Let’s talk about picky eating. I’m not talking about “he doesn’t like broccoli only.” I’m talking about full-blown sensory-driven, emotionally frustrating, repetitive meal plans for survival picky eating. Croix pretty much eats the same thing every day.
For dinner? You can count on dinosaur chicken nuggets and shells and cheese. Every night. Occasionally we get a win with sweet potato tots or a perfectly whipped, string-free sweet potato blend. Homemade mac and cheese? Not a chance; and yes, some of the best mac makers have tried! Still… no go!
His favorite fruits? Strawberries, blueberries, watermelon, bananas, kiwis (only sweet ones), cold apples, and grapes. But don’t get it twisted, just because you offer it doesn’t mean he’s going to eat them. These are just options he’s more likely to say yes to. They have to look a certain way. Feel a certain way. Be cold, crisp, just right.
Breakfast? Frozen pancakes (a specific brand only) with chicken maple sausage or canned biscuits with honey. Sometimes he’ll eat grits. Sometimes only when mixed with eggs and cheese just the way he likes it or with cheese only.
Lunch? Grilled cheese but ONLY on Hawaiian rolls. No wheat, no basic sandwich bread. He won’t touch it. I tried the cute shape cutters. That’ll get one bite, maybe two!
Dinner (besides the usual)? He might eat pizza or a cheeseburger….Fried catfish or salmon sometimes makes the cut but you can’t bank on it.
Don’t even mention vegetables. He hasn’t willingly eaten them since the age of 2 when he threw up after eating some Captain D’s broccoli. That moment shaped his new relationship with green veggies ever since. And yet…this boy used to eat so well.
Breastfed until one. Blended fruits and veggies. Homemade baby food. I thought I had it figured out!
Then bam! Everything changed!
And I was left questioning everything.
When Mealtime Becomes Mom Guilt
There were days I cried at the stove. Cried in the grocery store and the closet. Cried in frustration because I thought I was doing something wrong. I wanted Croix to eat well. I wanted him to love healthy foods. I wanted to win at motherhood! But every untouched plate made me feel like I was losing!
Then, one day while chatting with a few parents in the therapy waiting room, something clicked. One mom said her child only ate pizza. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Another said their child only ate nuggets and nothing else.
And I looked at Croix’s list…and realized we were doing just fine.
A New Outlook: He’s Fed. He’s Thriving. We’re Winning.
I started to shift my thinking. I stopped obsessing over the “perfect diet” and focused on nutrition, not comparison. I made peace with the fact that he’s not eating kale, but he is getting what he needs. We use his favorite drinks (hello, chocolate monkey a.k.a. Orgain Kids Plant Protein) to get the nutrients in. Smoothies every now and then. I found a good vitamin regimen.
We try new foods when we can, especially while traveling. Sometimes he tries. Sometimes he doesn’t. But we keep offering.
I stopped making mealtimes a battlefield.
I stopped letting shame win.
Because a fed child, in a loving home, with someone who refuses to give up is winning!
3 Tips to Free Yourself from Picky Eater Guilt
Celebrate the “safe foods.” If they’re eating a few consistent things, that’s a win. Add vitamins, smoothies, and slow exposure to new foods instead of forcing change overnight. Ditch the comparison. Other kids may eat kale chips and quinoa. Yours might eat nuggets and strawberries. Both are still loved. Both can thrive. Listen to your child and your gut. You know your child best. Tune out the comments and trust your instincts. If your child is growing, developing, and content, you’re doing more than enough.
You Are Not Failing
To every parent out there silently stressed about meals…
who’s cried in the kitchen,
who’s begged their child to eat,
who’s felt judged by strangers or even family…
I see you. I am you!!!!
We’re not failing.
We’re figuring it out….
One nugget, one blended smoothie, one protein drink at a time.
Keep showing up!
Keep offering.
Keep loving.
That’s the real recipe for thriving!!
A Note to Grandma (With Love):
Please stop making that baby eat.
We’re not doing that anymore.
You don’t force yourself to eat things you don’t like and neither will he.
This isn’t rebellion. It’s respect.
For his body. For his boundaries. For his taste buds.
We’re breaking the “clean your plate” curse… with love! 💕
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Raising My Wired King 