Doesn't want to eat anything but sweet stuff :(

[Cynvero]

Hi everybody! I'm a bit concern since my 11 m.o. little man doesn't want to eat what he used to.
Some time ago, he was eating well, I mean veggies, meats, pasta, etc. He had a gastric bug a month ago and didn't want to eat at that time. I thought it was something temporary and he would come to normal after a week or so. But now he only wants sweet food, i.e. yogurt, custard, cereals with apple or fruit, banana, apple, rice crackers, and things like those. He recognizes the jar and open his mouth for them, but starts crying and screaming when attempting to give him veggies or chicken or those ready to eat jars.
We have tried many ways, like distracting him (it works sometimes), mixing the food with sweet ones, taking time waiting for him to change his behaviour, and so forth.
I really don't know what else to do... he is becoming a fussy eating and I don't want him to have nutritional problems.
Have any of you had the same problem? Can you please give me some ideas?
Thank you!

[CitrusRain]

No advice sorry. I'm in the same boat with my just turned 12 month old (10 1/2 months corrected) DS so I'd love to see what others say about it. I hope someone has some advice for you! (and me!)

[Cynvero]

Well, "good" to hear I'm not the only one...
I'm very happy today because he ate everything without any tantrum... I don't know why but he finished all the bowl... Let's see what happen tomorrow...

[2bubba]

Hi
I have a 22 month old and a 7 month old. If my kids don't eat what I have given them and they have had it in the past they get nothing else until next meal and depending on the meal they get what they didnt eat before, for the 22 month old one anyway. We were told to do this by the health nurse, they will eat when they are hungry. I'm happy if they have one mouth full. So if they have some I will give them fruit or whatever. If it is something new if he tries it and does like it I give him the fruit or whatever.

Hope this helps you

[Hollywood]

Do you make any homemade food? My DD is only 6.5 months old and the only time I resort to jars/sachets of food is when we're out. Even at her age she has an absolute preference for homemade food and it's really hard to get her to eat any of the jar food, and I haven't even tried her with the savoury jars as I know she would refuse. They do taste pretty ghastly if you ask me, so I don't blame her.

What homemade savoury dishes have you tried giving her?

[Opinionated]

Just keep offering the savoury stuff. If it doesn't get eaten, don't then offer sweet, count it as not very hungry. My nephew has huge food issues because he would keep refusing to eat until he got what he wanted.

I would also start letting him have more choices by using blw methods. Sit him in a high chair, pop some steamed vegies on the tray and leave him to it. I cannot recommend it more highly for raising non fussy eaters. At 11 months the favourite food for my kids was pasta bolognaise. It wasn't just the taste, it was the fantastic mess and squish factor it made. Food should be fun.

[Elijahs Mum]

^^^^^i agree, try let him feed himself and just feed him what you have for dinner ( as long as it is healthy!)

I was reading that a babies "caveman" instinct sets in around this age, meaning their natural instinct to survive only eating foods they recognize and resist trying new things as a way to protect themselves which is apparently why toddlers start to get fussy? ( no idea if it's true but it makes sense!) Maybe after your baby was sick it's natural instinct was to stay with what he knows?

Anyway, just try fresh healthy food, just simply steam some veggies and cut into sticks/wedges he can hold ( broccoli, sweet potato, beans, ) or try capsicum or cucumber sticks with dips once he gets used to that just poach or steam some chicken breast or grill lamb cutlets or as opinionated said, pasta or noodles and let him try those

[Opinionated]

Oh and let him eat what you are eating and eat with him. Babies love to copy and eating is a social activity.