 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Forum
-> Parenting our children
-> School age children
kermit
↓
|
 Today at 1:38 pm
it is very very VERY hard to get my 9 year old son to try a new food.
he is NOT a big eater in general.
My biggest victory is having him lick the food I've made to try, but inevitably he HATES it.
He is sensitive to textures. He is sensitive to taste. He is scared to try new stuff and refuses and will cry if pressured (I mean I'm the mom and I push anyways, even when he cries but like....it hurts to see him so upset)
He'll try new nosh. But he is though pretty selective about the nosh he eats as well (for ex, he decided he doesn't like super snacks a year ago. he won't eat jewish brand potato chips, he only likes lays he says it's the right amount of 'salt')
He happily turns down cakese and cookies he's squeamish about as well.
The FULL list of what he will eat
>Cooked vegetables: Broccoli (only if not squishy), corn on the cob
>Raw vegetables: Cucumbers, lettuce, peppers, baby carrots, baby corn, pickles. very occasional tomato.
>Raw fruit: green apples. bananas. clementines. oranges. watermelon. mango. pomegranate seeds.
>Protein: chicken on the bone (if pulled off bone). shnitzel. fish sticks. chicken nuggets - only the generic-looking type. chicken hot dogs NOT beef hot dogs. peanut butter or cashew butter on rice cakes.
>Dairy: american cheese. plain pizza. yoghurt with chocolate chips only (something about the texture)
>Starch: Plain noodles. white rice with salt. white quinoa with soup consomme powder. plain ciabatta bread. onion rolls. plain bagel no topping. most types of cereal + milk. snacker-style crackers. spicy french fries (occasionally).
>Soups: plain chicken soup from Pomegranate with yellow croutons. Instant noodle soup.
>Snacks: granola bars. potato chips (secular brands only, plain flavor). popcorn if fresh. potato straws (NOT the veggie type). pretzels. graham crackers.
>Cookies & Cakes: Only without too much icing or gook (ex. sponge cake and marble). he will also eat rainbow cake and sandwich cookies.
>Candy: any and all.
>Drinks: water. seltzer. juice. (and soda if he can get it)
I know he is getting his nutrients, but
a) is this a normal variety for his age?
b) is there a way to get him to eat more without meltdowns? will it eventually happen naturally on its own?
Last edited by kermit on Thu, Jan 16 2025, 1:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
| |
|
| Back to top |
 0
 0
|
mizle10
↓
|
Today at 1:41 pm
A lot more than some of my kids eat...
Doesn't sound bad at all to me.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
19
|
amother
|
Today at 1:41 pm
Please thank the good L-rd for your wonderful child.
My 7yr old eats
cooked veg: zero
raw veg: carrots, peppers, corn
protein: yellow cheese
carbohydrates: plain white rice, mashed potatoes, pasta
soups: zero
snacks: only crunchy potato chips, extra salty thin stick pretzels
candy: if it's not too sweet, prefers sour
drinks: water only
| |
|
| Back to top |
1
7
|
amother
|
Today at 1:44 pm
|
I don't call this picky at all. My son eats way way less then that.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
6
|
↑
kermit
↓
|
Today at 1:46 pm
Thank you Mizle and Blue!!!
That is so relieving to hear I'm not alone.
Like, he comes home from school hungry and they really serve GOOD lunches (baked ziti, mac 'n cheese, sweet blintzes, pancakes, kugel + pareve cholent) and he literally didn't touch a bite. he'd rather starve and eat just the plain bread offered.
I ask him if other kids in his class eat it and he says yes, they eat it, but he doesn't like it 
was feeling so incompetent today as a mom
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
↑
mizle10
|
Today at 1:49 pm
| kermit wrote: | Thank you Mizle and Blue!!!
That is so relieving to hear I'm not alone.
Like, he comes home from school hungry and they really serve GOOD lunches (baked ziti, mac 'n cheese, sweet blintzes, pancakes, kugel + pareve cholent) and he literally didn't touch a bite. he'd rather starve and eat just the plain bread offered.
I ask him if other kids in his class eat it and he says yes, they eat it, but he doesn't like it
was feeling so incompetent today as a mom |
Lol none of my kids will touch school lunches.
Even if it's something they technically like there's other foods on the same plate and they touch...
Your kid sounds perfectly normal.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
|
amother
Tanzanite
|
Today at 1:50 pm
|
My mother in law has a 9 year old with a smaller list. They came to visit us in Israel and all he ate was white bread with tuna and French fries and cucumber. (Of course chips and candy) That’s it. They’ll grow up. They’ll mature. Taste buds change. I think you should make sure there’s positivity around food, and keep offering new options with no pressure. Good Luck.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
|
amother
Crystal
|
Today at 1:50 pm
NORMAL
Read Secrets by Ellen Satter (it’s written textbook style, not ez reading but valuable information)
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
|
amother
Cerulean
|
Today at 2:01 pm
My daughter lives on a quarter of that list. Age 4.5
I wish I had tips how to improve her eating habits. She was never fleishig in her life yet.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
↑
kermit
↓
|
Today at 2:12 pm
I don't even get some of the pickiness.
WHY does he eat American cheese but not string cheese. WHAT KID DOESN'T LIKE STRING CHEESE?
WHY does he like pizza but he won't touch baked ziti or tomato sauce on noodles???
and my dh keeps telling me we're both too soft on him and honestly, part of me thinks he's right, even though I try.
I grew up with the crunchiest, healthiest parents. at age 2 I was eating black beans, stewed tomatoes, quinoa, bulger, kasha, sardines, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots etc etc. bc I had no choice. there was literally nothing else to eat if I didn't eat what was served.
and my son is like 'no thank you' to mashed potatoes. what??? growing up potatoes were a treat I got at a friends house.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
amother
|
Today at 2:18 pm
|
If he's sensory, all of this makes a lot of sense. Whichever way, all my kids would rather starve than eat the foods you listed. Don't worry, you're a great mom. He's doing great.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
|
amother
Cream
|
Today at 2:26 pm
|
This isn't picky. Large variety is listed. Just keep offering other foods. My son who is 8 only likes meatballs made a certain way and prefers sandwiches to other foods. He doesn't like greasy food but loves chicken on the bone. Kids can have preferences just like adults.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
amother
|
Today at 2:36 pm
Doesn't sound very picky to me. Many kids who are sensory ear way less than that. I know many who eat almost no fruits of vegetables at all.
Being sensory is a real thing and IMHO being tough on a kid who is picky for sensory reasons is not the way to go. It is sometimes hard for people who are not sensory to understand what the experience is like for people who are sensory, including their own children. IME kids who are picky for sensory reasons will try things from time to time as they get older and gradually expand their repertoire of foods.
It does not reflect on your parenting or how good a mother you are. It is just your sons nature. He is probably not trying to be difficult. It's hard for me to say without knowing you and your son but I would be careful not to make it into too big of an issue or you will just cause yourself unnecessary stress and will potentially set up a dynamic where he becomes even more resistant to trying things because he doesn't like the pressure surrounding it.
ETA to answer your last question - the best way to get him to try more foods is probably to not pressure him so much. I think it is kind of harsh to almost force a kids who has sensory sensitivities to try foods that he is averse to, and it is no wonder that he would melt down. He is most likely not trying to be difficult. It is probably actually very uncomfortable, almost painful, for him to eat those foods and he may feel bad that he is not able to do what you expect of him. Accepting his sensitivities and helping him understand that it is ok to be sensitive and not to like things, but it is also great if he sometimes stretches himself to try something new, will probably be more effective than pressuring him.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
3
|
↑
kermit
↓
|
Today at 3:04 pm
Yes, thank you to everyone who brought up sensory! He does receive OT in school, for vestibular input and he is sensory overall -- was like that since birth.
I try to talk to him about eating, not too ofte, maybe once every couple months. I tell him he needs to get used to being brave and trying new foods because I don't want him hungry in school or when he's older and goes to sleep away camp. I try giving him coping skills, like preparing a big glass of juice and telling him he only has to lick.
He cries about it when I push him, has meltdowns when actually trying new things, and truthfully his biggest complaints are specifically related to texture -- if food is too dry, too wet, too squishy/mushy.
if he will grow out of it on his own, I won't push it further. I just don't want to neglect it if I'm supposed to be doing something about it as a parent.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
amother
|
Today at 3:08 pm
| kermit wrote: | Yes, thank you to everyone who brought up sensory! He does receive OT in school, for vestibular input and he is sensory overall -- was like that since birth.
I try to talk to him about eating, not too ofte, maybe once every couple months. I tell him he needs to get used to being brave and trying new foods because I don't want him hungry in school or when he's older and goes to sleep away camp. I try giving him coping skills, like preparing a big glass of juice and telling him he only has to lick.
He cries about it when I push him, has meltdowns when actually trying new things, and truthfully his biggest complaints are specifically related to texture -- if food is too dry, too wet, too squishy/mushy.
if he will grow out of it on his own, I won't push it further. I just don't want to neglect it if I'm supposed to be doing something about it as a parent. |
His food list is really big. No reason to push new foods.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
amother
|
Today at 3:11 pm
My son's diet consists of basically this:
Whole wheat bread (cream cheese)
Pasta
Pizza
Noodle soup
Chicken cutlets
Cereal & milk (not often)
Banana
Apple
Orange (whenever he's in the mood)
Cucumber
Pepper
(He likes some cake, cookies, candy, super snack but those are basically only for shabbos.)
On shabbos all he eats is challah, matzah, Banana, a cream cheese sandwich.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
mommy3b2c
↓
|
Today at 3:15 pm
Sounds like he eats more then me ….
Definitely completely normal for a 9 year old .
And I’m concerned that you say that you push him. Even more concerning is that you push him while he is crying .
Please stop. Never push him to eat anything again . Would you like if someone forced you to eat something you don’t like ?
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
6
|
↑
mommy3b2c
|
Today at 3:15 pm
|
And for the record, he’s 100% right . Lays are the only good potato chips .
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
amother
|
Today at 3:17 pm
| amother Bronze wrote: | | His food list is really big. No reason to push new foods. |
Yes, exactly. Maybe ask his OT?
I am from a very sensory and picky eating family and everyone eats many more foods as teens/adults than they did as kids - some eat more variety than others, but definitely more than as kids. And most of us ate way fewer foods than than your son at his age.
It is hard for me to understand the benefit of pushing a kids to eat something to the point of him crying/melting down unless you were advised this by a professional experienced in this area. I would think that that kind of pressure would negatively affect his long-term eating habits much more than letting him be. Most picky eaters to not starve when they go away to camp or such. They figure it out and slowly try new things.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
|
Imamother may earn commission when you use our links to make a purchase.
© 2025 Imamother.com - All rights reserved
|  |
 |
|
 |
|
|
