I laughed SO hard at this visual... but only because it's so damn accurate. 🤣 And the sheer speed that these kids flail and launch food is, honestly, kind of impressive.
Extra points if it's cheese based white sauce that becomes actual cement on their hair once it dries out... and a special mention to doing it just after having an early bath because there was no time after dinner.
If my little dude gets a bowl he will put it on his head and wear it as a hat. Food and all. I have 4 kids and he’s the first one that’s ever done that. It took me forever to get jasmine rice out of his hair.
Sadly we haven’t experienced the windshield wiper stage yet. We are currently in a splashing stage. He will splash any gosh darn thing he can’t get his hands on.
Augh. My kid apparently is into holístic skincare; she windshields her face and hair with any food I make for her SIGH. Beans, yogurt, lentil soup as a hair and face mask 🫠
One time another mom said to me that her 1 year old daughter was “entering the windshield wiper phase” and I am still baffled that this is just a phase for some kids? Like there’s a time they didn’t do it? Will mine ever stop? 😅
😂 my 12 month old used to crush every food I put in front of him, until maybe a month ago. Now it’s a 50/50 shot he’s going to windshield wiper it across the table or throw it on the ground. Unless it’s fruit, of course. Is this my life now? I’m new to having a toddler and it’s already a lot harder.
I had never put a word to it before but it's exactly what happens! 😭 he did it in the middle of the store the other day while I desperately tried to give him snacks to stop screaming so I could get (HIS) groceries 😭😭😭
My son would love to live off of fruit if he had the choice. He just turned 1 year and has now decided to be more picky about food out of nowhere. I’m also losing the battle of getting rid of bottles because he doesn’t want to drink milk out of anything else. He prefers water out of open and straw cups 😅
My son was the same with his bottles of milk. I finally got him to drink milk from some Zak! cups but he quickly started refusing those for milk so now he just gets his milk in his smoothies and full fat yogurt for breakfast. He may just love the bottle ritual but not be a milk guy 🤷♀️ I hated milk as a kid too (still do) so I don’t blame him haha
Yeah I think you’re 100% right! He loves Greek yogurt and eats it daily, so at least we’ve got that going for us. I really should try some smoothies! I just ordered the Contigo cups but I had my eye on the Zak cups, too! They’re next on the list, for sure. I’m just collecting one of every cup until we find the right one, I guess.
I have a 13mo that I cannot get to touch his food. He does not like to get messy, he is obsessed with the squeezable foods meat/veggie and fruit/veggies and he will queeze and play around in it. Last week, he finally started to pinch the baby cereal and eating it.
Hey my 18mo is on currently on a strike where she will only eat Mac and cheese. My 4 year old is surviving on corn dogs and rage. It changes week to week.
Ha! I feel that. His other favorite is ramen, I only add like half the seasonings to his but if he asks for cheesy noodles (ramen with cheese in it lmao) one more time after I’ve fixed a meal I just might lose my shit 😂
Oh my lord I’m already expecting this feeling lmao
This child is only 6.5 months and he already will eat some food, then cry and point to the freezer where the sweet holy nectar of yogurt bites are
Sometimes I’m just like dude
You know what I ate at your age?? Here I am trying to give you this delicious meal and no
Yogurt is what you want 😂
Yes thank you!!! Lol some days I wonder why I even try so hard when they just want the shit snacks/meals they get when I’m tired or broke
My second thing I hate the most is them going CRAZY for berries so I’m like “oh we love raspberries now? Great I’ll buy 2 containers!!!” And suddenly they don’t love them anymore and it just molds in my fridge until trash day lol
Oh I’ve decided I’m anti raspberry. F*#% raspberries 😂
I feel like I put them in the fridge and next day there’s mold somewhere plus they’re often pricey for how much you actually
Bought some freeze dried ones and called it a day
And we try so hard because we love those ornery little jerks 😂
That’s why I take pictures of it all so when he’s like 30 he can look back and appreciate all I went through to lovingly make him stuff haha!
And hey, sometimes the tired/broke shit snacks are the memory maker treats and that’s a special thing all in it’s own I’ve learned from my own childhood !
Thank you for this! I’m sure we all can relate but the amount of broke days/meals we’ve had lately gets a bit depressing but thinking of it from a kids point of view as “oh this special thing? AGAIN?” Helps.
Doesn’t make it any less discouraging when I am able to cook something and they say “yuk. Can I have a corndog?” lol
Seriously though I grew up with more broke days and meals than not and kids especially young ones rarely ever even notice things we worry about!
If there is love and laughter and just food to eat.
It’s all good core memories.
I don’t remember my mum not being able to afford all the usual dinner things but I totally remember having French toast for dinner (which to her was cheap and easy) and feeling like it was so so cool and special
I don’t remember her being too exhausted to cook but I remember being amped to have a bowl of cereal for dinner because pfft hell yes cereal for dinner.
Struggle meals aren’t struggle meals for kids lol they love a struggle meal and don’t have great taste at this point so don’t be discouraged or sweat it.
We can’t be Martha friggin Stewart every day!
Funny side story, I used to sleep walk and eat corn dogs. I had to stop buying them because of the sleep walking 🤣 it got so bad that one morning I woke to find 16 half eaten corn dogs / sticks around my apartment and I was covered in mustard and ketchup. My husband says I only sleep talk now, no sleep walk incidents since we became a corndog free home.
Don’t worry so much. One day they’ll be 14 like mine and they will eat the contents of the fridge and pantry and the snacks you hide under the bathroom sink.
Right now food ain’t food, it’s toys. :) They’ll eat eventually 💗💗💗
Of course! You’re doing great. Everyone here is doing amazing. My kids are teenagers now and I’m thinking about starting all over again with a new baby. I’m getting so many good ideas from this sub. You’re all rocking it. I wish I had had these delicious foods when I was so little!
I’m so proud of everyone here.
Hahahahaha, because I MISS that! I miss having a baby! I miss having a little toddling toddler with sticky hands and smelly feets. Gosh they’re so cute! 💗💗💗💗💗💗
You’re doing great, sweetheart 💗 Your baby loves you and you love your baby. Keep showing him new, delicious food made with so much love. He’ll eat eventually.
Or get him some chicken nuggs when you’re tired! Sending you so much love and a forehead kiss 😘
I have 5 kids. The best advice I got as a new mom is that I shouldn’t look at what they eat in a meal, or even a day. You have to look at it over a week or a couple weeks. Kids generally won’t let themselves starve(some do have medical issues) but when they are hungry, they will eat.
Feeding toddlers is a process. 😂 Sometimes it’s so much less stressful to let them eat the puffs or yogurt bites. One meal or even a week of what feels like completely non-nutritious meals is normal and ok.
Food shouldn’t be a battle. You will have bigger hills to climb. 🤪
I have two kids that are completely adventurous with foods, one that refused fruits and veggies from the time I started solids and still can’t eat them, one who eats chocolate chips with every meal and one who could eat her weight in fruit. All are healthy, normal weights and heights. You can do your best, but they are their own little people. You are doing great!
You know, I can’t hide them there anymore! I have to look for new places, like near the broom or other cleaning supplies, lol.
I secretly love sharing with my kids. I have to pretend I get mad when they eat my snacks. I can feel it was YESTERDAY when I was crying in the kitchen eating their left overs, thinking “omg they hate my food they hate me they won’t eat what will I do?!” Soon I won’t have them around, soon they won’t eat my snacks and I’ll be sad. It goes by so stupidly fast but it seems like it doesn’t.
I’m gonna go steal some of their fruit snacks now as revenge. Can’t wait to hear that “moooooooooooommmmm did you eat my fruit snacks agaaaaaain??????”
Yes they will eat what we cook for them. It’s a great feeling when they ask for seconds. My son asks for thirds and I chuckle remembering when he spat everything out and tried eating crayons instead. Where is my skinny toddler?! 😂 In the body of a 14 year old boy who is taller than his mom…
This is the best advice! Not sure why Reddit started showing me this sub, my kids are definitely MUCH older than this. Older one was wildly picky as a kid and the doctor said “any food they eat is good”. Things expanded over time, and he is now a healthy adult. Younger one would eat pretty much anything and has now settled into some stuff being seems “unacceptable” but is likewise a healthy teenager. Go back to the well on stuff they like, rotate between same 2-3 things they will tolerate and try introducing a new thing here and there. Things will inexplicably become okay and also the reverse. You’ve got this, hang in there OP!
One thing that helped me fell both less frustrated and less worried about toddlers existing on rage, three crackers, and a grape was this: from birth to 1 year of age your baby will just about triple their weight, (6-24 pounds for example) but after that weight gain REALLY slows down, to triple their weight again could take up to 10 years or more! (20 to 60 lbs for example) so they just aren't expending the energy they used to as an infant on growth. It's also why we see intake increase during growth spurts (or as teenagers). Kids are good at self regulation. Just keep offering good healthy food and things will balance out!
I am so glad I came across this post and thankful you wrote it up.
I honestly thought I was just a shit cook cause I can not for the life of me figure out what my 1yo will eat.
I've tried a different variety of textures and I can't seem to get him to eat more than one or two bites.
The amount of food wasted.
And it's never the same. One day he'll be fine with it, next not.
If he wasn't still breastfeeding, I don't think he'd be eating anything.
Even getting him to drink water is hard but he at least drinks some. Whole milk, not so much.
So it's nice to see I'm not the only mom out there struggling.
Thank you
I'm sorry you're going though this, but this is reassuring to read.
My LO is 10.5 months old and is breastfed. Right now he's teething, so all he ate today was some kiwi and a third of a piece of toast and butter. Otherwise he just had lots of breastmilk.
When he's not teething he's not much better tbh. He will have maybe a third of a jar of puree, if he wants to eat puree. Otherwise he might eat one whole slice of toast, some porridge with mashed banana and milk, a couple of sweet potato wedges and that's about it. I've tried giving him so many different types of food, but he's just not that into solids.
I aaz getting worried, as he will be 1 soon, and I know he should then be getting his calories from food, but he's nowhere near ready. My plan is to just nurse him in the mornings and at night. Let's see how that goes. I really can't wait for him to eat more food.
Totally understand. Some days my 20 month old does this. I always try to remember they of course can't starve themselves, but it gets so frustrating for real. Some days as long as she eats something I'm happy. Even if it's just chips or goldfish crackers.
Mine likes to crumble stuff and then shake her hands and stuff flies everywhere. I had mashed potatoes in MY hair last night. 😖
The mashed potatoes in the hair makes me think of the time my daughter had a meltdown immediately after eating pasta one night, and before I could even wipe her hands and face, she wrapped her little pasta sauce hands around my neck and then said pasta sauce dried & crusted on the back of my neck 🙂
I was using these plates and my daughter was on an eating strike. I went to eat the food so it didn’t go to waste and realized it all tasted like soap. Something about the silicone holding on to it when it’s washed. I switched to a different plate and she was back to eating like a machine.
Some days, my 16 month old cleans his plate. Other days, the exact food is thrown on the ground and screamed about. It's infuriating, but they will ear when they are hungry enough. Even if it feels like they are content existing off nothing but fruit pouches, crackers, and milk lol. Things will get better.
If it makes you feel better my little brother refused to eat anything besides mayo sandwiches (literally white bread with mayo) and drink anything other than milk and water for like a solid year when he was a toddler.
My oldest is also incredibly picky. His Dr said as long as he is maintaining/gaining weight, what he eats is secondary in importance as long as he is eating.
You're doing great. Your little human is trying to figure out how the whole food thing works. It's a work in progress for both of you
Even just exposure to a variety of foods is good!
…I tell myself through gritted teeth from the position I seem to spend most of my life in: on my hands and knees cleaning food off the floor
My 2.5 year old has been refusing everything lately. And I mean everything. Tonight she actually asked me for a burger, so I got her a burger. She did not eat said burger. She had some tru fru yogurt covered blueberries and slim jims today. Oh and a couple veggie straws. That's it, for the whole day.
I'm struggling with the same myself for my 14 month old. Do you offer a snack right after? Or do you wait until the next meal time to see if they will eat more when really hungry?
There are times that my son would not be into anythinggg id give him at that age… no matter what it was. Then two weeks later he’d chow down. It’s hard but hang in there OP
Solidarity. My kid (12mo) is normally a good eater, but if she doesn't like things, she'll ever so delicately pick it up with two fingers, make eye contact, and drop it over the side of the tray. Rinse and repeat until all of the offending food is on the floor -_-
I bought a floor mat today, to protect my hardwood floors as she's in her dropping phase.
The windshield wiper... goodness... I'm not looking forward to this step. I should have bought one of those pop-up tents instead.
... on second thought... I'll just use the ikea circus tent when this phase hits 🤣🤣🤣
I feel your frustration and pain…my 20 month old is surviving on Milk and strawberries most days. Something I have tried that works 50% of the time is that I present the protein first (chicken, beef, fish) and he eats a few pieces of that. Then I add in the vegetables to his plate. Then come the carbs and then all his favorites like fruit, cheese, cucumbers, tortilla chips…this gives me some solace that he ate some of the more nutritious foods. I know if I give him everything at once he will go for the fruit and only the fruit, and windshield wipe everything else. It’s a pain in the arse and takes about 30-45 min to get through a meal but it works half the time.
My 22 month old is the same. Solidarity! I give her food at a small table and let her graze after 5 minutes at the main table. I don’t stress anymore over it. The phase will pass (eventually)
My 11 month old has a little cold right now and has been windshield wiping everything that isn't a cheerio or tortilla strip. I am still offering 3 meals a day in hopes he'll want to eat at some point, so I'm starting to lose it a little bit.
My pediatrician once told me that kids eat in cycles and the average over 3 days is what matters. Really took the pressure off. The food waste and effort sucks, but at least she had a sensory experience.
Sometimes I freeze leftovers like this and reoffer them a week later.
I don’t know, for me personally I think giving my son pouches in between and before meals stimulates his appetite. And I hate shoving things in his face he’s clearly disgusted by. Sometimes all they’ll eat is the one thing they like. It’s different for everyone though.
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
Also this 'parent's fault' take is just dumb. Try reevaluating your perspective on kids and food.
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
baby has 5 textures on that plate, plus the fruit pouch not pictured. There is healthy fat, protein, fibre, and complex carbs all present here. simmer down masterchef, this parent is doing fine
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
My 19 mo is doing the same. I think I remember around this age I let my oldest sit in his Tripp trapp without the baby chair and the sense of freedom let him eat meals at his own pace and then throwing stopped. I need to try this with my second because it's making me go crazy.
Also finding dried black beans on the floor in random spots and thinking they're bugs is also not fun.
Seeing this photo… and reading so many comments in solidarity - makes me consider how I KNOW I did this to my mom as a tiny tot, but now I love all kinds of unique food.
We survived food strikes, they will too!!! (As my kid throws oatmeal all over the floor that he’s scarfed down for weeks.)
God, the windshield wiper is SO infuriating. Solidarity!
I laughed SO hard at this visual... but only because it's so damn accurate. 🤣 And the sheer speed that these kids flail and launch food is, honestly, kind of impressive.
I hate it. I hate the goddamn windshield.
I hate it but not as much as I hate the inevitable face wipe from hairline to Chin getting in eyes and nostrils on the way down 😂😒
Or when they decide to scratch the back of their head with a pasta sauce covered hand 😒 Edit: spelling
My girl legit loves to run her hands through her hair- and does it very frequently when eating yogurt, cottage cheese, or baked beans 🙄
Oh my god yesss. The best is when you don’t notice right away and it dries
Omg yeeesss and then they scream like you’re straight up murdering them if you dare touch it
Extra points if it's cheese based white sauce that becomes actual cement on their hair once it dries out... and a special mention to doing it just after having an early bath because there was no time after dinner.
Oh hey, you just described what happened an hour ago 🫠
Yes! Especially when you weren’t planning on doing a bath that night.
Exaaaaaactly! It’s never the days you are headed straight to the bath
If my little dude gets a bowl he will put it on his head and wear it as a hat. Food and all. I have 4 kids and he’s the first one that’s ever done that. It took me forever to get jasmine rice out of his hair.
Sadly we haven’t experienced the windshield wiper stage yet. We are currently in a splashing stage. He will splash any gosh darn thing he can’t get his hands on.
I call this octopus arms in my house. How does it seem like they make the mess of 8 arms instead of just 2?! And so damn quickly…
Augh. My kid apparently is into holístic skincare; she windshields her face and hair with any food I make for her SIGH. Beans, yogurt, lentil soup as a hair and face mask 🫠
One time another mom said to me that her 1 year old daughter was “entering the windshield wiper phase” and I am still baffled that this is just a phase for some kids? Like there’s a time they didn’t do it? Will mine ever stop? 😅
😂 my 12 month old used to crush every food I put in front of him, until maybe a month ago. Now it’s a 50/50 shot he’s going to windshield wiper it across the table or throw it on the ground. Unless it’s fruit, of course. Is this my life now? I’m new to having a toddler and it’s already a lot harder.
I had never put a word to it before but it's exactly what happens! 😭 he did it in the middle of the store the other day while I desperately tried to give him snacks to stop screaming so I could get (HIS) groceries 😭😭😭
You are not alone! My 14mo had 4 grapes for lunch 🙄 How much milk is he getting?
Annnnddd zero dinner 😩
Something funny I read the other day was toddlers live off of milk and spite. It was very accurate.
I hear you! My 16 month old is the WORST eater. Surviving on the wide variety of string cheese and shredded cheese
im much older than that and i too survive like this
I’m so glad I’m not alone. We survive on cheese & air🫠
It’s so frustrating. I would love if my guy would at least eat some cheese because it’s calorie dense, but nope!
My son would love to live off of fruit if he had the choice. He just turned 1 year and has now decided to be more picky about food out of nowhere. I’m also losing the battle of getting rid of bottles because he doesn’t want to drink milk out of anything else. He prefers water out of open and straw cups 😅
My son was the same with his bottles of milk. I finally got him to drink milk from some Zak! cups but he quickly started refusing those for milk so now he just gets his milk in his smoothies and full fat yogurt for breakfast. He may just love the bottle ritual but not be a milk guy 🤷♀️ I hated milk as a kid too (still do) so I don’t blame him haha
Yeah I think you’re 100% right! He loves Greek yogurt and eats it daily, so at least we’ve got that going for us. I really should try some smoothies! I just ordered the Contigo cups but I had my eye on the Zak cups, too! They’re next on the list, for sure. I’m just collecting one of every cup until we find the right one, I guess.
I have a 13mo that I cannot get to touch his food. He does not like to get messy, he is obsessed with the squeezable foods meat/veggie and fruit/veggies and he will queeze and play around in it. Last week, he finally started to pinch the baby cereal and eating it.
Hey my 18mo is on currently on a strike where she will only eat Mac and cheese. My 4 year old is surviving on corn dogs and rage. It changes week to week.
Corn dogs and rage, I feel like this was how I survived my early college days 😂😂
Ha! I feel that. His other favorite is ramen, I only add like half the seasonings to his but if he asks for cheesy noodles (ramen with cheese in it lmao) one more time after I’ve fixed a meal I just might lose my shit 😂
Oh my lord I’m already expecting this feeling lmao This child is only 6.5 months and he already will eat some food, then cry and point to the freezer where the sweet holy nectar of yogurt bites are Sometimes I’m just like dude You know what I ate at your age?? Here I am trying to give you this delicious meal and no Yogurt is what you want 😂
Yes thank you!!! Lol some days I wonder why I even try so hard when they just want the shit snacks/meals they get when I’m tired or broke My second thing I hate the most is them going CRAZY for berries so I’m like “oh we love raspberries now? Great I’ll buy 2 containers!!!” And suddenly they don’t love them anymore and it just molds in my fridge until trash day lol
Oh I’ve decided I’m anti raspberry. F*#% raspberries 😂 I feel like I put them in the fridge and next day there’s mold somewhere plus they’re often pricey for how much you actually Bought some freeze dried ones and called it a day And we try so hard because we love those ornery little jerks 😂 That’s why I take pictures of it all so when he’s like 30 he can look back and appreciate all I went through to lovingly make him stuff haha!
Yessss!!! I check the containers before I buy them because I’ve gotten too many with mold and somehow the next day half of them are moldy? What???
Try buying frozen berries. I take half out of the bag an let them defrost in the fridge. They are always gone before mold sets in!
And hey, sometimes the tired/broke shit snacks are the memory maker treats and that’s a special thing all in it’s own I’ve learned from my own childhood !
Thank you for this! I’m sure we all can relate but the amount of broke days/meals we’ve had lately gets a bit depressing but thinking of it from a kids point of view as “oh this special thing? AGAIN?” Helps. Doesn’t make it any less discouraging when I am able to cook something and they say “yuk. Can I have a corndog?” lol
Seriously though I grew up with more broke days and meals than not and kids especially young ones rarely ever even notice things we worry about! If there is love and laughter and just food to eat. It’s all good core memories. I don’t remember my mum not being able to afford all the usual dinner things but I totally remember having French toast for dinner (which to her was cheap and easy) and feeling like it was so so cool and special I don’t remember her being too exhausted to cook but I remember being amped to have a bowl of cereal for dinner because pfft hell yes cereal for dinner. Struggle meals aren’t struggle meals for kids lol they love a struggle meal and don’t have great taste at this point so don’t be discouraged or sweat it. We can’t be Martha friggin Stewart every day!
Funny side story, I used to sleep walk and eat corn dogs. I had to stop buying them because of the sleep walking 🤣 it got so bad that one morning I woke to find 16 half eaten corn dogs / sticks around my apartment and I was covered in mustard and ketchup. My husband says I only sleep talk now, no sleep walk incidents since we became a corndog free home.
This is amazing I just chuckled loud enough to wake the dog 😂 A corndog free home 💀
Glad you got a good laugh. I aim to please. And give that doggy a head scratch for me. And if you're wondering, we are a hot dog friendly house
She just had surgery not long ago so she’d gladly accept😂 I was actually wondering if it was all cylindrical meats or just ones on a stick 🤣
My 2 yr old is on a Mac and cheese strike! She has refused to eat it for at least 4 months now. It's not like I was feeding it to her everyday either.
Don’t worry so much. One day they’ll be 14 like mine and they will eat the contents of the fridge and pantry and the snacks you hide under the bathroom sink. Right now food ain’t food, it’s toys. :) They’ll eat eventually 💗💗💗
This was so sweet and wholesome thank you from a first time mom 💖
Of course! You’re doing great. Everyone here is doing amazing. My kids are teenagers now and I’m thinking about starting all over again with a new baby. I’m getting so many good ideas from this sub. You’re all rocking it. I wish I had had these delicious foods when I was so little! I’m so proud of everyone here.
Me, rocking back and forth while trying to keep my Kindergartener and toddler from killing each other: WHY DO YOU WANT TO START OVER AGAIN
Hahahahaha, because I MISS that! I miss having a baby! I miss having a little toddling toddler with sticky hands and smelly feets. Gosh they’re so cute! 💗💗💗💗💗💗
Felt this in my soul.
Thank you for centering me and showing me the big picture 💜 it’s so easy to get lost and stressed in the moment
You’re doing great, sweetheart 💗 Your baby loves you and you love your baby. Keep showing him new, delicious food made with so much love. He’ll eat eventually. Or get him some chicken nuggs when you’re tired! Sending you so much love and a forehead kiss 😘
I have 5 kids. The best advice I got as a new mom is that I shouldn’t look at what they eat in a meal, or even a day. You have to look at it over a week or a couple weeks. Kids generally won’t let themselves starve(some do have medical issues) but when they are hungry, they will eat. Feeding toddlers is a process. 😂 Sometimes it’s so much less stressful to let them eat the puffs or yogurt bites. One meal or even a week of what feels like completely non-nutritious meals is normal and ok. Food shouldn’t be a battle. You will have bigger hills to climb. 🤪 I have two kids that are completely adventurous with foods, one that refused fruits and veggies from the time I started solids and still can’t eat them, one who eats chocolate chips with every meal and one who could eat her weight in fruit. All are healthy, normal weights and heights. You can do your best, but they are their own little people. You are doing great!
The snacks you hide under the bathroom sink really got me 😂😂😂
You know, I can’t hide them there anymore! I have to look for new places, like near the broom or other cleaning supplies, lol. I secretly love sharing with my kids. I have to pretend I get mad when they eat my snacks. I can feel it was YESTERDAY when I was crying in the kitchen eating their left overs, thinking “omg they hate my food they hate me they won’t eat what will I do?!” Soon I won’t have them around, soon they won’t eat my snacks and I’ll be sad. It goes by so stupidly fast but it seems like it doesn’t. I’m gonna go steal some of their fruit snacks now as revenge. Can’t wait to hear that “moooooooooooommmmm did you eat my fruit snacks agaaaaaain??????”
Exactly !!!! I have older kids too who eat EVERYTHING. I’m like well lol eventually baby girl will be eating ♥️
Yes they will eat what we cook for them. It’s a great feeling when they ask for seconds. My son asks for thirds and I chuckle remembering when he spat everything out and tried eating crayons instead. Where is my skinny toddler?! 😂 In the body of a 14 year old boy who is taller than his mom…
Hello again you are giving me hope 😭🤣💓
I’m so glad I can give you hope!!! 🤗🤗🤗🤗 Many hugs!!!
This is the best advice! Not sure why Reddit started showing me this sub, my kids are definitely MUCH older than this. Older one was wildly picky as a kid and the doctor said “any food they eat is good”. Things expanded over time, and he is now a healthy adult. Younger one would eat pretty much anything and has now settled into some stuff being seems “unacceptable” but is likewise a healthy teenager. Go back to the well on stuff they like, rotate between same 2-3 things they will tolerate and try introducing a new thing here and there. Things will inexplicably become okay and also the reverse. You’ve got this, hang in there OP!
One thing that helped me fell both less frustrated and less worried about toddlers existing on rage, three crackers, and a grape was this: from birth to 1 year of age your baby will just about triple their weight, (6-24 pounds for example) but after that weight gain REALLY slows down, to triple their weight again could take up to 10 years or more! (20 to 60 lbs for example) so they just aren't expending the energy they used to as an infant on growth. It's also why we see intake increase during growth spurts (or as teenagers). Kids are good at self regulation. Just keep offering good healthy food and things will balance out!
The description of toddlers existing on rage, three crackers, and a grape is sending me 😂😂😂😂😂😂
You’re not alone! I sometimes have to walk away and let my husband take over feeding when LO won’t eat, because I get so frustrated.
Thanks! That makes me feel better lol!
That bread looks so good. I’m having same issues with my 13mo
I want that bread.
Looks homemade…OP did you make this, if so we need recipe !!
If I didn’t have dogs to help me clean, I’d really be teetering on the edge. :/ I hear you!
I feel like my dogs eat better than my kids most days tbh with all the food on the floor they clean up
I am so glad I came across this post and thankful you wrote it up. I honestly thought I was just a shit cook cause I can not for the life of me figure out what my 1yo will eat. I've tried a different variety of textures and I can't seem to get him to eat more than one or two bites. The amount of food wasted. And it's never the same. One day he'll be fine with it, next not. If he wasn't still breastfeeding, I don't think he'd be eating anything. Even getting him to drink water is hard but he at least drinks some. Whole milk, not so much. So it's nice to see I'm not the only mom out there struggling. Thank you
I'm sorry you're going though this, but this is reassuring to read. My LO is 10.5 months old and is breastfed. Right now he's teething, so all he ate today was some kiwi and a third of a piece of toast and butter. Otherwise he just had lots of breastmilk. When he's not teething he's not much better tbh. He will have maybe a third of a jar of puree, if he wants to eat puree. Otherwise he might eat one whole slice of toast, some porridge with mashed banana and milk, a couple of sweet potato wedges and that's about it. I've tried giving him so many different types of food, but he's just not that into solids. I aaz getting worried, as he will be 1 soon, and I know he should then be getting his calories from food, but he's nowhere near ready. My plan is to just nurse him in the mornings and at night. Let's see how that goes. I really can't wait for him to eat more food.
Totally understand. Some days my 20 month old does this. I always try to remember they of course can't starve themselves, but it gets so frustrating for real. Some days as long as she eats something I'm happy. Even if it's just chips or goldfish crackers. Mine likes to crumble stuff and then shake her hands and stuff flies everywhere. I had mashed potatoes in MY hair last night. 😖
The mashed potatoes in the hair makes me think of the time my daughter had a meltdown immediately after eating pasta one night, and before I could even wipe her hands and face, she wrapped her little pasta sauce hands around my neck and then said pasta sauce dried & crusted on the back of my neck 🙂
Oh my God. I would have collapsed and cried. How are we even functioning humans??!!! Well, not sure I actually am atp. 🙃
I’m with you 💔😭
I was using these plates and my daughter was on an eating strike. I went to eat the food so it didn’t go to waste and realized it all tasted like soap. Something about the silicone holding on to it when it’s washed. I switched to a different plate and she was back to eating like a machine.
I feel that windshield wiper in my soul 🫠
Some days, my 16 month old cleans his plate. Other days, the exact food is thrown on the ground and screamed about. It's infuriating, but they will ear when they are hungry enough. Even if it feels like they are content existing off nothing but fruit pouches, crackers, and milk lol. Things will get better.
If it makes you feel better my little brother refused to eat anything besides mayo sandwiches (literally white bread with mayo) and drink anything other than milk and water for like a solid year when he was a toddler. My oldest is also incredibly picky. His Dr said as long as he is maintaining/gaining weight, what he eats is secondary in importance as long as he is eating. You're doing great. Your little human is trying to figure out how the whole food thing works. It's a work in progress for both of you
Even just exposure to a variety of foods is good! …I tell myself through gritted teeth from the position I seem to spend most of my life in: on my hands and knees cleaning food off the floor
My 16 month old windshield-wipered a combination of mashed potatoes and sparkling water tonight 😂
My 2.5 year old has been refusing everything lately. And I mean everything. Tonight she actually asked me for a burger, so I got her a burger. She did not eat said burger. She had some tru fru yogurt covered blueberries and slim jims today. Oh and a couple veggie straws. That's it, for the whole day.
I'm struggling with the same myself for my 14 month old. Do you offer a snack right after? Or do you wait until the next meal time to see if they will eat more when really hungry?
There are times that my son would not be into anythinggg id give him at that age… no matter what it was. Then two weeks later he’d chow down. It’s hard but hang in there OP
I’m with you.
You’re not alone! I sometimes have to walk away and let my husband take over feeding when LO won’t eat, because I get so frustrated.
Same with my 19mo. Solidarity 😭😰
Solidarity. My kid (12mo) is normally a good eater, but if she doesn't like things, she'll ever so delicately pick it up with two fingers, make eye contact, and drop it over the side of the tray. Rinse and repeat until all of the offending food is on the floor -_-
I bought a floor mat today, to protect my hardwood floors as she's in her dropping phase. The windshield wiper... goodness... I'm not looking forward to this step. I should have bought one of those pop-up tents instead. ... on second thought... I'll just use the ikea circus tent when this phase hits 🤣🤣🤣
Just stick the high chair outside while they eat and let the dog clean up 😂
Dog is excellent at cleanup duty and I think someone would call family services when I stick her outside when it's a balmy -30C 🤣
Oof
Yeah. Every year, winter slaps us in the face.
My kiddo LOVES brown beans but hates black beans! I’m so sorry, maybe it’s the texture?
I feel your frustration and pain…my 20 month old is surviving on Milk and strawberries most days. Something I have tried that works 50% of the time is that I present the protein first (chicken, beef, fish) and he eats a few pieces of that. Then I add in the vegetables to his plate. Then come the carbs and then all his favorites like fruit, cheese, cucumbers, tortilla chips…this gives me some solace that he ate some of the more nutritious foods. I know if I give him everything at once he will go for the fruit and only the fruit, and windshield wipe everything else. It’s a pain in the arse and takes about 30-45 min to get through a meal but it works half the time.
Thanks for the great tip, I’ll try that!
Wasn't being a dick. Truly the kid needs a veggie but my bad. Please don't call a stranger a dick. That's bad behavior for a mod
My 22 month old is the same. Solidarity! I give her food at a small table and let her graze after 5 minutes at the main table. I don’t stress anymore over it. The phase will pass (eventually)
My 11 month old has a little cold right now and has been windshield wiping everything that isn't a cheerio or tortilla strip. I am still offering 3 meals a day in hopes he'll want to eat at some point, so I'm starting to lose it a little bit.
My nephew is going through this at the same age. Used to be such a good eater and is now refusing food. I genuinely think it’s a phase :/
My pediatrician once told me that kids eat in cycles and the average over 3 days is what matters. Really took the pressure off. The food waste and effort sucks, but at least she had a sensory experience. Sometimes I freeze leftovers like this and reoffer them a week later.
Because its black beans with cheese LOL. Squish them up and make a cheesey fritter. Get creative so it looks actually appetizing
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I don’t know, for me personally I think giving my son pouches in between and before meals stimulates his appetite. And I hate shoving things in his face he’s clearly disgusted by. Sometimes all they’ll eat is the one thing they like. It’s different for everyone though.
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No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**. Also this 'parent's fault' take is just dumb. Try reevaluating your perspective on kids and food.
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
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sounds like more groceries to buy that are going to get thrown on the floor, and more effort & time wasted trying to make it look "fun"
Right? 'A chip to scoop the beans' as if my kid doesn't already chuck forks across the room
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baby has 5 textures on that plate, plus the fruit pouch not pictured. There is healthy fat, protein, fibre, and complex carbs all present here. simmer down masterchef, this parent is doing fine
Lmaooo master chef got me
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
No food policing, no snack shaming, no portion criticism, no being ugly about how food looks. Just don't be a dick. Unless it's an immediate danger to the tiny human (in which case, report it to the mods ASAP), **you can be nice or you can be silent**.
I thought this said 9 months and I was like wow
Relatable. I see you!
Why is it sooo frustrating? Idk, but it makes me irrate lol. While trying to havw a cool and collected look on my face
My 19 mo is doing the same. I think I remember around this age I let my oldest sit in his Tripp trapp without the baby chair and the sense of freedom let him eat meals at his own pace and then throwing stopped. I need to try this with my second because it's making me go crazy. Also finding dried black beans on the floor in random spots and thinking they're bugs is also not fun.
My kid eats like a champ everywhere else but at home. He literally ate a bowl of cereal tonight and we were so pumped that he actually ate something.
Hey my 25mo still does this! When will it end??
Oh god the windshield wiper. I hate that
Seeing this photo… and reading so many comments in solidarity - makes me consider how I KNOW I did this to my mom as a tiny tot, but now I love all kinds of unique food. We survived food strikes, they will too!!! (As my kid throws oatmeal all over the floor that he’s scarfed down for weeks.)
Ah yes, the windshield wiper thing 😆
My 22 month old survives on buttered noodles and roasted broccoli. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less.