My 12 Yr old son refuses to eat veg

Post Reply New Topic

I am concerned that my son isn't getting all the vitamins and minerals he needs. He does not eat any veg, however much I try to disguise it. I used to be able to puree them, and sneak it into food, but he knows. His taste buds have become extra sensitive. He won't take vitamin tablets, he can't swallow them, or drink the effervescent tabs he just vomits it. He will drink fruit juice though, and I have been giving him this everyday. I suppose my question is, can he receive all the vitamins and minerals he needs from fruit alone? Also, has anybody else had this problem, and how did/do they deal with it? I don't want to give him an eating disorder by making him eat something he doesn't want to.

Well sooner or later, the lack of vitamins could be life threatening and he'll have to be hospitalized.

As for vitamins, they make gummy vitamins that taste good. Though scientists are now saying that vitamin supplements have no impact on the body whatsoever. Whether or not it's true, is up for debate.

If he'll eat the fruit go with that and try some of the sweeter veg like carrots and sweet potaoes. White poatoes have alot of vitamins and minerals a jacket potatoe might be something he'll eat or a oven chip? For the chips you can use a white or sweet poatoes you can leave the peal on the white but must remove it from the sweet cut in to weages boiled in salt water then drained and patted dry with papper towels and tossed in oil and the herbs and or spices of your choice. Spread on a oiled baking sheet and put in a 400. oven <sorry don't know the gas mark convertions anymore> but it's a very hot oven for around 20mins until they are brown and crispy on the out side. And they sell vitamins in the US that are gummie bears and in bubble gum you might be able to order on line if you can't get them in the UK. I hope this helps alittle best of luck

Just get him some "not from concentrate" fruit smoothies. Innocent is one brand, although there are many other's which are a lot cheaper.

Sorry I forgot to add he does eat potatoes, and corn on the cob. My son isn't little, or skinny. He is one of the tallest in his school year and a bit chubby, but still I wonder about the lack of vitamins. I will try the sweet potato thing. I will also ask the chemist for some gummy bears , or similar vitamins. Thanks.

In the US, there's a juice blends called V8 V-Fusion and V8 Splash. I would think they have them in the UK too, since they're made by the Campbell Soup Company. Those juice blends contain fruit and vegetable juices, blended together in such a way that you can't taste the vegetable part. The ingredients are mostly, if not entirely, natural. You, being in the UK, are actually a little better off; I'm sure they use normal sugar for sweetening, rather than that nasty corn syrup they use in the US. Check your local grocery stores.

Here's some information: http://www.v8juice.com/Products.aspx.

I don't eat many veggies myself.... the main ones I eat are potatoes, corn, peas, and green onion. I do however like the campbell's vegetable soup.

I take a daily vitamin to help make up for what I don't get.

I think there are vitamin-rich freezies and special juices that you can get, and as a child I would get those tasty chewable vitamins.

my son was the same way. As an infant he wouldn't eat baby food. the dr said no problem, but he was constipated all of the time. as a young kid, he still wouldn't eat vegs, other than corn (Dr. said corn doesn't count it's a starch), He was a skinny little kid, Then puberty came, he still wouldn't eat vegs, but he gained alot of weight, because of the starch in pasta (about all he would eat) He's 18 now and 5'9" 210 lbs, he actually will eat a few vegs now, he says his taste changed. when he was young, he ate alot of pasta and peanut butter, his endochrinologist said buy TONS of fruit and let him eat as much as he would like! He is doing better now, but it worried me and his DR.. The Dr. use to try to tell him to try a salad every now and then, but he never has.Try things with real fruit like frozen fruit bars, jello with real fruit. Apple or bannana chips. Apple cinnamon rice cakes. good luck.

If he will drink juice, I wonder if you could get a juicer and make really healthy juices with fresh fruit?

my son also couldn't swallow his prozac, it gave him heartburn, so we had to get tablet form instead of capsule form, the coating made a difference to him. things like sprite would bother him too. he even says plain pringles (chips) give him a headache.

I don't think that is true. It is quite common for kids - "normal" kids - to go literally years refusing to eat anything but a few favored items, and for the most part they grow up just fine. For most kids, its just a phase. I realize that with a spectrum child it may be more complicated and long term than just a phase but, still, my instinct as a parent would be to NOT to panic over it.

I grew up absolutely detesting the taste of most cooked vegetables, especially carrot, parsnip and celery. It's only in recent years that I've come to realize that they were overcooked and that I don't find them as yukky if they are less cooked.

My son is the same way. He won't eat vegetables, and the only meat is McDonalds Chicken nuggets and hot dogs. I recently went to a feeding clinic and what they told me was that my son was healthy. All they really worry about is calcium, vitamin D and Iron. I get my sons iron checked every year and it's fine. He also drinks a lot of milk and eats cheese so he gets enough calcium and Vit D from how much he drinks. They want to put him in a feeding clinic but I'm not going to do that. What I do is bribe him...we recently got him a Wii Video Game and he is allowed to play that day if he eats one bite of a vegetable. I try different things like frying, salad dressing etc. whatever it takes. He is not eating regular veggies, but he at least gets one bite a day. I also give him VFusion. Also try to find liquid vitamins. My son won't take vitamins either, not the gummies or gum or anything, so I buy liquid and put it in his milk in the morning. There are also liquid vegetables, but they taste pretty yucky, but if you can get some of that in a milkshake or something that might help. You may not get the whole day's allowance, but some is better than none. Find a pharmacy and ask if they can order liquid vitamins for children. At my pharmacy they have to be special ordered. Unfortunately the liquid vitamins out there don't have minerals, just vitamins so you will have to monitor iron, but you can get that from fortified cereal bars or cereal if he eats that, or fruit bars.

This is a tough one. Just keep trying to encourage your child to eat by whatever it takes. My son gets McDonalds Chicken if he eats his fruit at lunch. He plays his Wii if he takes a bite of a non preferred food....and on we go.

I'm not a parent, but I happened to notice this topic. Is this ok?

I have trouble with vegetables because of gastrointestinal problems, and I find some are easier to take than others. My dietician recommended apple puree rather than raw, and peeling fruit helps.

There's a kid's pasta sauce that can be made with pureed vegetables mixed into the tomato base, and disguised with cheese melted in it. You might find more the recipe if you google. (If he's lactose intolerant, try using goat cheese.)

I'll sometimes have vegies in tiny cubes mixed and cooked in a rice dish.
Also I find hummus dip (pureed chickpea dip) is a gentler way to get plants in.

I hope this helps.

Last edited by activebutodd on 08 Jul 2009, 10:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

I'd try experimenting with new vegetables and recipes until you find stuff he likes, a possible strategy is just to bounce from nation to nation, try curries and if that dosn't work try a stir fry, vegetable sauces on the meat, raw vegetables, there's bound to be something he likes.

I'm not sure what the contents of fungus based foods are but if they're an alternative to veg try that too, there's some meet imitation mycoprotein foods on the market, Quorn for example.

And do check the problem is taste and not something like digestion.

-A supertaster is a person who experiences the sense of taste with far greater intensity than average.-Wickipedia

I never forced foods on my really fussy kids (but I do bribe)
They are 16 and 20 now, and neither one has ever eaten any condiments because they all contain vinegar! ie: mayo, ketchup, salad dressings. My son eats no fruit or veg, but takes daily vitamins (Flintstones gummies or chews)
I just figure they are supertasters. Even the acidic taste of apples is too much.
Also, I've tried a million toothepastes, all burn his mouth and we keep going back to children's brands.
He's very fussy, but he does like some healthy things.
They have both grown and are thankfully healthy.
Look for healthy alternatives. Most nuts and seeds (if tolerated) are healthy. Oatmeal and healthy cereals are great.
This one is tough to deal with!