A Picky Eater

Posted: Tue, Jul 26 2005, 10:11 pm Post subject: A Picky Eater

Okay, this is regarding one of my students. School/camp ends in 2 days, so I am not really asking l'maiseh for him, but in the future -- what do you do about picky eaters?
I have a student who doesn't eat the school lunches -- even things like macaroni or cheese! He'll eat the bread...drink the milk...and any nosh, of course. But that's it!!
Today we had tuna and bread. I gave each kid a slice of bread with tuna on the plate so they could make their own sandwiches. I always give this kid the same food, just in case.... anyhow, he wouldn't eat the bread cuz it "touched" the tuna...
I told him to take off the part that touched the tuna and eat the rest...he said -- "but this part touched that part that touched that part..." LOL. From a 5 year old boy!!! Would you give him another slice of bread? I thought he was being silly and didn't.....
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Posted: Wed, Jul 27 2005, 12:44 am Post subject:

Hey, he sounds like me!

It's nice to play along, I.e. don't put the corn and the pasta on the same plate. Provide a backup option, like PB and J, most picky eaters won't mind eating the same thing every day.

He's not doing it to be manipulative. It really grosses us picky people out to have the bread touch the tuna (or in my case, salad). Over the years, kids will often mellow out, so don't sweat it.

Posted: Wed, Jul 27 2005, 7:10 am Post subject:

My 10 yr old is actually in the process of writing a book about surviving growing up as a picky eater. My 11 yr old still won't take sandwiches to camp or school. We've been creative over the years--little containers for tuna, gefilte fish, hummus, and the like; protein bars/shakes (when we can get them cheap enough); peanuts in a baggy (when not going to a peanut-free program); homemade whole-grain high-protein bread; high-protein trailmix; and more!

This week the girls are eating home-made all whole wheat jam filled muffins, baked with jam made last summer by my now-10-yr-old. She has so much invested in them (she baked them, too), she's happy to eat them!

It gets more difficult as more schools/camps go treenut- and peanut-free (no more store-bought granola, granola bars, or peanutbutter sandwiches), but I definitely understand the reasoning behind that and support it as necessary.
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Diamond Member Joined: Dec 30 2004 Posts: 3194

sounds just like me I ate bread and butter from kindergarden until 12th grade everyday nothing else. My mother never got me school lunch becasue I wouldnt eat it. To a pickey eater things touching other things is the worst thing in the world. Just let hime eat what he wants.

Gold Member Joined: Jan 19 2005 Age: 31 Posts: 1855

sounds like my son (10 mths), he will eat really well if it is something he likes but if it isn't he will throw it straight on the floor. The exasperating thing is that there are no rules. Today he can wolf down the carrots and tomorrow he can throw them straight on the floor. I'm finding it a real challenge knowing what he will eat.
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Executive Member Joined: Feb 09 2005 Posts: 373

I just gave my kid a multigrain high fiber high protein pita bread with chocolate spread in it!! I got the idea from another friend that uses Nutella. I don't mind it not being cholov yisroel and the camp doesn't care either it's the nut part that's a problem. So I gave her Israeli chocolate spread. Just once a week as a treat. But I know that she will eat the whole pita.

Am I giving in too much? She eats raisen bran or yogourt for breakfast, apples for snacks and a decent dinner. So, once a week she gets chocolate spread. Otherwise it's a hard boiled egg.

Gold Member Joined: Mar 10 2005 Posts: 1063

[quote="queenie

Gold Member Joined: Mar 10 2005 Posts: 1063

brachsd, its hard when its a camper/student to deal with it properly because you don't know what his mom is doing at home. hell hold onto any hunger and go home and the mom may give into his whims.
if its your kid its altogether another story.

Posted: Wed, Aug 24 2005, 3:01 pm Post subject: re: A Picky Eater

I am mad picky eater. I won't eat anything that has touched the same knife as something else. Also if something touches the bread who says it won't seep through and contaminate the rest of the food????
My son is fussy too. He likes stuff I don't like but stuff I do like one day he will eat it and say it's yummy and the next he will say "eew" and throw it on the table. So it's all about trying everyday the same sort of things and see if he will eat it.

Posted: Thu, Aug 25 2005, 10:55 am Post subject:

yes well, we all have our problems. May this be the least of yours.