Is it appropriate to say something?

[freakyfemme]

Yeah, don't say anything specifically about Goddaughter's eating habits, but you could always mention some "recipe modifications" off-hand, such as grinding up vegetables in meatloaf or hamburgers, or pureeing them into pizza or spaghetti sauce, or adding grated pear to grilled cheese sandwiches (using whole wheat bread and low-fat mozzarella cheese), or making smoothies with fruit and yogurt.  I saw all these ideas in a parenting magazine I read at the gym once (the selection of magazines at the gym isn't great, and I'd rather look at pictures of cute kids than, say, National Geographic, or mountain biking magazines), and they all sort of followed the basic theme of incorporating fruits and vegetables into foods that most kids already like, so they're there, but just sort of "incognito."

[housewife2k]

Say nothing.  If you have goddaughter at your place, have fruits and veg available, but say nothing. The mom is fully aware that she isn't eating them, and it might be a stage, the day of the week, something the mom is beating herself up over, a passing fancy,,who knows what. Oldest son ate NOTHING for a week when he was two, but garlick balogna and garlick croutons, the next week he was fine. Middle son is in a salad and pasta only stage, last week it was cereal and raisons, next week it'll pro'lly be banana's and turkey for all I know.  Her pediatrician will let her know if it is annything to worry about.

[snoopygirl]

my toddler, I mean husband, is 30 and eats only meat, dairy and bread. 

As long as the child doesn't look malnourished it is really not your place to say anything.

That sounds like my fiance. He is so darn picky. I am going to have trouble feeding the both of us when we get married because his idea of a veg is chips. Um I dont think so. I love stuff like veggie stir fry and pasta and he wont eat either.

[Barghest1031]

I'm going to go with everybody else and vote that you shouldn't say anything. It's possible too that she's getting vitamins (man, I miss those rather good tasting chewable flinstones ones ) to make up for not eating fruits or veggies. Even if she wasn't I wouldn't be super concerned. My fiance still doesn't eat "colorful foods" as he puts it with the exception of corn and TGI Friday's potato skins. *rolls eyes*

[Alida]

I wouldn't say anything yet - kids go through phases.  My daughter is quite the gourmet foodie - she loves any and all foods, including veggies.  But at 2 and 3?  If she could live on chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese, she would!  She's almost 14 now, healthy as a horse and active.  As long as the stage doesn't last and your goddaughter is getting her vitamins, she should be just fine

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

Toddlers eat a "balanced week" rather than a balanced meal. Over the course of a week, the child will end up getting everything she needs. But they will have starch days, protein days, fruit days, and so on.

I would have days with my own kids where we'd serve dinner one night nad leftovers the next, and the child would eat only one part one night and only one part the next night. But the kid would get two meals' worth.

A toddler's job is to waste his weight in food every week.   Keep that in mind and it'll be fine.

Yeppers to that, my friends 20 month old son will one day refues to eat any meat and only eat apples and bananas, then a few days later, he wants cheese, just cheese, or tomatoes, or he eats everything and anything including carpet lint.  My friends ped told her to make all foods available (put a little of everything on his plate) and not battle him unless he is getting ill or malnurished.  He thinks one of the problems with childhood obesity is the fixation on making children clean their plate, but that is just his opinion.

[goblue2539]

  He thinks one of the problems with childhood obesity is the fixation on making children clean their plate, but that is just his opinion.

It's my family's opinion too.  Which is why my mom developed the consequence test.  Yes, you can be done with dinner, but only if you know that it means you get no more food until breakfast.  If you're ok with that, then you can be done.  Usually, once the kids go a night or two with no cookies/candy or watching everyone else eat dessert when they can't, they learn to gauge their stomachs better.  Granted, that probably won't work for a toddler, but it does help some when they're older.  And it lets them know that they ARE allowed to say that they aren't hungry. 

[fklwmn]

  He thinks one of the problems with childhood obesity is the fixation on making children clean their plate, but that is just his opinion.

It's my family's opinion too.  Which is why my mom developed the consequence test.  Yes, you can be done with dinner, but only if you know that it means you get no more food until breakfast.  If you're ok with that, then you can be done.  Usually, once the kids go a night or two with no cookies/candy or watching everyone else eat dessert when they can't, they learn to gauge their stomachs better.  Granted, that probably won't work for a toddler, but it does help some when they're older.  And it lets them know that they ARE allowed to say that they aren't hungry. 

I was a kid who was forced to clean my plate. And when I'd wait until everyone else was done with dinner and then sneak my food into the trash can - UNDER other trash - my parents caught on and would take it back OUT of the trash can, put it back on my plate, and make me sit there until i ate it. Or until bedtime, which is why I spent most of my nights as a kid sitting alone @ the diningroom table until bed.

We have the same rule in my house that your family has. If you don't finish your dinner, you don't get anythiung to eat for the rest of the night. I will sometimes leave dinner on the table in case you change your mind and get hungry later, but even if you finish your dinner @ that point, you have already forfeited your desserts. You don't have to finish everything on your plate, or even ANYTHING on your plate. but you have to stay at the table with us until we're done eating and then no snacks until the next meal.

It works

[goblue2539]

You don't have to finish everything on your plate, or even ANYTHING on your plate. but you have to stay at the table with us until we're done eating and then no snacks until the next meal.

It works

It does indeed.   Of course, we have a slight variation if we're eating out.  We're trying to teach my siblings that it's better to NOT order than to order and not eat anything.  Those are the nights they get lunch re-served for dinner.  And we'll try to get them to eat at least a few bites if they've ordered something, but we learned at Christmas not to push too hard.     Found out after bugging them to eat lunch both kids had the flu.  Brother did manage to hit the driveway instead of the car when he got sick.  Then again, we're also trying not to let them use that as an excuse not to eat.  It's a heck of a balancing act, and those are the days I'm glad to be able to send them back home.

[fklwmn]

Found out after bugging them to eat lunch both kids had the flu.  Brother did manage to hit the driveway instead of the car when he got sick.  Then again, we're also trying not to let them use that as an excuse not to eat.  It's a heck of a balancing act, and those are the days I'm glad to be able to send them back home.

oh, I know that balancing act well! I have one son with TONS of food allergies. I am still convinced there are foods he says make his 'throat hurt' (first warning sign of a reaction for him) that he actually just doesn't like. ;

My other son will say his stomach is upset to get out of eating dinner. Then later he wants junk. nooo.. junk is not good for your upset tummy! how about plain toast?

[goblue2539]

My other son will say his stomach is upset to get out of eating dinner. Then later he wants junk. nooo.. junk is not good for your upset tummy! how about plain toast?

That's how I knew my brother was really sick.  I gave him crackers, and he actually ate them.

[baconsmom]

Yeah, don't say anything specifically about Goddaughter's eating habits, but you could always mention some "recipe modifications" off-hand, such as grinding up vegetables in meatloaf or hamburgers, or pureeing them into pizza or spaghetti sauce, or adding grated pear to grilled cheese sandwiches (using whole wheat bread and low-fat mozzarella cheese), or making smoothies with fruit and yogurt.  I saw all these ideas in a parenting magazine I read at the gym once (the selection of magazines at the gym isn't great, and I'd rather look at pictures of cute kids than, say, National Geographic, or mountain biking magazines), and they all sort of followed the basic theme of incorporating fruits and vegetables into foods that most kids already like, so they're there, but just sort of "incognito."

I hate this idea, I'm sorry. My parents were always trying to get me to eat things I hated by lying about them - it really only reinforced my pickiness, and to this day, I won't eat something if it seems questionable and I don't know exactly what's in it.

Better by far just to offer a toddler a wide variety of foods and let them figure out what they like. I never judge a food in front of Bacon, even if I think it's vile - I'll just say "Mommy doesn't like it, but maybe you will. Do you want to try?" And, of course, I never make her eat a food if she says she doesn't like it - even if she liked it yesterday.

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

[[/quote]
 I never make her eat a food if she says she doesn't like it - even if she liked it yesterday.
[/quote]

My mom said that I was not a particullary picky eater, other than my allergies and sensitivities, and even then I tried to sneak strawberries because I liked them so much, but I went through phases where I only wanted Grits, or I refused to eat cheese (and I loves me some cheese) or I owuld only eat toasted bread on my sandwiches, and this was into 1st or 2nd grade, but they were infrequent. 

The only time I t hink I was ever forced to eat anything was greenbeans, and to this day, I still refuse to eat them (they are so bitter it is like eating a pecan shell), but almost all other foods I did not like, but was not made to eat, I grew into.

[fklwmn]

[

I never make her eat a food if she says she doesn't like it - even if she liked it yesterday.
[/quote]

My mom said that I was not a particullary picky eater, other than my allergies and sensitivities, and even then I tried to sneak strawberries because I liked them so much, but I went through phases where I only wanted Grits, or I refused to eat cheese (and I loves me some cheese) or I owuld only eat toasted bread on my sandwiches, and this was into 1st or 2nd grade, but they were infrequent. 

The only time I t hink I was ever forced to eat anything was greenbeans, and to this day, I still refuse to eat them (they are so bitter it is like eating a pecan shell), but almost all other foods I did not like, but was not made to eat, I grew into.
[/quote]

You know.. I never would have referred to green beans as bitter. Ever. Maybe bland if not seasonsed properly, but not bitter. It makes me wonder if some people don't perceive the same foods as tasting differently than most other people do... which would explain why some people just CAN'T STAND the same foods that most of us love...

just an idea... hmmm...

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

[

I never make her eat a food if she says she doesn't like it - even if she liked it yesterday.

My mom said that I was not a particullary picky eater, other than my allergies and sensitivities, and even then I tried to sneak strawberries because I liked them so much, but I went through phases where I only wanted Grits, or I refused to eat cheese (and I loves me some cheese) or I owuld only eat toasted bread on my sandwiches, and this was into 1st or 2nd grade, but they were infrequent. 

The only time I t hink I was ever forced to eat anything was greenbeans, and to this day, I still refuse to eat them (they are so bitter it is like eating a pecan shell), but almost all other foods I did not like, but was not made to eat, I grew into.
[/quote]

You know.. I never would have referred to green beans as bitter. Ever. Maybe bland if not seasonsed properly, but not bitter. It makes me wonder if some people don't perceive the same foods as tasting differently than most other people do... which would explain why some people just CAN'T STAND the same foods that most of us love...

just an idea... hmmm...[/quote]

Actually, there is a chemical phenylthiocarbamide a part of the population can taste, and it is HORRIBLE bitter and nasty, we learned about it in Biology calss when discussing recessive genes, we did the test, one other girl and I in that class carried the gene because we could taste the litmus, and it was HORRIBLE, I was gagging.

So, peoples taste buds to carry different "flavors"