Would you do this re food?

[Lynden]

Logan has always been a poor eater, but when he was little he would eat certain organic jarred food. I spent weekends home cooking and pureeing food and he wouldn't look at it so jars it was.

 

Now at newly 3 he's still a really poor eater and would live on crisps and chocolate mousse given half the chance. I haven't been happy with his diet for a long time.

 

I had a friend and her three girls up to stay last week and her youngest is 6 month and on jarred food so I wondered if I gave to Logan would he eat it.

 

So tonight I gave him a 12 month jar and he scoffed the lot in minutes. Normally it takes ages to get him to eat anything. It was their vegetable lasagna one. He will eat a few spoons of homemade lasagna but thats it , as with most home cooked food, and he at a full plate of the jarred stuff.

 

So, they're fairly nutritionally balanced - if he's happy to eat them once a day would you give them or is that a huge step back in terms of eating/development?

 

He can struggle with eating as he doesn't recognise that is mouth is full so packs it to bursting then gags.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Lynne

[lollypocket]

I hope someone can help you with that one. It seems like it is a textural thing for him. My Son can be funny about textures. I would have thought it would be a step back, but I am no expert so will let others with more knowledge tell you.

 

KW

[Flora]

Lynden.

 

I would have no hesitation in doing what you were doing, especially if he will eat it from the plate instead of out of the jar. Then after a week or so you could start adding a few home made things like creamy mashed potato, mashed carrotts etc. Then progress to something solid along side the baby food. I can't see it doing him any harm, as if my memory is right the 12 month baby food has some lumps in it and isn't totally pureed.

 

I think as long as you continue to offer him other things along side and in between, it can do no harm and at least you know he is getting something wholesome other than just crips etc.

 

Flora

[Daisydot]

My son is really difficult about food too (quite common with ASD according to the feeding clinic we go to). He is nearly eight and has a diagnosis of ASD amongst other things.

 

I will definitely try some baby jar food. He used to like a few of the Heinz 12 month plus ones and the baby breakfasts. His diet has been chips, crisps, toast, ready brek and blackcurrant squash for several years.

 

however, I have come to the conclusion that it is no point worrying too much. The consultant we see says his diet makes no difference to his difficulties. He is eight and is the right weight and height for his age with fantastic skin and he is no more ill than my other son who eats all the vegetables, fish, fruit etc you could wish for in a 9 year old.

 

If he will eat a baby jar of food I would go for it and perhaps try to offer some other "grown up" items as well. At least then you know he is getting some goodness. My son's OT suggested separating foods as some children have difficulties with different textures on one plate.

 

Good luck.

Daisydot

[Suze]

I know how you feel, my son would still only have pureed food when he was 3 , what was strange though was he would eat biscuits etc, but a meal needed to be pureed or he would,nt eat it .He would wretch and be sick.It was the lumpy, sticky type food he had problems with.So he would have pureed spaghetti and tomato sauce with cheese, pureed lasagna, .He then went through another dietary change as he got older and now eats cereals (because they are crunchy) toast, pizza, bacon, sausage, chicken, yogurts.He will only have fruit via a milk type smoothie.I think alot of the problems are the food textures, and taste problems.I would,nt worry about the jars try and modify them as he gets used to them like Flora says you can start to add to them, good luck, Suzex.

[Lynden]

Thanks guys - I might try the adding more to it thing. I'm not quite sure why he likes it - he will eat solid food and favours crunchy foods like crisps and dry cereal normally.

 

I do feel sort of like its a step back, but also feel if he's getting it once a day I know he's at least getting some goodness. The 12 months jars are fairly lumpy. I'm wondering if I'll do it for lunch for a while but still offer him the same dinner as us like I normally do - then continue to offer him loads of other stuff till he eats - like I normally do LOL

 

Lynne x

[something vague]

Hi Lyndon,

 

I cant see any harm in giving him it once a day, its no different to us eating soup really is it? And if he likes crunchy stuff give him some toast or carrot sticks on a side plate

 

SV

 

Are you giving him it from a bowl or plate rather than the jar though otherwise he might develop a pattern of only wanting the jars.

[Lynden]

Hi Lyndon,

 

I cant see any harm in giving him it once a day, its no different to us eating soup really is it? And if he likes crunchy stuff give him some toast or carrot sticks on a side plate

 

SV

 

Are you giving him it from a bowl or plate rather than the jar though otherwise he might develop a pattern of only wanting the jars.

 

Very true re soup! He's having it from a plate - I'm also hoping because its quite gloopy we might use it to practice spoon feeding because he still can't self feed yet (other than finger foods)

 

Lynne x

[LizK]

Can't see once a dat being too much of a problem and as you say you can always add your own lumps! You could use the jarred food as a dip too to maybe encourage him to eat other solid foods too

 

Lx

[bramblebrae]

My son is still very picky eater - I've a list of food he'll eat on blog but your question reminded me that I had tried this with 10mth old baby food when he was about 4.5 but he refused that too - it might still have been too lumpy for him..he dosen't seem to have to much bother about textures though as he eats porridge and this is pretty lumpy won't go near anything really greasy like butter or chips so it could be a texture thing but against smooth or slipperyness(if thats a word lol) it's more smells and just being scared of any new foods. I've jsut discovered that even though he seemed to eat any sweet going he dosen't like caramel in anything I hadn't noticed this before-mmh thats sticky and smooth?

I try not to get to worked up over it as I have been told kids 'like' him usually start to grow out of it by the teen years. I just wish I could find one veg he'd eat.

 

hope it works out for you with the baby food

Lorraine

[Stephanie]

My son is a nightmare eater at 5, had all sorts of problems ... we did the babyfood thing until he was about 3.

 

Now he has gone the other way and doesn't like wet textures, prefering crackers and toast etc.

 

I had the Food & Nutritionalists look at his diet and unbelievably he was getting all the nutrients he needs from the limited food he eats and I even had to take him off his multivits.

 

A friend of mines autistic son only eats bourbon biscuits and strawberry yoghurts, nothing else ... and he is doing ok nutritionally.

 

My sons major problem is the reluctance to try anything new.

 

Just hang on in there, it's all a game of trial and error.

[JsMum]

J is clinically underweight and he has severe issues with food and has autistic traits and sensory issues regarding colour, texture and especially tempreture, J is that bad he wont even drink the water at school as it tastes warm and funny, it really is a nightmare and a constant problem in our home, J eats the same thing over and over again and has periods of favourates.

 

J dislikes cutlery and brushing his teeth is a real issue too.

 

J is been monitored by a dietition and regulary gets weighed and height checked, J is tall for his age and long limbs but ever so thin that his bones protrude.

 

It is a concern because Js behaviour is massivily effected when he is hungry or his suger levels have dropped because J is so active and constantly on the go that he burns every calorie going spare.

 

However he is growing and the dietition has given us support both nutritional and emotionally because it is a worry when you see your child very thin.

 

I would recommend you see your gp and request a dietition assessment and at least recieve some medical professional advice.

 

I havent nessasary changed Js diet but I ensure I carry food or stop at every given opportunity for J to have a snack so he keeps his sugar levels ballanced.

 

I totally understand your situation, Js Favourate at the moment is rare steak cut up in small pieces and as long as he eats it, he can have it for how ever long this fad lasts.

 

JsMum

[jen]

Sensory kids tend to prefer electric toothbrushs.

If you child eats baby food in jars you can always try other types and bring in more flavours, it does sound like it is a texture preference.

 

 

Jen