Lunch Help

[Unregistered]

I need some suggestions for lunch ideas for a very picky eater. I have a dcg (3 yrs old) that doesn't eat hardly anything I put in front of her unless it is macaroni and cheese. I don't even make macaroni and cheese once a week. I give balanced lunches, but find I'm throwing a lot of food away.

She doesn't eat meat except salami, pepperoni and chicken nuggets (if you consider those meat) . I don't keep any of those in the house. She won't eat vegetables and will sometimes eat grapes and mandarin oranges for fruit. Her parents insist she eats everything at home, so I'm not sure what to do.

[LoraJenkins]

:hug:I recently had the same issue with a 2.5 year old DCB and let it worry me to death. Finally, with the help of advice from this group, I have learned to serve a healthy lunch and if the child decides not to eat it so be it. All you can do is offer the meal. They can choose to eat or not. Don't let it become a battle and stresser for you. She will eat when she is hungry

[Blackcat31]

I need some suggestions for lunch ideas for a very picky eater. I have a dcg (3 yrs old) that doesn't eat hardly anything I put in front of her unless it is macaroni and cheese. I don't even make macaroni and cheese once a week. I give balanced lunches, but find I'm throwing a lot of food away.

She doesn't eat meat except salami, pepperoni and chicken nuggets (if you consider those meat) . I don't keep any of those in the house. She won't eat vegetables and will sometimes eat grapes and mandarin oranges for fruit. Her parents insist she eats everything at home, so I'm not sure what to do.

Stop catering to her pickiness.

Make a well balanced lunch and serve it. Stick to YOUR meal times.

If she eats, she eats.

If she doesn't, then she doesn't. HER choice.

[My3cents]

keep serving those foods to her. She might only be introduced to good foods at your home- and this will help her now and later in life.

I highly agree with the two post above mine-

[TwinKristi]

Stop catering to her pickiness.

Make a well balanced lunch and serve it. Stick to YOUR meal times.

If she eats, she eats.

If she doesn't, then she doesn't. HER choice.

I was shocked when a DCB ate green peas last week when he has refused any and all green foods for a year now! I have to sneak stuff in but he's doing so much better now seeing the other kids eat things as well. And if he's hungry, he will eat!

[sharlan]

I love picky eaters, not. My 2 grandsons are the worst.

One thing my daycare kids have fallen in love with is tostadas. I put refried beans on hard tostada shells with a sprinkling of cheese and lettuce. Then I break them up like chips. They love having chips for lunch. ( I add a vegetable and fruit with it.)

[Jennie M. Martin]

Lunch Idea

You can try these lunch ideas
1) Grated or small cubes of cheese with whole grain crackers
2) A small muffin and orange wedges
3)Whole grain crackers, toast or rice cakes thinly spread with peanut butter, mashed avocado, or non-hydrogenated margarine
4) Banana bread thinly spread with peanut butter or other nut or seed butter
Sometimes, for my daughter I also try one of these.

[AmyKidsCo]

Stop catering to her pickiness.

Make a well balanced lunch and serve it. Stick to YOUR meal times.

If she eats, she eats.

If she doesn't, then she doesn't. HER choice.

Ditto. The bigger deal you make of it the more she'll hang on to that control.

If you're tired of wasting the food just give her a tiny amount of everything, telling her she can have more if she wants. The Food Program says you need to have the minimums available; not that you've got to serve the minimums.

Remember, it's your job to provide healthy food, it's her job to decide what and how much to eat.

[Heidi]

Ditto all of the above, although I'd probably limit serving fruit and any simple grains for a while.