What We Feed Our Picky Toddler
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | Details
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | Eating Issues
One of the many struggles for kids on the Autism Spectrum is eating problems. They eat very little and what they do eat is very self limited. This is something we have been struggling with since Jackie was about one. While it is normal for toddlers to be picky eaters, for kids with ASD it can be much more difficult. Jackie has about 10 foods she will eat, which is more than most. But they aren't all that nutritious.
Jackie has limited her diet to chocolate chip cookies, Nilla wafers (sometimes), Veggie Straws, Goldfish (sometimes), fries, Ritz crackers, yogurt, plain potato chips, nutri grain bars, Cheerios, Capri Sun and milk.
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | What We Have Tried
Before you start thinking, or asking, have you tried ______, the answer is yes. We have tried everything. And continue to try new things weekly, almost daily. Trying to get Jackie to eat new foods during a meal time isn't ideal. This can result in her not eating at all. We have found that putting food out for Jackie to eat when she is ready and hungry works pretty well. Usually if she has had some milk before we start, she is much more willing to try something new.
We did this with yogurt. Jackie would allow us to feed her yogurt but had zero interest in eating it on her own with a spoon. So I put a yogurt out on the counter with a spoon in it and would wait. I did this a few times and then one day she climbed up to the counter and started eating! And Jackie now requests yogurt at least once a day!
I have been sending new foods to school in hopes that she will eat them. This has worked with a few things, mostly carbs, but no movement with the fruit I have been sending.
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | Sneaking In Food
With Jackie's self limited diet, she really doesn't get a lot of the nutrients she needs. So why not a vitamin. Tried that. She won't eat them. She puts them in my mouth. So I tried crushing them up into her juice. She could tell. Vitamin drops? Same thing. Smoothie? That's funny. Protein shake? I've never seen her make that face before.
So how do I make sure she is getting at least some of the nutrients she needs? The yogurt and the milk are a big deal for her. While she does still drink milk out of a bottle, this is what we have decided works for us. I spoke to our pediatrician and she agreed. She needs the milk in order to get the protein and the vitamin D. The yogurt has fruit in it. While Jackie is picky about which flavors she will eat, at least there are some that she will eat!
When it comes to veggies, this is a bit harder. Jackie won't eat veggies raw or cooked. At all. We have tried everything. But Jackie loves Veggie Straws, as long as they are the ranch flavored ones. I was worried this wasn't the best thing for her to be eating but our pediatrician also said that these weren't the worst thing she could be eating. If you read the ingredients, they actually do have veggies in them!
I also found these Goldfish that I have been introducing into Jackie's diet. I have been sending them to school and she hasn't touched them yet. But repeated exposure will hopefully get her to try them!
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | Dishes
One of the other things I have found helps Jackie eat is making her feel like a big girl. She sits at the counter with us when we eat meals. And I found some plastic plates and cups that are dishwasher safe. Jackie loves eating off of these plates and drinking out of the cups. She actually gets excited about eating!
What We Feed Our Picky Toddler | Shop
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