It was snack time and I put out some celery with peanut butter, something Big A hasn’t eaten in I don’t know how long. She looked at it and took a few bites.
I made roasted veggies for dinner, something Big A might typically take a bite of or touch.
She took several bites.
On cultural day at her school, she took every different type of food and tried them all.
Not to mention, my little carb queen seems into any type of protein right now. She also has been eating a variety at meals instead of focusing on one or two foods (most of the time).
What on earth is happening?
The Grader branches out
Last year when Big A was in kindergarten she called the older kids “graders.” And now that she’s is officially a grader, she’s doing what typically happens at the school-age stage — branching out with food.
When I look back, I can see that Big A has slowly added foods to her repertoire since being in the resistant stage (2-6). She started eating more things around 5 but has had her share of setbacks. But what I have been noticing this time is something different — a big trying spurt. She all of a sudden wants to eat different types of food and isn’t stopping at the one bite.
I also notice an increase in appetite which may have something to do with it. Remember those lunches she barely touched last year? Now her lunches typically come back empty. After returning from grandmas and eating snacky type foods, she no longer picks at dinner — she’s hungry.
What gives?
My kids have never been particularly adventurous or extremely picky. But I’ve always been grateful to understand what it’s like to have a kid shun food and love sweets. How could I identify with parents if my kids ate perfectly?
I didn’t do anything to get Big A to eat. We have no one-taste rules. I don’t comment on what or how much she eats. I’m horrible at making food into fun shapes. And the times I have tried little subtle things I’ve read about, she always says “Why are you trying to get me to eat mom, I thought you didn’t believe in that?”
Busted!!
In reality, this has nothing to do with me or anything I did. I just got out of the way and let her experiment with food on her own. Easy? NO. Worth it? Definitely.
The wrong emphasis
When I get emails from parents I can feel their frustration. They want an easy answer to their kids’ eating woes. I won’t give that to them or my readers because I just don’t believe in quick fixes. When the novelty of the quick fix wears off, and it always does, you’re left with the reality. So I’ve learned to deal in reality.
One of my mentors growing up used to tell me: “The best things in life are worth working for.” We have a lot of research on what works — exposure, family meals, no pressure and food variety. It may not be sexy, but over time when you see your child grow with food through their own initiative, you get it.
I’m well aware that this stage with Big A may not last, but that’s okay. She’s heading in the right direction and she is only 7 years old after all. We have 11 more years and many, many more meals to go.
So tell me, anyone else experiencing a child branching out with food?
I didn’t realize this is what’s been happening with us! My 1st grader, nearly 7, is starting to be willing to try, and sometimes continues to eat the previously detested food.
And yesterday I heard words to make my heart glad: “wow that smells good!” Anticipation instead of protestation was a good feeling to have.
Funny how things change Nicole. My daughter also has been noticing the smell of food too, something she never really cared about before.
Yes! I am still jumping up and down over the fact that my 5-year-old picky eater began eating pasta sauce and pizza about 6 weeks ago. He’s even begun asking for broccoli when it’s on the table from time-to-time. I know it’s hard, hard, hard to watch them turn their nose up at so many foods, but the view is looking good from the other side.
Also, since we don’t make a big deal about sweets (they get at least one small dessert everyday), I’ve noticed that at parties or other occasions they don’t quite obsess over the sweets the way their peers who don’t get them often tend to.
It’s been great to see the payoff of the division of responsibility!
LeAnne — Good to hear!! Those were some of the first changes with Big A. She used to just eat the pizza crust around 4 and then eventually at the pizza. I also used to serve meatballs plain with sauce on the side but around 6 she started eating the sauce. It’s amazing how they come along with a little trust and patience.
I’ve noticed this in the last couple of years with my older son. He’s simply too hungry to be very picky. There are still things he doesn’t like but more often than not, he digs into dinner even if it’s not his favorite. He also finishes his whole lunch and has been asking for more items in his lunchbox. It’s a great change!
Sally, I think appetite has a lot to do with it. Just wait until puberty — your boys will be eating you out of house and home ; )
My picky eater who is almost 8 has been shocking me lately. Previously she would gag at chicken pot pie…I know a very basic pretty plain food and yet this week she devoured it and asked for more. She has eaten salmon and trout…she refused to eat it since 6 months old. Also she was a tried and true bread and cheese girl…now she actually enjoyed a chunk of steak and told her little sister to eat it as it tasted good. I cannot even tell you how happy I am that she is trying and enjoying food. She had low iron for the longest time and I have also struggled with school lunches due to her pickiness…I hope she keeps up trying things and finally eating. She has lived off air and bread and cheese for years…(although she has always liked fruit thankfully).
That’s great to hear Christine! One of the challenges with my 4 yer old son is he doesn’t really care for fruit. So we do lots of smoothies.
Thanks, Maryann, for another informative and honest post. I smiled when I read the title, because I’m one of those parents who dreams about these moments with my still-very-picky-almost-four-year-old daughter! (And before I had kids, I never thought I would be dreaming about such things.) Your posts have encouraged me to stay positive, though, and I’m much less anxious about her eating than I was six months ago. Glad to hear that your daughter is branching out!
Thanks for this, I am in the throes with my 5yo and it often feels like we are going backward more than forward–losing foods he used to eat. But he does eat a pretty good variety despite that and really enjoys fruit and many veggies, so I just keep biting my tongue and sticking with the rules and believing that someday I’ll see this progress too!