My Son Eats Like a Rabbit

The last year or two it has been quite a battle getting my son to eat. But I think I've finally figured it out. It's not that my 4-almost-5-year-old son doesn't like to eat, it's that he's a rabbit--or at least he eats like a rabbit.

He will always eat rabbit food. You know, fresh pieces of fruits and veggies--unseasoned, uncooked, un-sauced. Cold, crisp, cut pieces of lettuce, carrots, radishes, red peppers, green peppers, yellow peppers, gold peppers, cauliflower, cucumbers, celery, kale and cabbage. Juicy, fresh pieces of apples, oranges, grapefruit, pineapple, watermelon, pears, peaches, plums, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and grapes.

He doesn't just eat rabbit food, he eats like a rabbit, too. He nibbles and nibbles and nibbles, and while it looks like he is chewing lots of food, he really is just very thoroughly chewing the same. little. bit. over and over and over. Lots of nibbles, very few bites. It takes For. Ev. Er. I think he burns more calories eating than he actually absorbs from the food.

I know, great, huh? My son enjoys eating vegetables and fruits. Yay! He'll stave off many chronic illnesses, like heart disease, cancers, high blood pressure, etc. etc. etc. 

BUT. I think the realization that my son eats rabbit food has brought another realization: No wonder he is ornery and whiney often! I mean, really, how many of you have tried a diet of purely veggies and fruits? Don't you get hungry for carbs? Brains need carbohydrates to function. Doesn't your body crave fat? Fat and carbs are awesome sources of energy (calories) that my son doesn't get much of, because he's too busy chewing that stick of celery.

I've tried adding calories to things--peanut butter to celery (he refuses), peanut butter to apples (riiight), nutella to numerous fruit (no way), ranch or other dip for raw veggies (he'll run away), butter and cheese to potatoes (maaaybe, but not without a fight).

Not too long ago someone recommended that I try concentrating on feeding him high-calorie breakfasts. I realized we tend to already do this, but I made a more concentrated effort to do so. He's pretty good about eating breakfast, as he always wakes up with an appetite (I wonder why...). It seems to work. He'll almost always dive into a bowl of maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal (I switched to full-sugar kind cooked with whole milk for extra calories; sometimes he has two packets), a pancake or two with chocolate chips, or pieces of toast with butter, honey and scrambled eggs. He's usually great about drinking a cup or more of whole milk, so at least there's a good chunk of energy for him.

There are other things he'll usually eat. This kid loves kidney beans, cheese, cookies and brownies. But that's about it. I'm doing my best to practice patience as he is yet again hungry because he won't eat more than a few pieces of lettuce and a clementine. Good thing he's cute!