[athikers]

I'm having a heck of a time with getting Big Sis to eat anything. Yesterday, she had 1/2 a piece of cinnamon toast and milk for breakfast, she refused grapes and cereal, for lunch she had NOTHING, she refused macaroni and cheese and cantelope, for snack she had fruit snacks and goldfish but refused cheese and for dinner she ate two saltine crackers, one with peanut butter, one without refusing to eat the rather kid friendly alphabet soup. She drinks a lot of milk and juice... but getting her to eat anything is challenging. We're not trying exotic foods, just healthier kid foods. When I asked previous foster mom about it, she said she's a great eater, she its hot dogs, corn dogs, cheeseburgers and fries. Well, I'm not going to feed that to my kid, not frequently anyway... so I'm at a loss. Also, foster mom cooked breakfast, I have two infants and a 22 month old, I don't have time to cook Big Sis breakfast. Any suggestions!?!?!

When we had D he was a bottomless pit, he ate a TON, so, I'm also not sure exactly what's "normal" for a 22 month old, but it MUST be more than she ate yesterday. Today she's doing a bit better. She ate part of a muffin, again she's drinking lots of milk and juice, she ate the BREAD from her sandwhich (refused the meat and cheese again and refused her apples) and had applesauce and goldfish for a snack.

Augh. I certainly don't want her to go hungry, but I don't want to feed her junk either. Help!

In other news, two infants, one on O2 and feeding tube and 12 meds and a 22 month old who MUST be in my sight or she cries is quite exhausting.

[scandi]

It could be she is very angry little girl and that food is the only thing that she can control right now. Once she starts feeling more settled she may start eating more. THe other thing is maybe that is what she ate at home and isn't aware of other foods. Maybe a bit at a time? I know of some foster kids that wouldn't eat pizza/ramen because that was all that they had at home. One of the girls liked eggplant - the foster mom found out because she took her shopping one day to help pick out food. It was one of the only veggies that these kids got. Not sure why though. Would't be one that I would pick.

[BrandyHagz]

Have you considered the 'frozen' breakfasts? My son likes to have them and I can usually find them on sale.

(I hate soup too!)

Have you considered a better burger? Leaner, on a wheat bun, with real cheese and veggies?

They also have healthy corn dogs at my local market.

I haven't had a little one in a while...and my son was never picky...so sorry I can't offer much help

[Lylac]

As long as she's drinking alot, I really wouldn't worry too much about it as long as she is eatting "some". She'll come around and eat more. Right now she's in a new place, and it may take her a lil bit to get going. And as Brandy said, if she likes breakfast get her some microwavable ones. They are actully pretty good, and are healthy too.

[AmyAnne]

You may also want to try Gardenburgers with cheese.

But essentially when she discovers this is what is available, she will eat.

[JPDakota]

I think you are on the right track. How is it that people think it is appropriate to feed a child hot dogs, corn dogs, hamburgers and french fries constantly? Wait, those people are my DH!!!!!! Fortunately, other menus prevail at our house.
Anyway, it is common for little ones to be a little disinterested in new foods, or any foods, in a new living situation. You might let her pick something for supper or let her help a little, like stirring or dropping already cut up veggies into a bowl. Just an idea.

[ajjhmf]

You are doing the right thing. She's still transitioning to your house and is going to take some time ot settle in. Hopefully she'll start eating more soon.

[Barksum]

All of my toddlers have had picky episodes, to the point where I wondered how they would survive! Hang in there. Currently my 3 yo eats less than my 2 yo...but that could switch again at the next meal.

Two things that helped was knowing that all the drinking (juice and milk) was really their main source of calories when they wouldn't eat, and that they would eat again. (So, if she doesn't start eating again meet with the pediatrician. And if you go to the ped, have a food diary listing what and when she eats and drinks.) She may pick up the more familiar everything becomes.

When, or if, you deem it appropriate you might cut back a little on the milk or juice. I'd wait on that until she's really comfortable and totally settled in...say a month at least. We cut back on milk during the day by starting out mixing one ounce of water with seven ounces of milk, then two ounces of water with six ounces of milk, then on down until it was half and half or less. Ds got a little hungrier since he wasn't getting as much from the milk. We never did do alot of juice. The recommended daily allowance of juice for toddlers is only 4 - 6 ounces per day, anyway. If you thin the juice with water you could stretch that out, and not get so many calories from juice, thus possibly making her a little more hungry at meal times. He still got 2-3 ounces of milk at each meal, and a full bottle when he got up and a full bottle before bed, then all the mixed bottles during the rest of the day.

You little one IS eating, even though it is such tiny amounts. Continue to offer her food at meal times, not adjusting the menu only for her. Soup was really tough for my toddlers, so I usually either crunched up crackers in it so they could spoon it up or just gave them the solids and cut waaaaay back on the broth part.

Easy breakfast stuff like oatmeal packets, toaster waffles, microwaved eggs, etc. are all cooked and may entice her a bit more. Quesadillas (flour tortillas with melted cheese, rolled or folded, then cut into pieces) were easy and sometimes will be eaten by the kids. Rice is something that can be cooked ahead and stored in the frige or freezer; to freeze, put in a freezer bag and smooth flat. Many of my most picky ones will eat rice, either plain or with butter, brown sugar or maple syrup, and milk.

We had a super picky foster child who was malnourished and needed to gain weight. I ended up spoon feeding her half of her meal so that she actually got some in. She liked yogurt (and there are brands without the high fructose corn syrup), or dry cereal in a bowl with raisins and milk in a sippy cup, sometimes she'd deign to eat toast fingers with peanut butter, etc.

I found that I could make my own trail mixes for the toddlers, using the toddler puffs, cheerios-style cereals, gold fish, pretzels, raisins, etc. and they would often even EAT them. Or I would act like they really wouldn't want it (whatever food I was serving) and make a big deal of saying they wouldn't want it...and then let them ONLY have a tiny bite so see if they could handle it...and thus make them feel that they got one over on me by actually liking whatever it was.

Hang in there.

[linda512]

People say to look at what a toddler eats in a week, not a day. Some days are better than others. Yesterday my son ate almost nothing, today much better. Most toddlers won't starve themselves.
I agree with cutting back the milk a little.
Is she small or average size? If she is small and not growing well, you can talk to your pediatrician about substituting pediasure or something like it for milk. It has more calories and other nutrients in it. If she is growing, just give it time. It's hard not to be anxious about food. Good luck!

Linda

[Sissy22]

B does not eat alot either but if you don't offer her any she wants it we sometimes pretend we're eating her food then she'll want it but we have alot more adults and no infants ! so not sure if that's relistic for you !

[athikers]

Thanks for all the ideas. Tonight she again refused to eat anything for dinner... not one thing. Hubby gave in and made her eggs, only because she's had NO protein in two and a half days except in her milk (so far she's refused ALL meat and cheese - we haven't tried beans or rice yet). She ate the eggs and then looked around like "where's the rest", I don't want her to start thinking we'll cook for her separately if she doesn't eat.

We already 1/2 her juice with water, so she drinks two six ounces cups of it a day and two-three six ounce cups of milk. It doesn't seem like much, but believe me, she's well hydrated - never have I changed a child's diaper so often.

I did learn from the foster mom that in her birth home Big Sis didn't have a table, so she walked around and when she went past mom or dad they fed her from a spoon. SO, she's getting used to more than just new food. She's never been expected to sit in a booster at a table before. Poor kiddo.

[MamaS]

Does she recognize the Golden Arches? I read something in the news about kids who rated food higher if it was wrapped in the familiar paper and served in paoer cups with the logo. Maybe you could put your heathier burgers in their paper wrappers? Apple slices are healthy and they have a yogurt parfait in a plastc cup with fruit. Buy it once and reuse with your food.

[momraine]

I would say like others let her get used to the new stuff and the new place first. Then if it's still a problem you can start to cut back on the liquids or give them to her after she eats. I know my oldest, if I let him drink with his meal he would be full from the drink and then not eat. If I did not give him a drink until after he ate, he would eat very well. Sometimes I could give him a drink half way through, but I did a half cup and never refilled it till he was done eating. If you are worried about nutrition you might try pediasure and see if she likes it. We have a much more serious problem with a seven year old who weights 24lbs down from 26, and has actually just gone back up to 24 from 23. We are now seeing a psyciatrist, dietition and developmental pediatrition. He won't eat soft foods or anything like chocolate milk or milk shakes of any kind. All the stuff that's easier to cram calories into. LOL. But they gave us some juice boxes that are 300 calories each, and he likes them, so that is helping. He hates to eat at all and has all sorts of tricks to get out of it. I think yours though is just getting used to new foods and a new home and a new way to eat.

[EmmaLeigh2882]

Our kiddos were picky at first too- what we found that helped was to stop all fluids about a hour or two before each meal- and not allow them to drink with the meal ( or they would ONLY drink)... they were so used to having at least a half full stomach all the time there wasn't and intern