.

all kids go thru a phase of wanting only one thing to eat. your lucky he likes a few things  lol. my DD is 6 now, but when she was 4 she decided that she ONLY liked roman noodles. granted it was cheap. but it was SO NOT GOOD For her lol. it was a huge battle to get her to eat anything else.

spice up his favorite foods. when you make mac n cheese, add a can of corn and some beef too it. when he wants grilled cheese add tuna to it (MMM i love that) see what i mean?

get dinosoar shaped nuggets and tell him that the leaf eaters only eat lettuce. so give him lettuce on his plate and tell him the dinos MUST eat thier lettuce. you will be surprised how fast they will disapear.

 

[JustMe0326]

Quoting grammarpolice:

Don't keep the junk in the house and do not serve it. He'll eat when he's hungry enough and WILL NOT starve!

How about fish, since I see no mention of that? (NOT fish sticks!) Broiled salmon, scrod, tilapia, scallops.

If he doesn't like the way it looks, he won't eat it either. He does like fish sticks (I know, you said NOT fish sticks) but only when he's in the mood. 1/2 the time he'll tell me he doesn't want them and won't even look at them. He won't eat fish because of the way it looks and smells.

[JustMe0326]

Quoting jenniepepsi:

sounds ok to me. let him eat pbj hot dogs corn dogs chicken nuggets grilled cheese mac n cheese and cereal.

all kids go thru a phase of wanting only one thing to eat. your lucky he likes a few things  lol. my DD is 6 now, but when she was 4 she decided that she ONLY liked roman noodles. granted it was cheap. but it was SO NOT GOOD For her lol. it was a huge battle to get her to eat anything else.

spice up his favorite foods. when you make mac n cheese, add a can of corn and some beef too it. when he wants grilled cheese add tuna to it (MMM i love that) see what i mean?

get dinosoar shaped nuggets and tell him that the leaf eaters only eat lettuce. so give him lettuce on his plate and tell him the dinos MUST eat thier lettuce. you will be surprised how fast they will disapear.

 

See, I don't think it's just a phase. He has been like this his entire life. And I see absolutely no signs of it changing. Period.

If I add beef to his mac n cheese, he won't touch it. I forgot to add that he does like spaghetti but won't touch it if there's meat in it. I always have to pour out some sauce before I add the meat. And he won't eat tuna. I don't have a problem with him eating lettuce or chicken nuggets...those are the things he can't get enough of...

Thanks though

[Mom2PunkRockers]

You are not going to like what I have to say. Sorry momma this is your fault. If you never fed him that crapola to begin with , he wouldnt have a taste for it , and he would eat better. Children do not have to have chicken nuggets , hot dogs and corn dogs to survive life. I dont have eating issues in my house , but then again , my family is vegan , so we dont eat that crap to begin with.

My advice? Get rid of the crap and start feeding him healthy options , he WILL eat when he gets hungry enough . Make food fun. Give him food with a theme. Have him help you make snacks and meals. Kids are more invested in their food when they can help prepare it, and when its fun. Making something like ants on a log with low fat or all natural peanut or cashew butter , celery and sugar free rasins is a great and healthy treat. Your child can help prepare it , and you can have fun counting the ants on his log etc. Make a pizza with a whole wheat crust , home made sauce low fat or rice milk cheese and tons of cut up veggies. Broccoli can be trees , carrots can make fences, mashed potato can make mountains. Be firm , and dont crack and give in to the junk. A little junk never hurt anyone , but moderation is the key, special treats are just that , special , not for every meal.

[jenniepepsi]

im sorry but i dont see anything wrong with any of the food he is eating.

 

[jenniepepsi]

then dont feed his ass.

he is old enough to know that if you put something in front of him, and he dosnt eat it, thats ALL he gets.

he is NOT going to starve. it will take breakfast, maybe lunch, to realise 'oh shit maybe i should eat dinner or im gonna be really hungry'

 

Quoting JustMe0326:

Quoting jenniepepsi:

sounds ok to me. let him eat pbj hot dogs corn dogs chicken nuggets grilled cheese mac n cheese and cereal.

all kids go thru a phase of wanting only one thing to eat. your lucky he likes a few things  lol. my DD is 6 now, but when she was 4 she decided that she ONLY liked roman noodles. granted it was cheap. but it was SO NOT GOOD For her lol. it was a huge battle to get her to eat anything else.

spice up his favorite foods. when you make mac n cheese, add a can of corn and some beef too it. when he wants grilled cheese add tuna to it (MMM i love that) see what i mean?

get dinosoar shaped nuggets and tell him that the leaf eaters only eat lettuce. so give him lettuce on his plate and tell him the dinos MUST eat thier lettuce. you will be surprised how fast they will disapear.

 

See, I don't think it's just a phase. He has been like this his entire life. And I see absolutely no signs of it changing. Period.

If I add beef to his mac n cheese, he won't touch it. I forgot to add that he does like spaghetti but won't touch it if there's meat in it. I always have to pour out some sauce before I add the meat. And he won't eat tuna. I don't have a problem with him eating lettuce or chicken nuggets...those are the things he can't get enough of...

Thanks though

[grammarpolice]

Quoting jenniepepsi:

sounds ok to me. let him eat pbj hot dogs corn dogs chicken nuggets grilled cheese mac n cheese and cereal.

all kids go thru a phase of wanting only one thing to eat. your lucky he likes a few things  lol. my DD is 6 now, but when she was 4 she decided that she ONLY liked roman noodles. granted it was cheap. but it was SO NOT GOOD For her lol. it was a huge battle to get her to eat anything else.

spice up his favorite foods. when you make mac n cheese, add a can of corn and some beef too it. when he wants grilled cheese add tuna to it (MMM i love that) see what i mean?

get dinosoar shaped nuggets and tell him that the leaf eaters only eat lettuce. so give him lettuce on his plate and tell him the dinos MUST eat thier lettuce. you will be surprised how fast they will disapear.

 

I disagree. The OP admitted herself that his diet is pretty bad. And it honestly IS. These foods should be rare things, not staples of his diet. With maybe the exception of cereal, as long as we're talking whole grain, not sugar laden. (Plain Cheerios, Plain Corn Flakes, you get the idea - not Froot Loops)

I think the OP is just going to have to wait him out and keep on serving the healthy foods and have faith that he will NOT starve himself. Do not cook or prepare seperate meals for him - feed him the things that you & DH are eating (if you eat well).

My youngest son will be 5 in April and as an example, I'll try to remember what we had for dinner last night. Oh yes, it was broiled tilapia, boiled red-skinned potatoes with dill, and cauliflower & zucchini.  For dessert we had cantaloupe. He's been eating what we eat since he began solids at about 11 months. I used to put it all through a Foley food mill - no jarred foods. I think that's why he eats so well now.

Persist, and he will come around! And rememner he will NOT starve himself - though he is certainly going to try to make you think so!

[JustMe0326]

I never said this is what I GIVE him all the time. I said this is all he will eat. I have been battling this for 4 years now and you don't know my son. He's too smart for any of the "tricks" you mentioned...we've actually done the ants on a log thing. Had a blast making them. Then when it came time to eat them, he picked the ants off, licked out the peanut butter, and said he was done. Won't touch the celery.

AND I should also mention that he's only with me 50% of the time. I have shared parenting with my ex and he works 2nd shift. So the "nanny" feeds the kids dinners and all she makes is Kid Cusine meals. It doesn't help matters at all.

At my house, the "junk food" IS a special treat. I cook healthy balanced meals. He just won't touch them.

Quoting Mom2PunkRockers:

You are not going to like what I have to say. Sorry momma this is your fault. If you never fed him that crapola to begin with , he wouldnt have a taste for it , and he would eat better. Children do not have to have chicken nuggets , hot dogs and corn dogs to survive life. I dont have eating issues in my house , but then again , my family is vegan , so we dont eat that crap to begin with.

My advice? Get rid of the crap and start feeding him healthy options , he WILL eat when he gets hungry enough . Make food fun. Give him food with a theme. Have him help you make snacks and meals. Kids are more invested in their food when they can help prepare it, and when its fun. Making something like ants on a log with low fat or all natural peanut or cashew butter , celery and sugar free rasins is a great and healthy treat. Your child can help prepare it , and you can have fun counting the ants on his log etc. Make a pizza with a whole wheat crust , home made sauce low fat or rice milk cheese and tons of cut up veggies. Broccoli can be trees , carrots can make fences, mashed potato can make mountains. Be firm , and dont crack and give in to the junk. A little junk never hurt anyone , but moderation is the key, special treats are just that , special , not for every meal.

[grammarpolice]

Quoting jenniepepsi:

im sorry but i dont see anything wrong with any of the food he is eating.

 

His future cardiologist will, if she doesn't make changes soon. Not trying to be a smart ass with my answer; I am saying that with true concern. OP, don't let someone on here who obviously knows next to nothing about nutrition give you a false sense that how you are currently feeding him is OK. You already know it is not, and I, for one, applaud you for acknowledging that you need to make drastic changes. Best of luck to you, and don't cave when he tries to wear you down!