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Forum -> Parenting our children -> Toddlers
15 month old refusing to eat from a spoon



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israeli83




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 1:21 pm
My 15 month old eats finger foods. It's getting a little tricky to feed him some puree foods that I still give him. Sometimes I put some finger foods on the table and when he holds one, I try to trick him and feed him a spoon of puree. I know now he can eat more foods that aren't pureed, so even some chunky foods that I make he doesn't want me to feed him. If I give him the plate, most likely he'll just make a mess and won't really eat it. So how do I keep on giving him healthy food if so far he just likes to eat finger foods? should I just forget about his food on a plate with a spoon and just cut for him vegetables/fruits on his table?
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water_bear88




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 1:27 pm
Give him vegetables he can handle. It's going to be messy any way you try it, but this too shall pass.

Veggies that work well for that age, whether or not he has molars-
-sweet potato, roasted or pulled out of soup
-roasted or steamed zucchini
-carrot chunks, steamed or pulled out of soup
-tomato or cucumber slices- they can suck/gnaw on them. Alternatively, cut them up very small like Israeli salad, small enough not to be a choking hazard.
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Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 2:10 pm
Give him what you're eating cut to a friendly size. If he won't eat puréed, give him the real thing!
I look at baby food bottles in the store for ideas of what produce to buy.
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little_mage




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 4:36 pm
While I don't really think purees are necessary, if you'd really like him to eat them, have you looked into using a pouch? I like the Little Green Pouches, I got them on amazon. Your son may like the control that a pouch would give him, and it will be neater then giving him loose food.
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amother
White


 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 4:36 pm
It's totally normal behavior.

My daughter would only eat with a spoon if she was the one holding it and feeding herself. Yes, it was messy, but she ate.

Also, it's important to follow your kid's lead. If they only want finger foods, then do it. 15 months is old enough for lots of nutritious finger foods - small pieces of soft chicken, pieces of cheese, cheerios, pasta, etc. In reality, pureed baby fruits/veggies are not really super valuable nutritionally because they are low in calories and don't contain significant amounts of needed protein or fats. Obviously the vitamins are the important part, but pieces of soft steamed vegetables (steamed retains more vitamins than other cooking methods) or pieces of soft uncooked fruit have the same nutritional value as a jar of pureed baby food. And cheerios have similar nutritional value as 'puree' baby cereal.

Also, at this age, if you want her to eat, there is no way to do it without it being messy. I know the mess is a pain, but it's more important that my daughter learns to eat nicely (which will only happen if she starts learning to feed herself) and that my daughter gets the nutrients and vitamins she needs. I can always clean up a mess, but I can't always make up for a lost meal. So I know the mess is annoying, but it's part of developing and growing up, and it's worth overlooking if you want to raise a healthy eater. The most important thing is never to get into a power struggle or begging or fight over food with your kid. Jut sit back and let them do what they want and they will develop good eating habits. They'll outgrow the mess much sooner than they will outgrow undeveloped or bad eating habits.

Some other suggestions:
Give her very liquidy soups or purees or yogurts or baby oatmeal cereal to drink from a cup (yes, messy, but a lot goes down)
Try giving purees from a squeezable pouch - my daughter would eat from this but not a spoon
Try foods with more flavor - my daughter liked mashed avocado much more than pureed peas. Alternatively, adding some spices into the vegetable purees or vanilla in to the fruit purees could also help (preferably don't add salt or sugar or anything with MSG).
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FranticFrummie




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Sep 14 2016, 4:48 pm
It literally took me YEARS to get DD to use utensils. She knew how to use them, and could handle them just fine, but for her, the sense of touch was just as important as taste and smell. It's another way of "getting to know your food".

Even now, she prefers to eat with her fingers whenever she can get away with it (13yo!)

You may just have a sensory seeking kid who likes the way his food feels. 15 months is way too young to make a fuss about it.
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