Default Style Register
Daycare.com Forum
Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Curious How You Handle Picky Eaters
Baby Beluga 01:11 PM 08-22-2014
Curious....let's say each time you serve a meal a child only eats one component of their meal (say fruit for example), leaves the rest of the meal but asks for more fruit. Do you give them more fruit? Or do you require them to try or finish the rest of what is on their plate before getting more fruit?
Reply
sarah's butterflies 01:35 PM 08-22-2014
If my class doesn't like veggies I do this..

1- lets count how many carrots you have in your plate
2- lets see who has more carrots in their plate(the children start to actually look at what is being serve)
3-lets count by eating our carrots
or who ever finished their carrots first wins(some will look around to see who of their friends are doing it and will at least try it and others will want to win the race and will eat it all)
I also demonstrate how we eat and count our carrots at the same time...everyday I will ask ...what vegetables do we have today? I never force them to eat it but I do talk a lot about the importance of eating our veggies and make it fun...a parent at the daycare center that I work at was impress and happy that I got her son to eat veggies..i also gave the mom tips of how to make eating veggies fun when eating with him and the family at home.
hope this helps..by the way this boy loves to count and that is why I did the counting game
Reply
Blackcat31 02:06 PM 08-22-2014
I serve. They eat.

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.

I don't force, beg, plead or use any type of game/trick to get a kid to eat.

We role model healthy eating and good manners.

It's up to the child it eat. or not.

I don't stress about eating issues. ever.

I did all those things with my own kids though.
Reply
AmyKidsCo 02:07 PM 08-22-2014
I choose what foods to serve, they choose what & how much to eat. Everyone gets seconds of everything, regardless of what else they did or didn't eat. I don't give thirds. If all you eat is fruit you may be hungry, but we'll eat again after a while.
Reply
e.j. 02:14 PM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
Curious....let's say each time you serve a meal a child only eats one component of their meal (say fruit for example), leaves the rest of the meal but asks for more fruit. Do you give them more fruit? Or do you require them to try or finish the rest of what is on their plate before getting more fruit?
I see it as my job to prepare and serve healthy food and the kids' job to decide whether to eat that food or not. I try not to make a big deal of it if I have a picky eater. With that in mind......I'll give a second serving of something even if the child doesn't eat anything else on their plate. If they ask for a third, they have to wait until everyone else who wants a 2nd serving gets it. If there's anything left, they can have a third serving but not a 4th until everyone else who wants a third serving gets it and so on. When that food runs out, I tell the kids that we don't have any more and if they're still hungry, they'll need to eat what's left on their plate. Sometimes they will and sometimes they won't. I'm good either way.
Reply
spinnymarie 03:00 PM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.
We do this too. Interested to see what other people do as well.
Reply
Baby lady 03:50 PM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I serve. They eat.

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.
Originally Posted by spinnymarie:
We do this too. Interested to see what other people do as well.
This is what I do also.

I had a breakthrough success with this today, dcg 21m who has mostly been unwilling to eat veggies ate 3 servings of broccoli and mac-n-cheese

I said "this is why we just keep trying"
Reply
Controlled Chaos 03:58 PM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I serve. They eat.

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.

I don't force, beg, plead or use any type of game/trick to get a kid to eat.

We role model healthy eating and good manners.

It's up to the child it eat. or not.

I don't stress about eating issues. ever.

I did all those things with my own kids though.
I do the same, though I am baffled by a dkb I have now. Normally after a month they start eating more once they realize the program. This little boy only eats fruits and crackers or muffins here. No sandwiches, noodles, cheese, not a single vegetable, no yogurt... he is not underweight though...I think he just eats lots of fries at home

But I don't fight about it. I do encourage him to touch all food to his tongue so he is getting more comfortable with other foods. Baby steps
Reply
Heidi 04:42 PM 08-22-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I serve. They eat.

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.

I don't force, beg, plead or use any type of game/trick to get a kid to eat.

We role model healthy eating and good manners.

It's up to the child it eat. or not.

I don't stress about eating issues. ever.

I did all those things with my own kids though.


But, one way I avoid this conflict is that I never serve fruit with lunch. Lots of veggies! I also make only the minimum of the protein and grain, but there are always extra veggies. Most of mine eat veggies just fine, except one little dude (20 mo) who would eat nothing but cheese if he had his way. Parents and I both agreed: We serve cheese not-so-often right now. He's literally obsessed with cheese.
Reply
lynne 08:25 PM 08-22-2014
I've got a really picky eater... He's a carb kid and this last week we had pasta and red sauce with cheese..He took one look and started screaming, same thing with tacos earlier this week. he just turned two and is a special snowflake. If he doesn't like what it looks like he screams. I'm out of ideas and wondered if anyone had some ideas to help me. TIA! In fact he's screaming all the time. He brings toys from home and screams when anyone walks by him. So no more toys from home, mom wont step up so I have to...My house my rules!

Reply
midaycare 08:31 PM 08-22-2014
I don't serve seconds if they don't finish their plate. I have hungry kids here everyday. I have several new ones trying to get used to healthier foods.
Reply
e.j. 02:58 PM 08-23-2014
Originally Posted by lynne:
I've got a really picky eater... He's a carb kid and this last week we had pasta and red sauce with cheese..He took one look and started screaming, same thing with tacos earlier this week. he just turned two and is a special snowflake. If he doesn't like what it looks like he screams. I'm out of ideas and wondered if anyone had some ideas to help me. TIA! In fact he's screaming all the time. He brings toys from home and screams when anyone walks by him. So no more toys from home, mom wont step up so I have to...My house my rules!
I've got a "carb kid", too. She's 5 and I've had her in my care since she was about 9 mo. Instead of screaming, she used to whine and cry. Now, she just says, "I'm not hungry." She used to be a pretty good eater when she was younger but that changed all of a sudden. I can't remember the last time she actually ate anything for lunch. She'll eat corn bread for morning snack if I serve it and she'll eat crackers at afternoon snack if they're being served but otherwise, she eats nothing all day long. She's got to be hungry but I gave up the hope that she'd break down and eat something a long time ago.
Reply
lynne 05:09 PM 08-23-2014
The thing is I know mom cooks him whatever he wants....I feel sorry for him because he's missing out on so many different tastes and textures. Food is fun! And he's doing the same thing as your's e.j. The screaming is whats bothering me though, if he doesnt want to eat fine, I dont really care. But the tantrums are getting out of hand.
Reply
debbiedoeszip 06:58 AM 08-24-2014
Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo:
I choose what foods to serve, they choose what & how much to eat. Everyone gets seconds of everything, regardless of what else they did or didn't eat. I don't give thirds. If all you eat is fruit you may be hungry, but we'll eat again after a while.
This.
Reply
BigLittleHomeDaycare 01:36 PM 08-24-2014
Originally Posted by lynne:
I've got a really picky eater... He's a carb kid and this last week we had pasta and red sauce with cheese..He took one look and started screaming, same thing with tacos earlier this week. he just turned two and is a special snowflake. If he doesn't like what it looks like he screams. I'm out of ideas and wondered if anyone had some ideas to help me. TIA! In fact he's screaming all the time. He brings toys from home and screams when anyone walks by him. So no more toys from home, mom wont step up so I have to...My house my rules!
I think we have the same kid. He only asks for chicken and potato chips. I don't serve either. I do homemade breaded chicken. He wont eat that at all. Just the crackers that get served at snack time. After the screaming he then runs around with his plate trying to put it somewhere else because he doesn't want it near him. Sooo frustrating.
Reply
e.j. 05:53 PM 08-24-2014
Originally Posted by lynne:
The thing is I know mom cooks him whatever he wants....
Yeah, I think my dcg's parents give her what she likes as soon as she gets home. She's hungry while she's here but she gets through the day because she knows as long as she holds out without eating, she'll get what she wants once she gets home. DC parents tell me they don't cater to her but my dd babysits from time to time and says that's not true at all based on what she's seen while she's there.
Reply
craftymissbeth 05:57 PM 08-24-2014
Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
I serve. They eat.

No seconds here for anything unless your plate is clean.

I don't force, beg, plead or use any type of game/trick to get a kid to eat.

We role model healthy eating and good manners.

It's up to the child it eat. or not.

I don't stress about eating issues. ever.

I did all those things with my own kids though.

This is what I do too.
Reply
Baby Beluga 08:20 PM 08-24-2014
Thanks so much everyone for your input!

I have always had the rule of thumb: Eat all that is on your plate before you get seconds of anything. I do it with my own child and do it with the DKCs I have now. Another provider in my area and I were talking about this and she said in her opinion that rule was mean, so I was curious how you all handled it.
Reply
Rachel 10:34 PM 08-24-2014
We are not allowed to reward or punish with food. I serve family style and put a little on each plate to start. As others have said, everyone needs a chance for seconds / thirds before someone gets more. But because I don't have huge eaters, my first portions are usually only 1/3 - 1/2 of a "portion." (we have to serve them ridiculous amounts that they almost never eat), so even if I give a kid second or thirds, really they just ate the original amount I should have served them to start (but would have thrown out if they left it over).
Reply
SSWonders 04:39 AM 08-25-2014
I don't give seconds unless they at least try everything they have. I don't require them to eat all of it as long as they've tried it. That being said, once I know a child well enough to know what he will and will not eat, I put larger amounts of the things I know they will eat on their plates.
Reply
melilley 05:52 AM 08-25-2014
Originally Posted by e.j.:
I see it as my job to prepare and serve healthy food and the kids' job to decide whether to eat that food or not. I try not to make a big deal of it if I have a picky eater. With that in mind......I'll give a second serving of something even if the child doesn't eat anything else on their plate. If they ask for a third, they have to wait until everyone else who wants a 2nd serving gets it. If there's anything left, they can have a third serving but not a 4th until everyone else who wants a third serving gets it and so on. When that food runs out, I tell the kids that we don't have any more and if they're still hungry, they'll need to eat what's left on their plate. Sometimes they will and sometimes they won't. I'm good either way.
This is what I do.
I do however, encourage them to try the other food if they aren't eating it.
We have a saying "try it, you might like it". My 3 yo dcg tells everyone this when they don't eat something....lol
Reply
Play Care 05:53 AM 08-25-2014
Originally Posted by :
She's got to be hungry but I gave up the hope that she'd break down and eat something a long time ago.
I have found that with my truly "picky" eaters they will not eat what they do not want to eat - no matter what. So I offer healthy choices and they can chose to eat or not. Depending on their behavior otherwise is the deciding factor on if I keep them...or not. I've had kids be picky but otherwise they were great. I've had picky kids whine, fuss and cry (and generally make everyone else miserable) because of hunger and they were sent on their way.
Reply
christine19720 08:03 AM 08-25-2014
My job is to serve healthy nutritious food. The child's job is to eat. I serve food whether the child chooses to eat it or not is not my concern or job, I don't play food police and the child doesn't get to "pick" what I serve.
Reply
Controlled Chaos 09:08 AM 08-25-2014
Originally Posted by Rachel:
We are not allowed to reward or punish with food. I serve family style and put a little on each plate to start. As others have said, everyone needs a chance for seconds / thirds before someone gets more. But because I don't have huge eaters, my first portions are usually only 1/3 - 1/2 of a "portion." (we have to serve them ridiculous amounts that they almost never eat), so even if I give a kid second or thirds, really they just ate the original amount I should have served them to start (but would have thrown out if they left it over).
Do you consider requiring a child to eat all the food on their plate before getting seconds to be a punishment? (I didn't read this as pointed towards that view, just curious) I don't intend it to be one, just trying to reduce waste and encourage healthy eating.
Reply
lynne 06:42 PM 08-25-2014
Originally Posted by christine19720:
My job is to serve healthy nutritious food. The child's job is to eat. I serve food whether the child chooses to eat it or not is not my concern or job, I don't play food police and the child doesn't get to "pick" what I serve.

Reply
rosieteddy 04:25 AM 08-26-2014
I also have the rule eat everything then seconds.That being said I do know when a child hates -will not eat something.I give them a taste of the "offending" food.Then I give a little extra of the "good"food.If they eat the taste of the "offending"food I give seconds.
Reply
Rachel 06:23 AM 08-26-2014
Originally Posted by Controlled Chaos:
Do you consider requiring a child to eat all the food on their plate before getting seconds to be a punishment? (I didn't read this as pointed towards that view, just curious) I don't intend it to be one, just trying to reduce waste and encourage healthy eating.
Me personally, not really. But I wouldn't do it. We all have things we don't like (I don't like peas). So if I serve peas one day and the DCK eats everything but the peas, and is hungry, yes I will give seconds (which as I explained, is really the end of the "firsts").

The way I reduce waste and encourage healthy eating is to serve small portions of everything, and allow seconds of things which were eaten.
Reply
e.j. 11:54 AM 08-26-2014
Originally Posted by Rachel:
Me personally, not really. But I wouldn't do it. We all have things we don't like (I don't like peas). So if I serve peas one day and the DCK eats everything but the peas, and is hungry, yes I will give seconds (which as I explained, is really the end of the "firsts").

The way I reduce waste and encourage healthy eating is to serve small portions of everything, and allow seconds of things which were eaten.
This is how I see it, too. We all have foods we don't like. I won't touch raisins, most sea food, liver.... While I don't see it as a punishment, I wouldn't want to be hungry and then told I couldn't have a second serving of something I liked unless I ate the things I didn't like. I treat the kids in my care the way I would want to be treated if I were in their position. I do encourage them to try foods but don't force the issue if they refuse.
Reply
Tags:picky eater
Reply Up