My 51/2 year old son doesn't eat anything because he is afraid to try them?

Question

my son is sooo picky he only eats pasta and rice. the pasta has to be plain no butter, or with a little red sauce. he doens't know the taste of meat or chicken becuase he hasn't tried them. he is too scared to try anything. i ask him what do you want to it, he answers me i don't know becuase i don't know what they taste like. he gags if "by mistake" he tries something new. HELP!

Answer 1

I have a five year old daughter that sounds very similar.  If I asked her to try something she would freeze up, cry, just be miserable, like I was really hurting her.  She far from eats a ton of things, but what we adopted was the phrase "One bite without a fight." She was tired of meal time being so stressful too, so she's warming up a little.  She knows if she takes the one bite we don't have to talk about it anymore during the meal.  Good luck, I know it's stressful.

Answer 2

My son hates veggies, and so when I make pasta I take my pasta sauce, and chop in mushrooms and other healthy veggies putting them in it. He never knows there is veggies in there, and he eats it.

I have a son who is big on rice too. My hubby says it is cause he is half Asian, but what I do it add things to the rice to get him to eat more than just the rice.

My kid will not eat butter either. In fact he likes his food blan...... no salt, sugers, nothing.

Answer 3

have you ever considered the belt?

Answer 4

play a game like "guess this food" or something, put a blindfold on him and make some chicken or something, and feed it to him, when he says "i dont know" tell him its a new food and see how he reacts...or u could cut little peices of chicken and throw it in his pasta, thats a tough question...

Answer 5

I have the same problem with my step-son. I make dinner each night and he sits down with us. Whether he eats or not  is his choice but he has to try at least 5 bites (since he is 5 years old) and if he doesn't he doesn't get anything else until he does. Convincing him that he is a big big doesn't work because his mom always tells him he is a baby and he fixated with the baby thing. Forcing him doesn't work (for obvious reasons) and he will just make himself throw it up. He has never starved himself and when he is hungry enough he'll eat what is put in front of him regardless of whether it is new or not. I've also heard it takes at least 5 times of trying something before one can determine whether they actually like it or not. So keep at it. I try to sneak veggies in where I can. I was told to try and puree like squash and mix it in with mac and cheese. It is hardly noticeable and the kids are still getting their veggies they need.

Answer 6

I would keep serving it to him and continue encouraging him to try it.  Give him a serving of each part of the meal (grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy, meat) and when he wants more of a specific part tell him he can have more once he has eaten the other parts of the meal.  It does not sound like your son is getting even a somewhat balanced diet.  Also, everyone in your family needs to be setting a positive example by eating healthy foods.  You could also try mixing in vegetable purees in different foods.  There is are a couple of different cookbooks containing recipes and instructions on how to do this.  I believe one is called "Deceptively Delicious" and is by Jessica Seinfeld.

Answer 7

Have him watch you eating whatever it is that you want him to try. Over exaggerate how yummy is and tell him that's what big boys eat.

Answer 8

Well you have enabled this behavior.  Stop.  Fix a meal and serve it.  If he "gags" or won't eat remove him from the table and don't let him have anything else to eat.  He is NOT going to starve by missing a meal or two...You have allowed him to behave this way so he has complete control over his eating habits.  Keep it up and all he will be eating for the rest of his life will be rice and pasta and no vegetables, no fruit, and he will begin to have digestive problems.