Daughter Not Eating Properly

Hi OP

Can understand your frustration. You can bring in changes slowly only. Use Rewarding method.

First, don't let her go hungry. Give her something healthy to start the day. Peanut Butter or Nutella Toast, Banana, milk, a boiled egg (dont know if it is ok as you are veg), Porridge, idlies Chappati etc anything that she will eat. Decide the menu the previous day. Discuss with her about breakfast and come to a compromise. Like she can pick one and you can pick one on alternate days. If it helps make a timetable on the weekend. If she eats good breakfast reward her with stars. If she collects say 10 stars(you decide) then let her buy lunch at cafeteria. You can tell the food department at school or let her school teacher know or send a note saying that she is vegetarian . Anyway if she is not eating anything the whole day let her eat atleast what she buys from cafteria once or twice a week. Just my opinion.

Regarding Lunch, maybe she wants to try what other kids eat, Maybe she is feeling awkward to take indian food or maybe some kids made fun of her lunch who knows ... So talk to her and find out. For Lunch too make a plan over the weekend. Again you decide one meal and let her decide another. Involve her in shopping. Go for some finger foods something healthy, like cheese/paneer cubes, Pasta with vegs, fruits veggie sticks with dips, small buttered bread rolls etc. On the days she finishes something give her a star sticker and encourage her to eat more the next day. Keep reminding her if she gets these many stars she can buy food but she needs to eat what she takes from home too.

When you pick her up have some banana, apple with Peanut butter/almond butter or, smoothies or yogurt or milk (8 oz carton) handy so that she can have something on the way home.

Try some of these and see if it helps.

 

Kids that age are experimental with tastes.
Maybe you should try making what she likes but is also healthy.
E.g. if she likes pizza, make chapati dough with multigrain wheat flour n roast it on tawa making it crisp. Apply tomato ketchup ( homemade preferred) Add grated mozeralla cheese or cheddar cheese (dont buy processed cheese which us ut healthy) ...add some vegetables like corn, bell pepper of colors like yellow, red n green. Add olives n jalapenos n top with grated cheese n cook covered on tawa fr few mins till cheese melts.

You can try making utappams in different shapes.
Make brown bread sandwiches n decorate them in shape of mickey mouse etc....

Find on google u vl know ....

Basic idea is to make it look interesting to the kid while u cn make it healthy too

 

Kids at that age are choosy. try aloo tikki, cutlet, her favrt stuffed veggies momos, sweet corn, aloo pops, or make different designs of small small dosa to attract her.

 

Hi OP,

I agree with @Laks09, make a deal with her saying 3 days cafeteria and 2 days home cooked food, and slowly increase number of days for home cooked lunch box. After coming from school, offer her solid food like rice with curries or dosa or idli or what you planned for your dinner, instead of offering snacks at that time. Right after you pick her up offer a healthy snack like her fav fruits/granola bar/choco milk/mixed nuts ladoo something like that, so that you can reach home and quickly fix the dinner. I do the same with my kids [LO is picky eater]

Hope this helps.

 

I feel some discipline issues too, but don’t get disheartened because literally every kid tests their parents n this isn’t a one time thing either, as they grow, issue varies, but testing our limits stays, so better to learn how to deal n find one way or another.

During pickup, don’t “buy” snacks, take home made food.

If she wants veg sandwich n cheese pizza, it’s very easy to make at home.
That same vada or any veggie cutlets, put in between a burger or a pav or a bread with some tomato sauce - it’s burger / sandwich.
That same chapathi, poori - put some sauce n cheese on it - it becomes cheese pizza
Any rice rolled into a ball can become veg sushi.

Make her create a menu to take to school that she is ok with. Go shopping with her n even cook along with her for a few days to make her school lunch n make her pack it. Let her see n feel that she’s taking along cool lunches too.

Is she feeling inferior to eat indian food at the school ? Does no one else eats or brings ? Or did someone say something ?

 

Did you talk to the teacher and notify the school about her skipping lunch? You could request the teacher to use some tactics like clapping for her when she shows her the emptied lunch box or being appreciative of all who finish their lunches etc. Looks like she’s getting easily influenced as she’s loving to copy the kids who are buying at the cafeteria, so the teacher should be able to help. Also things like lemon rice, semiya upma and vada too for that matter turn cold, dry and hard by the time she must be eating coz you would have made them at 5.30-6 and she’s eating around afternoon. Not great lunch box ideas, jmo. You could make simpler stuff and request the school staff to help her heat and eat. Another thing is are you feeding her at home and she’s supposed to eat by herself at school? So the issues? In that case encourage her to eat by herself in general too.

You go to pick her up and buy things? Assuming you are working and have no time to cook anything when you are picking her up, you could keep some bananas, strawberries and other berries available in your car when you pick her up, also some warm water in a flask and mix pediasure and let her drink.

Best wishes