It seems that Hayden’s taste buds or eating habits have changed quite a bit lately. In the past, I would describe him as a GREAT eater. Now, I am struggling with finding things he will eat. In the picture above, he is eating one of his favorites (for now)…grilled cheese and fruit. He is lovin’ some fruit these days…grapes, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, mandarin oranges, cantaloupe, mangos, blueberries, etc. But, he can’t have grilled cheese for every meal! At least, I don’t want him to. I am sure he would love it! He loves having his oatmeal cereal in the mornings with applesauce. But, I tried fixing him some scrambled eggs the other day (which he has previously tried and liked) and no such luck. Spit them right out. Pancakes…nope, doesn’t like those either. Also, he would eat green beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, peas and carrots, etc. straight out of the can. Now, he will turn his little nose up and spit them right out after he tries them. On the peas and carrots, he will now just pick out the carrots and eat those and pick at the peas. Baked potato and mashed potatoes…used to love it. Now, he won’t eat it. Boxed Mac and Cheese…nope! Homemade …well that is a different story. He likes that pretty good-who doesn’t? We are still using some “baby food” veggies but he really is getting pretty picky about those too. With only 4 teeth, I feel like we are still somewhat limited on what he can eat. We do still pretty much let him try anything we are eating if we think he can tolerate or “chew” it. Basically, it is really hit or miss on whether he is going to like it or not. I don’t know…is this normal? Do babies taste buds change like this? It almost seemed like it happened overnight. Maybe he has had some “good stuff” and figures why should he eat nasty peas and carrots, when he can have a grilled cheese? Ha! So, I guess I am asking for “healthy and baby with 4 teeth friendly” suggestions or any advice you might have to offer!
On a totally different (and random) note…Do you have trouble keeping strawberries? Meaning, from turning bad quickly? I have! It seems when I would get them home from the store and wash them, they would turn yuck in the fridge. Or, if I left them on the counter (like they are in the store???) they would turn bad. Like in a day.
So, I started trying something new. I started washing them and laying them out on a towel to completely dry. Then, putting them in these bags…
And Viola! It worked!! It kept them fresh for about a week (until they were gone). I have used the Debbie Meyer green bags, but these Hefty bags seem to work just as good or better, they zip, and they are cheaper! I am not sure if letting the strawberries dry after washing them or the bags did the trick, but I am excited that I don’t feel like Hayden and I have to scarf a whole pint of strawberries down in one day (although I probably could since one time I broke out in hives I ate so many strawberries…I love them!) or throw them away and waste money. These bags also worked great for my “bagged” lettuce.
Ok, so again…if you have any suggestions for the eating habits craziness, I would love to hear them!
6 comments:
I think this is a common problem at this 'age'. aden is usually willing to try just about anything, and he likes most things, but there are some he REFUSES! He doesn't like anything mushy (mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, he says YUCK!) He LOVES fruit, toast with butter or jelly, oatmeal with fruit, strawberry flavoring in his milk, (will NOT drink it straight.) LOVES mexican type foods, mexican rice, re fried beans, animal cookies, cheese rollups (tortilla with cheese melted), sandwhiches (cheese) ....hmmmmmm....seems to be a theme here, huh? LOVES pineapple, bananas, strawberries, mandarin, olives, green beans (sometimes), he pretty much eats bites of what ever we are eating for dinner.
One of my friends who has 3 small children and is having her 4th next month told me I shouldn't worry so much about how many teeth they have to be able to eat certain foods. Because all the chewing happens in the jaw teeth anyway and they aren't going to have those for a long time. I have been surprised how well Kaden can eat lots of things now that I'm not scared to try things with him b/c he doesn't have enought teeth. However, we have 8 teeth! 4 on top, 4 on bottom. Good Luck!
Landree went through a little phase like this I think...she has always been a pretty good eater. I say just keep giving him all of it. Landree loved green beans and any kind of bean when she was little. Has he tried avocado? Try pasta too. I'll tell you other things as I think of them :)
Welcome to the mother-of-a-picky-eater club!. I'm here to tell you- I have NO advice! I know the foods that Parker likes (all 3 of them!)....and the ones she doesn't (most everything). The deal is...I have gotten into the bad habit of not even offering her the foods that I think she doesn't like because I don't want to waste it, but then at the same time, if I never offer it to her, then she'll really never know if she likes it! So anyway- all of that to say...I feel your pain! Geoff and I always say we are going to do food different for Grace, but we'll see. I think it's their personality! And tastebuds! Haha!
As far as another suggestion on foods to offer that are soft and safe for him to eat....they have these ABC shaped organic dry pasta noodles that I have found at BabiesRUs....and I USED to make these and cook them long enough so they were so soft, almost smooshy,then mix them with some spaghetti sauce (counts as a vegetable) and she loved them (she never really liked spaghetti-o's, but those are soft too and he might would like them). She doesn't like them anymore, but she did at Hayden's age. :)
Thanks for the strawberry tip. I used to have that problem, too, but then I figured out that if I only washed the ones that I needed, thus leaving on the strawberrie's 'normal flora' that they stayed fresh a whole lot longer. The downside to this....they aren't always washed, making it not as convenient to grab (i.e. I am lazy)....and so end up sometimes wasting them, too! So your tip would actually help out a whole lot!
Sorry to have written a novel! :)
First of all...thanks for the tip on how to keep strawberries FRESH! I'll be buying some of those baggies next time I'm at the store.
Secondly...I'm starting my diet on May 1. This was a bad week to even try, so I thought May 1 would be more appropriate (ha ha).
Third...I can't help you a whole lot on eating habits. Barrett (as you know) is super picky! It was an "all of the sudden" thing too. Try some peanut butter (Simply Jiff) and jelly sandwiches on whole wheat bread, Graduates Li'l Sticks, rice mixed with carrots or peas, corn, lunch meat, pasta (Spaghetti Os)....hmmmmm I'll keep thinking.
Payton went through that a couple of weeks ago. I got rid of ALL baby food. She pretty much wasted anything that I opened. Although my child eats almost anything... there are only a few foods she eats as well. We eat chicken nuggets, grilled cheese, deli ham, or deli turkey. She will eat grapes and bananas, but really the only thing she eats each day is madarin oranges. That is why we don't really eat breakfast anymore because she won't eat anything. When we have bananas I give her that and maybe a frozen waflle heated up in the microwave. Oh and I forgot she eats shredded cheese. She won't eat veggies. She stopped this awhile back. Which I need to offer to her again and see what she does... but we are limited to what she will eat too!! So this is completely normal.. haha well I am guessing... !!!
Okay, here are some more things kaden is eating well at the moment, avacado slices, tomatoes with the peel off, hot dogs cut them half the size of a pencil eraser, spiral/penne pasta (but he doesn't like tomato spaghetti sauces, won't eat spaghetti o's or ravioli. Loves Gerber Graduates turkey gravy and rice toddler meals. Loves the all meat sticks (be careful of the skin on it though) Those were some more things I thought of as we eat the last couple of days.
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