Still super picky

[megancoop]

I thought my son would grow out of being super picky about food (like his older sister did, ) but he seems to be eating fewer foods than before and he is 11. I have tried to let it be a non-issue because it was a big deal when I was a kid and I wound up with an eating disorder. He is of normal height and weight and I give him half of an adult multivitamin every morning. Here is what he will eat: waffles, pancakes and french toast, bagels and cream cheese, Luna bars, cheese pizza, scrambled eggs, milk, all desserts, dried apples, strawberries, bananas, turkey and cheese sandwiches from Subway (with nothing else on it and he won't eat turkey anywhere else,) chicken nuggets at school (rarely anywhere else,) french fries... and that's all I can think of. At camp he went hungry rather than trying something new. He'll eat no meat (he has NEVER eaten a burger or hot dog!) besides what I listed and no vegetables (not even corn or potatoes.) He calls himself a "carboterian" because he'll eat breads and muffins. I fluctuate between letting it go and feeling like a failure as a mom. His lunch often comes home with an uneated lunch, saying he wasn't hungry. I just can't do the tough love thing and force this issue. It mostly upsets me when we are with other families that offer him things he won't eat. We have put off traveling to Europe because I can't imagine him with no options. He sees all of us in the family eating lots of healthy foods will not even take a bite. He just seems easily disgusted by foods. Any advice?

[Renee Radenberg]

He eats some healthy foods such as a good breakfast - waffles, pancakes or French toast, eggs; milk, fruit -dried apples, bananas, strawberries, and turkey with cheese. He is limited with his meat intake; however, he is eating protein sources - chicken nuggets, eggs, turkey, cheese and milk. Suggest giving him one daily children chewable multi-vitamin instead of a 1/2 adult vitamin so he gets the full amount of vitamins and minerals he needs daily. Suggest letting him eat what he wants and giving him the fruit he likes daily. Some children stay picky eaters or in later years others if they stay picky eaters may start to eat different foods in high school or college. You never can tell.