My son keeps refusing to eat supper. Any suggestions?

Question

Our other children eat just fine, or at least they will always try what is put before them. But our 5-year-old son is very picky and will refuse to eat a bite of supper (if it's not something he likes) and only drink his milk.

They say "kids will eat if they are hungry" but our son goes to bed almost every night hungry because of his pickiness.

Any suggestions?

I am not going to fix special or different food just for him, so please don't suggest that. Thanks!

Answer 1

Try making eating fun.. like make his food into a shape or something

Answer 2

Make it clear for him that what's on the table is there to be eaten for giving him nutrients and making him full, not serving his taste buds. And don't make special meals just for him.

Answer 3

don't feed him supper i have 2 children that don't like it ,,, they will ocashionly eat breakfast cereals for supper

Answer 4

Well, if he isn't going to eat dinner, don't allow him to eat junk.

Make a rule in your house(if you don't already have it) that everyone should try at least one regular sized bite of something before saying they don't like it.

If he truly cannot handle eating whatever it is you are having, and he has tried it, then maybe a simple sandwich would be fine.

Just no desert or snacks if he can't eat regular food first.

Good luck!

Answer 5

Don't give him milk at the table because he'll get full on that.  Don't make an issue out of it in front of him.  Explan that he will NOT be getting anything else to eat, he eats what's on the plate and that is it.  Maybe walk out of the room, if he's really hungry he'll eat it when you're out of site !  A couple of days like this, he might not even eat when you're out of the room, but he will do after a few days.  I understand your worry, but he's obviously not hungry so he's not being starved !

Good Luck.

My daughter is a fussy eater and just picks at her food.  But she doesn't seem hungry later on at night, so she's fine.  Kids eh ! lol

Answer 6

Take away his milk. If he drinks it, he's no longer hungry. Replace it w/ a glass of water.

Answer 7

continue to give him small meals with  healthy snacks during the day.  it's hot and most of us slow our appetites this time of year.  be sure he has a healthy snack before bed, so that he isn't hungry.  it'll help him sleep better.  don't fight this one.  there will be bigger battles that need your attention in the future.  don't cater to his needs -he can eat at least 5 bites (his age) of each meal before he leaves the table.

Answer 8

I do not like letting children go to bed hungry. i also do not believe you should make meal time a battle.

I try to make things I know my kids will eat. if I want something i know they won't eat.. I try to make a kid friendly version for them.

Why don't you just make him a peanut butter and jelly if he hates what you're having and tell him to grab a piece of fruit? But I would INSIST that he take a *polite bite* of what you're having, so that you know he's at least giving it a try.

Imagine if someone served you something that found repulsive.. like cow kidneys and monkey brains. You wouldn't want to eat that, right? Not even to be polite.

It's rude to assume that your kids will like everything you put on their plate and even worse to make them eat something they genuinely don't like.

Give him a pb/j and fruit. I mean.. this is silly.

Edit:It's always funny that I get thumbed down because I wouldn't let my children be miserable. LOL

Answer 9

i wouldn't fix anything special.

i would tell him fine, go to your room until everyone else is finished.

if he's hungry, he'll eat...eventually he'll get the hint

Answer 10

I took away the milk. My kids aren't allowed to have their cups until they eat at least half of their food. I have found that if they fill up to quickly on the liquids they won't eat their food.  How is your son on the growth chart with his weight and height? If he is normal I wouldn't be to concerned. If he is below average, maybe you could give him a special "milk  shake" of  Pedisure before bedtime. I don't feel that he should be punished for not wanting to eat. You can also try eliminating any snacking for up to two or three hours before supper time. Physical activities also work up more of an appetite.

Answer 11

Cut down on his milk intake a bit, and give him water instead--sometimes kids will drink too much milk and will fill up and then will flat out refuse to eat food.

Tell him that he is not allowed to leave the table until he tries at least one bite. If he sits there for an hour, so be it. If he throws a tantrum, put his meal in the fridge and reheat it for his next meal (breakfast the next morning) and send him to his room for the rest of the night after he tries a bite.

Answer 12

I think this might be a five year old thing - there are a lot of parents of this age group having the same problem.

Watch how tired he is though, can you feed him earlier? I know my five year old often doesn't eat all his food if he is tired, sometimes won't eat any of it, and he's a lot naughtier when he's tired too. I try to get food served before 6pm but I can't always do it.

Answer 13

Some things you might try:

(1) Have him help cook--then he has a vested interest in what's on his plate.

(2) Require that he eat a certain amount of _______ before he can have anything else. If he won't eat it for dinner, he gets it for breakfast, and if not for breakfast, then for lunch. Not that he has to eat it all, but he has to have tried everything. He is finding enough other food in the day that going to bed hungry is not enough of a punishment

(3) Praise your other kids for trying their meals instead of focusing on your son who is not eating. That way to get attention, your son might try eating. Then you can lavish the praise. But don't give up on your other strategy.

(4) find positive rewards (like dessert, family activities, etc.) that only those who try everything on their plate get to do. You can make the focus that only babies drink only milk, and he can decide if he is a baby and needs to go to bed and not have fun with the family or if he is a big boy and can try what is on his plate and have fun with everyone together .

You are doing great. Just keep it up, and hope that this is just a phase. Every kid is different and responds to different things! Good luck.

Answer 14

maybe he just isn't hungry that time of day, fix him dinner for breakfast or lunch then when he snacks it won't matter.  My oldest son ate all the time but my youngest is picky so I feed him lunch for breakfast, snacks for lunch and breakfast for dinner weird I know but some battled are easy to overcome.  And as for as the milk drinking maybe add some supplements or vitamins to it.  I have a friend who starved her kids for a whole day because of the same problem they did eat dinner that night but that's not the way I would go, to each it's own.  You can either strave him or change the menu believe me it's going to go his way in the end.  Good luck!!!

Answer 15

just give him 5 bucks per dinner

Answer 16

Maybe you can mix Carnation or whatever that stuff is called into his milk so he'll get more nutrition! That's what they did with my little stepbrother. He's 10 now and eats like a pig! lol. Don't worry, he'll grow out of it!!!!!

Answer 17

Well first of all SMART that you refuse to fix special or different food for him. It's good to show care for your children but then they'll get spoiled.

The same thing is happening in my family with my 7 year old sister. She's the only one living in our home who won't eat what we eat ussually.

What I'm suggesting is that maybe you try to talk to him about the different reasons that he NEEDS to eat.

I also think Pediasure is something that could possibly work. My sister started drinking about 2 weeks ago, and we have seen some improvement. Try http://pediasure.com/info.aspx

Hope this helps! :) good luck!

Answer 18

kids WILL eat if they are hungry.

if hes not snacking through the day and is on a regular schedule then he will eat if he is hungry.

he wont starve himself.

also, try not putting the milk in front of him UNTIL he has eaten some food. It will fill him up and not make him hungry anyways. and make sure he isnt drinking alot of liquids before supper either.

you shouldnt make him other things. he will just end up a spoiled brat.