One more picky eater question (re: aversions to meat)...

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wvasweetness

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Wes used to eat any and everything. About 4 months ago he stopped eating meat one day out of the blue. The only type of meat he will eat *sometimes* is chicken (dipped in ketchup, of course) - but even that is a stretch. Other than that he will not even try anything that is meat - especially red meat, which he will not even try.

If/when he does try meat, he gags and hacks like it's poison. I'm not sure if it's a texture thing (although he eats any/all veggies and fruits without any issues), or just that he truly doesn't like meat right now.

Has anyone toddler gone through a major meat-less phase? Did they outgrow it? How long did it last?

Vegetarians (or anyone) - I'd love to get some input on meatless meals and high protein non-meat meals.
 
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My 4 yo has never been a meat fan. We don't really eat beef at home anyway, but only rarely will he eat chicken. He does eat processed meats like lunchmeat and pepperoni, but I know they're of limited nutritional value. He gets most of his protein with peanut butter and milk. My 2 yo, on the other hand, is crazy about meat ... he can't get enough of it! Go figure.
 
Sorry, no help here. DS LOVES his meats, but doesn't like veggies. When I asked the ped. about it she told me as far as veggies, if he's eating his meats and veggies, he really is ok. I'm guessing if he can get protein from somewhere else, he will be good.
 
my nephew went through this phase. When he was about two he would not eat ground meat mostly. It was any meat but especially ground meat. It was kinda funny to watch him eat cause no matter how small my sister would cut the meat he could eat around it in meals. If she mixed it with pasta or mac and cheese he would eat but he would have a pile of meat left when he was done. He was relatively thin but healthy and within normal growth rates. The doctor said dont worry to much so long as he is still growing. So she didnt push it. She kept offering meat and one day he just stopped hating it.
 
My son is 15 and has eaten meat inconsistently since he was 3 or 4. It's really just something about meat to him. He will eat a hamburger... sometimes. Chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant almost always, but never if I make them at home. We have one famous story where I told him he couldn't leave the table until he ate a chicken nugget and he showed me how he could at least make me go running from the table. He won't eat fish, or steak, or any other form of chicken. No turkey, but he will eat pepperoni (which I'm not even sure should count as a meat). Last year I got him a book on teen vegetarians and told him that if he was going to choose not to eat meat, he needed to understand nutrition. Yeah, that went over like a lead brick. I just try to get him some form of protein at least once a day -- peanut butter, cheese, milk, eggs.

BTW, it's not a vegetarian thing. I don't think it's a texture thing, either. He just really does not like to eat meat often.
 
I have no pointers other than a friend told me when my dd was 1 year old not to cater to her food likes. She needs to learn to eat what we eat. Otherwise, I was going to be making individual meals for my family every night ... that was the best advise I ever got. My dd got over her pickiness and now eats all foods. :)
 
My oldest didn't eat meat from the time she was about 2 till about 2 months ago (she'll be 4 at the end of the month). She would eat chicken but that was about it. She ate lots of peanut butter and the processes lunch meats but other than that we did a lot of pastas, beans, and chicken. When she started preschool they made them at least try every snack they had so that kind of shook her of her "no meat" policy. Now she LOVES pork chops (pork in general), hamburgers, and even steak because she tried them and liked them. I figure as long as they're healthy, you don't need to push it. We did the same thing that Heidi did too. I would never cook her something separate. If she didn't like it she didn't have to eat it, but she wasn't getting a snack after dinner unless she ate something.
 
eating just chicken is fine :] it's better for you anyway..

there are a gabillion other protein sources other than meat. I lucked out and ce doesn't have a problem with stuff like tofu.. but unless yer kiddo is going vegan- you really shouldn't worry. Eggs, cheese, milk etc- are all protein sources as well. There's also the beans and nuts etc etc. There are a ton of veg. options out there but not all kids will eat them- so I would just focus on making sure he's getting his dairy's in each day (which he should be anyway for his calcium & D).

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/high-protein-foods.html <-- here's a good list of foods with protein if you really want more ideas though.
 
J doesn't like meat either. He literally gags when he eats it. He will eat hot dogs and chicken nuggets. He won't eat chicken plain or hamburgers. He LOVES peanut butter and yogurt so I don't worry about it. He's growing. :)
 
Oh, I should probably come back and add that my son hasn't suffered any growing or health issues from not eating much meat. He's taller than me... 5'9" and 135. A good sized young man. Hardly ever gets sick, either.
 
my dd (now almost 11 yrs old) has never liked meat. to this day she is more a sushi/occasional chicken eater. she will eat meat if it's given to her but only in very small portions. she has never been a fan and i wouldn't be surprised if she ends up going pesce-vegetarian when she gets older. i say don't force it, it's a texture thing and a preference thing. go for other foods high in protein and it will be okay. :)
 
My 3rd son Jack doesn't eat much meat and my 4th son Sam eats none at all (along with eating no dairy or eggs....he's a tiny vegan lol). I make a lot of vegetable dishes and salads and rice and they eat all of that so it's no biggie. For protein both drink soymilk and eat sunbutter.
 
I am a vegetarian due to hating the taste of meat. Its almost completely a texture thing. My mom said I wouldn't ever eat it. When I was a kid, I would eat a little bit, mostly heavily covered in dips and such. When I got old enough to realize I didn't have to eat it, I quit. I haven't had it since I was like 16. The thing that my mom found easiest to make me foods is, she would just not put meat in part of it. If she was making spaghetti, she just cooked up some sauce on its own. Casseroles, a little one made without meat. Etc. Even my grandma picked up on that fast when I stayed with her one summer. when I go to eat at someone's house though, I just fill up on sides. If he eats dairy, PB, beans, he will get more than enough protein. I have never made an effort to eat protein, but eat all 3 of those foods and every time my protein levels have been tested, they have been good.
 
I have an almost 4 year old who won't eat meat...at all. I agree its a texture thing...and she's taller than everyone her age--and is at the correct weight. We do LOTS of veggies fruits....pastas...beans beans and more beans...meat if she eats is makes me just throw it back up, she thinks it's "disgustin" as she says. soy burgers are her fave....she will eat those in a heartbeat--and u know they have a vegitarian cupcake book too----proud owner of that one that are totally fab! :)
 
I'm a vegetarian, and my 3 year old has never been a meat fan. Based on the few meats he will eat, I think it's a texture thing with him, too.

Some good sources of protein are milk, cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, peanut butter, and beans (both of my boys like them straight from the can, just rinsed). I buy Barilla plus pasta, though it probably isn't necessary. I also eat soy-based meat substitutes like Smart Dogs and Gardenburgers, and my kids like some of them a lot, too.
 
When Kellie was 5 she sat pushing a piece of pork chop around on her plate and quietly informed me "did I forget to tell you I'm a vegetarian now?", lol! So I told her that was ok, but that meant she would have to start eating brussel sprouts now (she had tried them before but gagged them up into her glass of milk, yes it was disgusting) because vegetarians eat them. Needless to say, she ditched the vegetarian idea and ate her pork chop! :)
 
My youngest refuses to eat meat. He also refuses most veggies and fruit. (He lives on peanut butter, plain pasta, bread, cereal, raisins and fruit leather.) While it really bothers me that he won't eat, he seems fine, and his pediatrician said as long as he's gaining weight and growing, he's fine.
 
sannajeannine said:
When Kellie was 5 she sat pushing a piece of pork chop around on her plate and quietly informed me "did I forget to tell you I'm a vegetarian now?", lol! So I told her that was ok, but that meant she would have to start eating brussel sprouts now (she had tried them before but gagged them up into her glass of milk, yes it was disgusting) because vegetarians eat them. Needless to say, she ditched the vegetarian idea and ate her pork chop! :)
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Not all of them. ;)
 
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