My nephew is staying w/ us for an undetermined amt. of time. But he is such a picky eater. Last night we had ribs, cheese scalloped taters, and peas. He wouldn't even open his mouth for anything! I don't want to eat snacks for all his meals (he ended up eating baby oatmeal w/ applesauce) so any suggestions?

Maybe it will just take some time. Sounds like he is trying to adjust to new surroundings. Sorry I don't have more words of wisdom.

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Mommy to Hope (10.10.06)
Monkey mommy to Allyson (10.13.02)

I agree. It will take him a little while to get adjusted maybe he has never had those foods before. I know when Noah and I moved a few weeks ago he didnt wanna really eat the first couple days. Is there anyway you can ask his parents what he eats? You could always try some toddler foods. Good Luck!

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Mom of one kangaroo!

I agree that it could be he hadn't had those foods before. It could also be texture. My daughter doesn't eat meat. She only eats mashed potatoes, not scalloped. Usually there is one item from our meal that my daughter will eat, but also keep some items for her around that are easy to heat up or make, like...
Peanut Butter (if you are doing peanuts yet) or Creamy Swiss Crackers
Yogurt
Canned fruit - Manderan Oranges, Pears, Peaches, etc
Morning Star Veggie Nuggets (gets the veggies in!) - just pop them in the microwave
Rasins
Applesauce
ETC

Good Luck!

Also, are you feeding it to him or is he feeding himself? It might be more successful if he does the feeding.

But, don't offer him other options if he doesn't eat it - otherwise you become a short order cook and he gets super picky.

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Mom to Kaylee (10/2006)
Waiting on our second bundle of joy to arrive January 2009!

Noah still eats quite a bit of baby food. That way I know its good for him. I think I ate baby food until I was two and I turned out ok.

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Mom of one kangaroo!

Could be new surroundings or it could be sensory issues with food.

If you suddenly have a 1-yr old nephew living with you, his circumstances probably have been unsettled. There could be all sorts of reasons why he isn't eating, the first being he may not be used to sitting at the dinner table with a regular family. He may also be overwhelmed by the quantity of food available (not just at the table but in the whole house).

Like all picky eaters, I recommend starting with simpler versions of the regular foods you will already be eating. Few kids like sauces or foods mixed together.

And do remember he is only 1 year old. My 6-yr old would find it difficult to eat ribs. Your nephew doesn't even have molars yet.

Lastly, consider that his health may not make it easy for him to eat. He may already have trouble with cavities or peridontal disease if he lived in a situation where no one was checking to make sure his teeth got brushed. It literally might hurt to eat.

Let him adjust but don't let him starve. Listen to what is happening to him and be open to what he is trying to tell you. Most kids will eat when given a chance. They don't want to make mealtime into a battle.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

I confess, I AM a short order cook. I got tired of the dysfunctional dinners. I give them something simple and healthy that they like.

As a child, my brother and I sat at the table long after everyone left. We were forced to eat foods we did not like or go to bed hungry. I remember laying in bed with my tummy growling. I will not send my child to bed hungry.

My ds just turned 2 an he only eats what we eat about half the time. I encourage him to try new foods, but when I push, he shuts down and refuses everything. So, I have to have a lapse of time between new foods.
He does not eat meat, except for on ground form like meatloaf or meatballs, sometimes taco meat. When he was one, I would give him piles of shredded cheese, sometimes mixed with chopped broccoli florets, and mac n cheese mixed with peas (he still eats this for dinner a couple of times a week). He also liked toaster waffles with cream cheese and jam or pb&j. Now he will also eat grilled cheese or quesadillas. He should eat things like yogurt and cereal bars and canned fruit.
Some kids just like their food simple.
Also, I forgot before, my ds could not eat tomato sauce, like on spaghetti at age 1. It still irritated his bottom, so I had to give him noodels with butter and cheese. He is just now starting to be able to eat pasta with red sauce.

Thanks for all your advice. I do think some of it is new surroundings. I remember when my kids were his age and they only liked certain things. They ate a lot of Gerber graduates. I talked to his mom tonight. She said he likes crunchy stuff, doesn't like any form of pasta. He had for dinner gerber cheddar crunches (cheetos for babies), vanilla pudding, marshmallows, a bite of popcorn chicken, and a cereal bottle before bed (to make sure he wasn't hungry). That sounds awful! We had popcorn chicken and pasta salad (he wouldn't touch the noodles). He likes being able to pick the food up by himself but by the time he gets it to his mouth 80% of the time it falls out of his hand. I'm trying to think of healthy things he can pick up and actually eat. Tomorrow's another day, it can't hurt to try new foods again. I don't know what the heck his daycare provider got him to eat.
FYI: the ribs were cut up into itty bitty pieces (pea size) lol
I don't expect him to pick up the whole rib .lol