Mom of a 5 YO here. Sometimes I feel… I KNOW rationally I’m doing enough, but sometimes it feels like too much when it comes to my son’s eating habits. We try to keep meals balanced, but many days all he wants are crackers or peanut butter sandwiches. I know picky eating is normal at this age, but I also worry about whether he’s getting everything he needs to grow strong and healthy. It’s exhausting, and some nights I just give in. Any other parents feel this? How do you manage?
It’s soooo exhausting! My son is the same with only wanting certain foods every day. I feel like I’m failing sometimes but I try not to stress too much.
Honestly, I went through something similar with my daughter. She’s 6 now, but between 4 and 5, it was all mac and cheese, crackers, or plain bread for her. I worried so much about her nutrition and tried all these tricks, like making food into fun shapes or adding veggies to sauces. Some days, she’d eat everything, other days, nothing. It’s tough to find that balance of not pushing too hard, but also wanting them to eat enough for proper growth. My pediatrician reassured me that as long as they’re eating something, it’s okay, and that kids can go through phases. It did get better over time, though. She’s way more adventurous now with her food, but those picky stages are SO frustrating.
LOL, I’ve literally had nights where I just handed my son a bowl of crackers and said, Fine, you’re on your own. Sometimes I think I should just have a stockpile of easy foods on standby for the: im not eating anything else days. At least I know it’s not just me. 
I totally feel you! Mine’s 9 and looking back, the picky eating stage feels like a lifetime ago! Honestly, they WILL grow out of it. You’re doing the right thing by offering balanced meals, even if they only want crackers some days. I found that keeping meals as relaxed as possible helped avoid food battles. As long as they’re eating something, you’re on the right track. It also helps to keep your expectations low, some days will be great, and others won’t. But as they grow, their palate broadens! Don’t worry, things will get better! Just keep offering variety, and most importantly, don’t stress too much. You’re doing great!
Ugh, I totally get it. The food wars at this age are no joke. I just try to offer healthy options and hope for the best some days.
I completely understand! My son went through a picky phase around that age, and I had SO many stressful moments trying to figure out what to do. The one thing that worked for me was involving him in meal prep. He started taking an interest in food when he could choose some of the ingredients or help me cook. We made a rule that he had to take at least one bite of everything on his plate, and over time, it worked. He wasn’t thrilled about the idea at first, but slowly his taste buds started to evolve. I think part of it was just realizing that picky eating is a phase, and you don’t have to have it all figured out right away. Just keep doing your best and offering healthy options, and eventually, they’ll eat when they’re ready. You’re definitely not alone in this!
I get this too, and I’m still not sure how to always handle it. My 5 YO does the same thing, some days he can’t handle frustration at all, and other days he seems so calm. How do you manage when it’s just a meltdown over something little? Like, do you stay calm, or do you try to distract him? I’m so curious how others deal with this!
I’m going through this with my 5 year old too. It’s like they hit a certain age and suddenly refuse everything except snacks! But I try to remind myself that it’s a phase. Some days I just keep offering a variety of healthy foods and let her choose what to eat, but I don’t pressure her. The worst thing is stressing out over it. I started offering smaller portions of different foods, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming to her, and I think that helped. Slowly, she’s starting to try new things again. I think this too shall pass. Hang in there!
I was in the exact same place a couple of years ago, and it was tough! My daughter was so picky and it stressed me out constantly. I started making food less of a battle by introducing the no thank you bite rule. Basically, she had to try at least one bite of whatever we were eating, but she didn’t have to finish it if she didn’t like it. I also kept snacks healthy but limited them to certain times of the day so that meals were more appealing. We also made a fun chart where she got stickers for trying new foods, and after so many stickers, she earned a fun activity or a small treat. The key for us was consistency and patience. It’s totally exhausting, but they will come around eventually. Don’t be too hard on yourself, picky eating is so common at this age!
Thanks so much for all your replies! I really appreciate the reassurance and the tips. It’s nice to hear I’m not the only one going through this. I’ll try not to stress so much and just keep offering a variety of foods. Hopefully, this phase will pass sooner rather than later!