Buba’s obsession with vegetables

Last updated on May 6th, 2024 at 10:17 am

My two year old, like a lot of toddlers out there, is extremely picky when it comes to his food. As frustrating as it is to feed a normal toddler my son takes it that extra step further. It probably started off my fault but its become an increasing challenging when its time to eat.

I say its partly my fault as my son has severe deathly allergies therefore I have had to make everything from scratch for him since day one of weaning. He can’t eat at restaurant unless I have spoken to the chef (so embarrassing but must be done). He can’t have cake, candy, ice cream or any sweets (this is actually a blessing in disguise). With all the do’s and don’t’s of feeding my son he has been fed better than kings themselves. Organic fresh everything while his parents who are poor from the cost of his eating habits, eat toast or cereal for dinner. When it came to meat he had only ate fresh roasted ham, roasted chicken and extra lean meats that I have prepared for him because a lot of the companies that produce lunch meat and ready meals have nuts in their factory and Buba is deathly allergic to ALL nuts. By the time I searched high and low for some ready made meals or lunch meat that was safe for him to eat, he point blank refused, spitting them out and saying, “pwa, pwa, no more, mommy”. The closer I got to having my second child I was desperate to find quick easy meals for my son that he would eat, love, save time, and wouldn’t cost a small fortune. My only savor at first was that he would eat a ton of vegetables with no fight. Not the canned kind of course, the fresh, organic, cost of a small car kind. As he got more and more obsessed with vegetables he got less interested in trying anything else.

Now you read the title above: Buba’s obsession with vegetables. Don’t roll your eyes just yet and say I wish! Since as long as I can remember my two year old has been obsessed with vegetables, most of all green vegetables. The most hated vegetables of all: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, sprouts, and garden peas. You ask why this is a bad thing? Well, for one thing vegetables are high in fiber and let me tell you they run through him like no tomorrow. The amount of poos a toddler should have is tripled when they eat like my son.The health visitor warned me to cut down portions at each meal to help with this. I try not to give him too much but he screams, “more please, Mommy” or “more food, Mommy”.  As if I was starving him from proper portions sizes. If I refuse more vegetables he will go into the extreme tantrum phase, which I will save for another post. Typical two year old lives here.

He hates rice, pasta, or plain potatoes, I have to hide it in puree vegetables. Yup, you read that right. I make carrots, swede, parsnip mash and hide all sorts in it. I cut up roasted chicken, or tuna, or mince beef and mix it in it. I mash potatoes or put steamed rice in it. If its coated in carrots, swede or parsnips, he will eat anything. Even better if I do a mixed vegetable bowl with tons of corn, green beans, peas, and carrots I can put a little rice and whatever roasted meat I have cooked in it, as long as the main ingredients are vegetables. He does good with most fruits which only add to more diaper changes. It’s like he is on the Atkins diet and a vegetarian at the same time. Talk about frustrating when I am trying to make sure he has a balanced diet and not have to cook so many separate meals for the household.

Missy Moo starts weaning tomorrow, her first taste of food. I pray she doesn’t have Buba’s allergies and even more so, I pray she is easier to feed than the tantrum throwing, highly demanding, organic-fresh eating, picky brother of hers. My days would go smoother and less frustrating if he would eat something other than a huge bowl of broccoli.