As the years have gone by, Samuel has gotten more particular about the food he eats. I have noticed he reacts to the smell and the texture. Years ago, he ate all his baby food just fine and started out on table food, but by the time he was three or four he would no longer eat pasta, with the exception of macaroni and cheese. He began to turn that away at about age six, at which time he would no longer eat hamburgers that I cooked at home (he eats fast food burgers without a problem).
Anyways, his repertoire of mealtime entrees now consists of chicken nuggets, fish sticks, pizza, grilled cheese and hot dogs. Even though he is rather particular, I feel fortunate that he eats the "variety" of food that he does. He eats canned green beans and carrots, applesauce, canned peaches and pears, raisins, and fresh apples and grapes. For convenience sake, especially having to deal with additional siblings and a husband to feed, for several years I did not push the issue of expanding the food horizons of any of my children. That is beginning to change. On the evenings that I don't prepare spicy food for the adults, I have been getting my children to sample other food. It has been going quite well, especially with my youngest son and daughter. Samuel, on the other hand, hasn't been so cooperative.
On Sunday I prepared a roasted chicken for dinner. I decided to throw down the gauntlet with Samuel and make him sample it. He protested loudly and ran away from the table. I let him sit in the family room adjacent to our kitchen while we ate. I did not give in and prepare a few chicken nuggets for him like I usually do. My husband and I kept telling him, "This is what your chicken nuggets are made of. This is "real" chicken!" The rest of us ate and went on our way. As I was doing the dishes, before I really even had a chance to think about Samuel eating, he came into the kitchen and said "Okay, I'm hungry, I'll eat chicken." (There was a tone of defeat in his voice - he can be so dramatic!) I sat with him and put a small bite of chicken on his fork. He smelled it as I put it to his mouth and he started to balk, but I urged him to try. At first he just touched it with his lips and within several tries he ate it! Then he ate the rest of it himself. I couldn't get him to touch the steamed carrots and mashed potatoes, but I was still thrilled with this little victory!
Anyways, his repertoire of mealtime entrees now consists of chicken nuggets, fish sticks, pizza, grilled cheese and hot dogs. Even though he is rather particular, I feel fortunate that he eats the "variety" of food that he does. He eats canned green beans and carrots, applesauce, canned peaches and pears, raisins, and fresh apples and grapes. For convenience sake, especially having to deal with additional siblings and a husband to feed, for several years I did not push the issue of expanding the food horizons of any of my children. That is beginning to change. On the evenings that I don't prepare spicy food for the adults, I have been getting my children to sample other food. It has been going quite well, especially with my youngest son and daughter. Samuel, on the other hand, hasn't been so cooperative.
On Sunday I prepared a roasted chicken for dinner. I decided to throw down the gauntlet with Samuel and make him sample it. He protested loudly and ran away from the table. I let him sit in the family room adjacent to our kitchen while we ate. I did not give in and prepare a few chicken nuggets for him like I usually do. My husband and I kept telling him, "This is what your chicken nuggets are made of. This is "real" chicken!" The rest of us ate and went on our way. As I was doing the dishes, before I really even had a chance to think about Samuel eating, he came into the kitchen and said "Okay, I'm hungry, I'll eat chicken." (There was a tone of defeat in his voice - he can be so dramatic!) I sat with him and put a small bite of chicken on his fork. He smelled it as I put it to his mouth and he started to balk, but I urged him to try. At first he just touched it with his lips and within several tries he ate it! Then he ate the rest of it himself. I couldn't get him to touch the steamed carrots and mashed potatoes, but I was still thrilled with this little victory!
7 comments:
Yay! My son is neophobic and has an extremely limited diet, so I love celebrating any and every food victory!
That's great!!! Good job!
Wow! Well you should be thrilled. We're still at 17 and holding. He's waiting for December - he tells me he hates November [turkey month] as he is allergic to turkeys!
I settle for a chicken nugget myself, but my standards are at rock bottom!
Cheers
Junior and Noddy both have limited diets and odd eating behaviors. For instance junior eats the crust of a sandwhich and leaves the middle.
Noddy will not eat white bread and only eats the kind with "seeds" on top. Noddy hates "bumpy jelly" and will only eat jam. Junior will only eat peanut butter.
Chicken is a big favorite but must be "Tyson chicken nuggets". Noddy will eat chicken wings.
It is a big deal when they try something different.
Has to be Tyson chicken nuggets in our family too. All the boys notice when I try to serve them a different brand. I can understand why, there tends to be a big difference between the texture and the spices in the breading of the different brands. There are even differences between the ones Tyson serves. Maybe different plants that make them form them differently. We notice sometimes they are flatter and occasionally we'll see them with pepper or some kind of spice in the breading. They hate that. I don't mind eating one or two of them on occasion either!
That's fantastic! Good job, Sam!
My son had some aversions and gagging. Now, at 11, the child is going to grow up to be a foodie.
Now if we could just get him to NOT crawl under his desk at school...
Apart from the hot dogs, Samuels list of food is pretty much the same as Beauty's.I regularly try new foods with her but as yet I have encountered a blank refusal. The only vegetable she will eat are potatoes, my brother was the same growing up,he only ate fries!!
My brother is now 6ft 2in's and one of the fittest guys I know so I try not to worry too much and I am sure that time will help to resolve the situation.
Brilliant news though with Samuel and the chicken, I think I shall try chicken again with Beauty.
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