Eat This, Not That... Yeah, Right!

As I have mentioned before, Kaleb is a picky eater. He hasn't always been that way though. When he was a baby, he ate pretty much any baby food and would try any of our food. I have no idea the exact date the switch happened. I guess it was gradual. First went the macaroni and cheese, then went the hot dogs. Slowly, my son began to eat only a handful of things. As a mother, I worried myself sick if I was doing the right thing. Why could I not get my son to try new foods. I just knew that if he would try it, he would like it. (I have the Yo Gabba Gabba song in my head right now... "Try it, you'll like it. Just try it, you're gonna like it!" I mean, what kind of kid doesn't like mashed potatoes! Well, my son HATES them! If you somehow trick them into his mouth, he cries and holds out his tongue until you wipe it off! When he would eat hot dogs, it wasn't just any hot dog! It HAD to be an Oscar Meyer Weiner. And there was no tricking this kid. He would pick up a bite, look at it, feel it, taste it, and throw it away if it wasn't right! I have no idea how he knew, but he did. But he doesn't even like them anymore! The funniest thing is getting him a happy meal at McDonalds. It is a PLAIN hamburger with a small fry. He will take the meat out, hand it to you, and eat the bun and fries. He forgot to take out the meat one day, took a big bite, and completely freaked out! I guess he just doesn't like the texture of meat... I have no clue! 

Here is a collage of his favorite things... for now:

Breakfast is by far his favorite meal of the day, and mommy's too. It is the only meal I know he will sit down and eat. If he doesn't eat breakfast, I am ready to call the doctor and find out what's wrong! And it is the easiest meal to find him something to eat. We have gone through phases of dry cereal with cup of milk, Cinnamon Toast Eggos, Nurtigrain Bars, mini-pancakes, and now we are on the Eggo Chocolate Chip Waffles (I found the Fiber Plus Antioxidant ones, so that makes me feel better!) We also give him his daily vitamins in the morning which are his 'gummies' and he loves those. Found ones with DHA which is great for brain and eye development! 

After worrying so much about his nutrition (the only meat he eats is chicken fries), I have finally decided to just let him eat what he will and throw in healthy options when I can (Fiber plus waffles, Nature Valley Granola bars with Dark Chocolate instead of cookies, almonds, yogurt instead of ice cream, V8 fusion juice instead of soda, etc). I even made zucchini bread mini-muffins once and he actually liked those. 

I keep telling myself that he will grow out of it, and I know eventually, he is going to be the teenage boy that eats me out of house and home, and I will be dreaming of the days when he wouldn't eat anything. But for now, I am his mother, and I am going to worry!