16mth Old Diet

[pebilz]

I think I need a bit of help with my daughters diet. I have been given a list from my ECHN on portion sizes and how many per day and I just can't seem to fit it all in - it's as if there aren't enough meal times in the day for her to eat all that. She will have carbs (bread, cereal, rice, pasta) approx 3 times a day, dairy 3 times, fruit 2 times and vegies once but just not enough I don't think.

The biggest issue I feel is that she is now refusing all vegetables but roast potatoes and carrots. That is literally the only thing she will eat. She used to eat anything as long as it wasn't green but now will not. No corn, no mushrooms, etc. I'm at my wits end as to what to do. I offer a selection at every meal but it's getting to be beyond a joke.

Any suggestions? The only thing I can think of is pasta related as she'll eat that regardless what's on it so does anyone have a pasta sauce recipe that is just pureed up vegies that actually tastes nice? My daughter has the same meals as us so I want her to have something different.

I'm tempted to give her a daily vitamin to make up for what she's missing out on but it's not really the path I want to go down.

What can I do? If she's not hungry I can't force her to eat but how do I choose what's the most important to give her?

Thanks guys

[Rell]

I wouldn't worry too much. Most todldler go through this at some time. My DS will only eat potato and pumpkin, I can get him to eat other but only if they are gratted into a meal. Unfortunatly his fruit consumption is worse, he will only eat bananas which is a very expensive habit. Again I have to hide the fruit in muffins and in his porrage.
I think you are on the right track by continuing to offer the food, if they are hungery they will eventualy eat it.
Personaly I wouldn't worry about vitamins unless your DD is constantly getting sick. Eventualy they will become less fussy (well I hope:o )

[Chumps]

I'd be surprised if there were many people who managed to get their children to eat all the foods covered in the nutrition guidelines...

Likewise for the amounts that adults are meant to consume as part of the guidelines. I feel like if I were to eat everything I'm meant too in any given day - I'd be continually grazing :p.

[jembelina]

Like everyone else has said, I wouldn't worry. The selection of vegies ds will consume is also minimal adn some times I think i'm onto a good thing then he refuses it the next time I offer!? I make a basic tomatoe pasta sauce and add grated (on the fine bit, so literally no 'bits' for them to find!) carrot, zucchini, red capsicum and chopped olives - you could add whatever you like. Sautee onion and garlic, add chopped tinned toms. Season with mixed herbs, powdered chicken stock and a little raw sugar. Sorry, it's an off the top of my head type recipe so you will need to fiddle with the seasoning but it always turns out yummy!You could do the same with bolognaise sauce too.

Good luck - I know how frustrating it can be!!!

[Tam-I-Am]

I often wonder if CMHN are paid per mother they send away feeling insecure about what they are doing.

Most toddlers, I have recently found out (thanks to the lovely MarthaM) go through an appetite slump and it can be quite hard to get food into them, she posted this (http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article.asp?articleID=1702) link - have a look, I found it quite reassuring.

As for what to feed your DD - the pasta sauce idea is an excellent one if she love pasta, and I agree with jembelina - just finely grate vegies and pop them in. My pasta sauces go something like this:

500g mince beef
1 chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 tins of crushed tomatos
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 finely grated carrot
1 finely grated zuccini
4 - 6 chopped mushrooms
salt+pepper to taste

Sautee the onion and garlic in a little olive oil. When transparent, add the minced beef, fry until brown. Add all other ingredients. Simmer until the right consistency, tasting occassionally and adding seasoning as required.

Lately we've been using a tomato paste that has herbs added, I think its a leggo's one, and it really adds something to the sauce - its great.

This sauce can also really easily be made into lasagne - you just need fresh lasagne sheets and some white sauce:

1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon butter
milk
salt+pepper to taste

Over a low heat melt the butter. Using a whisk, add the flour and mix until a paste is formed. Cook gently until the paste is bubbling, stirring occasionally (be careful not to let it burn). Take off the heat. Add milk slowly, mixing with whisk, until desired consisency is reached. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Then you just layer the meat sauce, pasta sheet, meat sauce, pasta sheet etc. Top with a pasta sheet, pour the white sauce over the top. you can finish it with some fresh grated parmesan. Pop it in a moderate (ie 180 degree) oven for approx 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown - its delicious!

Good luck!

[pebilz]

Thanks everyone. Thank you too to Jembelina and Clarabelle for your recipes. I think are probably the way to go. Lucky we are pasta lovers in this house!!

:smiliedance:

[Tannie]

Yep - don't worry about it! The more YOU stress about food - the worse it'll get for all -will become a battleground and she will quickly learn that she can get up your nose through refusing food etc. Does she get her requirements of milk? If you are worried, add some Toddler formula to the nighttime bottle - it has lots of goodies in it! I usually just do this if my 17 month old doesn't eat much dinner.......she is healthy as they come and eats lots sometimes, little other times.
T

[nkenward]

I think sometimes vegetables need to be interesting. I know I get sick of the same vegies - cook the same way all the time. Maybe add something of interest - cheesy white sauce with cauliflower - yum. Drizzle a little honey/maple syrup over carrots/parsnip. Make a shepherds pie with mash potato&pumpkin.

A vegetable dish I have made for my step kids & husband (both very poor eaters when it comes to vegies).

Line a pie dish with cooked rice.
Fill in a mound a chunky mix of vegies that have been partly steamed - carrots, zucchini, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, parsnips and any other hardy vegetable. Cover in a cheese white sauce (lots of it).
Sprinkle with extra cheese & sesame seeds.
Bake in a moderate oven till cooked through.

It was a big winner - especially with brussel sprouts!!! They said they didn't like them - but they didn't even know what they were.

[jessgray]

my ds is going through a phase of refusing either lunch or dinner lol but he eats breakfast, morning tea and afternoon tea and either lunch or dinner. he eats alot of fruit and veg but isnt keen on meat anymore. so i give him a multi vitamin to make sure he doesnt get low in iron.
last week ds decided he would only eat vegimite on toast with sprinkles (no butter) lol the week before that everything but breakfast had to have tomato sauce on it lol
my mchn isnt worried about ds's diet, she said he was one the most healthy eaters she sees ( she told me a story of how a boy ds's age drank coke in his bottle and ate macca's all the time). i dont worry abotu how much ds eats coz when he is due for a growth spurt he doubles his food intake and when he is teethink he cuts down.