Weaning Monkey went pretty well, he liked most of the things we gave him (though he really never liked banana) and I have really made an effort to give him a wide variety of foods including lots of fruits and vegetables to give him as many nutrients and the best start I could. His tastes have changed a little as he’s got bigger, whereas initially he would happily munch on a bit of broccoli, now he doesn’t want to know. Likewise apples, pears and a few other things. But he has also been eating some different things more recently, such as chickpea curry.

But, lately, mealtimes have really become a bit of a battle. He can be such a fusspot at the moment! For a while I have been struggling when feeding him out and about as he stopped liking eating jarred food (always handy when you are out) and he won’t eat bread (toast yes, but bread, no) and then he stopped even eating things he would eat at home like quiche. A lot of the food he eats at home is batches that I freeze and then reheat, and reheating isn’t exactly easy when you are out! So we got a food flask which helped as I could take out some of his fave foods and they would still be warm for him and that worked for a few weeks.

Then he started being really picky with foods, even at home and even with his faves. He just starts shaking his head no, and screwing his face up with whatever you put in front of him. Even food that I know he loves! Sometimes having the telly on is enough of a distraction that he will pick up and eat anything (I know it’s not the best tactic, but honestly, anything for an easy life sometimes and anything that means he actually eats!) but even that doesn’t always work. Sometimes you can get it in his mouth then he spits it out again.

I knew the day would come when we would have a fussy toddler on our hands but I wasn’t expecting it so soon! It feels like he is too young to lay down the law and hard-line it – that’s all your getting, eat it or go hungry – isn’t it? He understands a lot of what we say, but not everything, and his day still revolves around food a lot. I’m sure if I don’t make sure he eats his lunch then he will sleep earlier in the afternoon and probably not as well as I think he’ll wake up hungry. He gets such a burst of energy after he’s eaten and then sleeps well in the afternoon. I guess I’m scared about how much the day will be ruined if I take the hard-line approach and don’t give him alternatives. How much more hard work he’ll be if he’s hungry, grouchy and tired for the rest of the day! But much as I like an easy life he also needs to learn discipline and I don’t want to let him get away with things. Is 13 months too young to be worrying about this?

There are a few things he seems to always eat with no fuss, fish fingers and sweet potato and peas, beans on toast and the mild curries we make him. But he seems to have gone off all of his fave pasta dishes and the pizza I make with the special hidden veggie pasta sauce (yup, another Annabel Karmel recipe you can find it here, though I cheated and bought pizza bases) which he used to love! Sometimes if you can get him to eat a little bit, it’s like he remembers that he likes it, and then scoffs the lot, although getting that first mouthful in him is such a battle of wills. We have found that if we stab a bit of food with his little fork then give it to him to hold he will quite often eat it off of that and that can start him off. But even that doesn’t work every time! He’s been finger feeding for ages with the occasional spoon feeding for puddings, and now he really seems to want to use a fork or spoon himself although obviously has no idea how!

I’m hoping this is just a phase, that he’s just asserting his independence a bit and he’ll grow out of it soon but my fear is that it will only get worse! Any words of wisdom or support will be greatly appreciated! 🙂