Picky Eaters

I am the world's pickiest eater. It's not that I don't eat a huge variety of foods, but my food has to be just right. All meat has to basically be burnt in order for me to eat it. The slightest bit of pink, and I'm done. Everything has to be plain, no mayo, no ranch, no mustard. Except honey mustard. I'll eat that on anything.

I feel so awful because I know I've passed my eating habits on to the Gibbon. He has a handful of foods he'll eat, and they have to be just right too. Strawberries must be cut in circles, not slices. Grilled cheese must be in two triangles, pancakes must be in circles, no trying to design silly shapes with batter.

The kid is so stuck in his food habits, it's a daily battle to get him to try new things. And, if he has to try something he thinks he won't like, he gags until he's sick. It makes for truly miserable mealtimes. I feel like I'm at my wits end some days.

Even though I have read that picky eating may be inherited, I feel like I haven't made enough effort to get him to try new foods. When I try it mostly ends in frustration from me and whining or tears from him. I've read all the tips: giving them two choices, eating together, being consistent and persistent, cutting out junk food.

So, for the next few weeks, my goal is to calmly get new foods on the table-over and over. To find fun and creative ways to present things, and to try to get the Gibbon excited about eating. And to stop feeling such pressure about what he's eating. Wish me luck!