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Meal Ideas for Toddler with Sensory Issues
Lbaker
Posts: 234
Hi everyone! Oliver will turn two in about a month, and I am going crazy trying to get him to eat. He has some developmental delays, and has developed some sensory issues, especially with food. He struggles to use a spoon and fork, but doesn't like the feel of most foods on his hands. He also doesn't like cold or hot food. He used to eat everything we ate, but now the list has been narrowed down to very few foods. He will not eat any meat. He will eat peas, corn, romaine lettuce, apples, bananas, and grapes in the realm of fruits and veggies. He likes peanut butter, and will eat a peanut butter sandwich. He will eat breakfast foods (oatmeal, dry cereal, waffles, pancakes, toast, and scrambled eggs). He will also eat yogurt. He flat out refuses to eat rice, quinoa, pasta, potatoes, tortillas, and beans.
Does anyone have any simple meal ideas that might work? I feel like an awful mom giving him some variation of breakfast meals all the time, and I'm worried he isn't getting all the nutrients he needs. I have tried making smoothies, and he won't drink them. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Does anyone have any simple meal ideas that might work? I feel like an awful mom giving him some variation of breakfast meals all the time, and I'm worried he isn't getting all the nutrients he needs. I have tried making smoothies, and he won't drink them. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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It comes back. You just keep trying. Offer one thing you know he'll eat, one thing you think he maybe will eat, and one new thing at dinner every night. Make a point to eat at least one meal as a family every day and don't make bargains and pleas and deals and changes of menu for him. Think about his food over a week and don't stress about one meal. He'll get there. The most important thing is to make food enjoyable, interesting, and fun for all of you together. Cook together. Shop together. Talk and have fun and laugh at the table together. Don't offer juice or milk in between meals, don't offer snacks all day long (we found, and still at four find, that E is hungry at 8, 10:30, 12:30, 3:30, and 5:30. 10:30 and 5:30 were light snacks at 2, the biggest meals were 8 and 3:30).
I hope people give you lots of food ideas, feeling worried about your kiddo's eating is never fun.
With Oliver, I would count eggs, peanut butter, and yogurt as protein, serve with the fruits/veggies he likes, and be happy! For fillers and snacks, those pancakes, waffles, and cereals are fine.
When I think of serving other people or planning family meals, I aim for variety. Shiloh doesn't clue into variety. She eats the same 1/2 peanut butter sandwich Monday-Friday. She's happy. I'm happy. It's all good
Zen, I wish he would eat citrus! He likes the flavor, but cannot handle the texture. He will rub it on his lips, but will not put it in his mouth.
Old Mama, adding rice cereal might be just what we are looking for! He likes the flavor of so many foods, but won't eat them, and he loves oatmeal, so that might be the perfect way to hide some extra nutrients. Hmmm, I wonder if he would eat a fruit puree stirred into his morning oatmeal....
I would NOT start offering a two year old with that healthy of a diet rice cereal (been linked to obesity) or start hiding foods (can open, worms everywhere!)
Just continue to offer foods, let him have in put at the store and with food prep and don't let it turn into a battle.
If he likes citrus flavor but not the texture I would buy a juicer and he can help make freshly squeezed orange juice.
Think outside the box. Will he drink smoothies? Does he like grilled cheese - would he eat it with lunch meat on it? Have you tried all different kinds of pastas?
The biggest key is to NOT stop offering things because they are not on his list and model good eating in front of him. You really hold the key as to whether or not this gets better or worse in the next couple of years!
I wish he would eat cheese, but I haven't found any he likes. I've tried grilled cheese, plus cheese cubes, shredded cheese, and string cheese. I also haven't found any lunch meat he will eat. He currently will not eat any meat at all, other than the occasional piece of white fish.
I have tried juicing, but he won't drink juice, or smoothies for that matter. He will only drink milk and water.
Have you used sign language? If not, maybe start with a few basics - no, more, eat etc.
I wasn't really referring to "juicing" but more him squeezing the juice from oranges using something like this. If he gets a little on his hand and licks it off he might realize he likes it and wants to drink it. If not, you'll have freshly squeezed juice
http://www.forsmallhands.com/small-glass-juicer-cobalt-blue
Ironically, Shiloh's favorite breakfast is a variant of this. As an toddler, her [Latin] babysitter would mash banana into a puree, and add that plus peanut butter and applesauce to her baby food oatmeal. I leave out the applesauce now but the oatmeal/banana/peanut butter is her choice for Sunday breakfast every week!
Will he do any soups? Justin liked potato soup, chicken noodle - minus the chicken, spaghettios, ravioli, etc.
Will he dip foods into sauces to try them? Justin would try just about anything once if he could dip it into ketchup, like broccoli; other kids prefer Ranch dressing
Does he like food in a pouch? I bought those Nourish Me reusable pouches off amazon.com and the kids will eat a lot from a pouch that they won't eat off their plates. Put foods with mild texture into the blender, puree them, and pour it in the pouch.
Some thoughts on protein:
Justin will only eat meat (too stringy!) if it was spicy. Apparently the spiciness out powered the stringy texture. He'll eat boneless BBQ wings this way, and even tried the chicken tortilla soup I was eating the other day because the salsa overpowered the chicken texture. He'll also eat teriyaki steak, but not regular steak.
Both my kids will eat deviled eggs, but won't touch eggs any other way.
Another thing I've learned is to get someone else offer him something new. For years my sister could get him to try "Auntie Kim's special xyz" when he wouldn't touch it if I made it. Same for the deviled eggs - my dad made them. Sometimes they'll try something for someone else that they won't for you.