My picky eater seems to be getting worse

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:19 pm

She is 3 years old and has started saying the food we eat smells and goes away to her room because it smells to her. Once we finish, she comes back.

I have always had the feeling that it was the smell and not texture or taste. She only eats fruits like apples, bananas, mangoes and dry cereals, yogurt, cookies, chips and crackers. The only thing she eats that is cooked and warm is French fries.

No meats or rice nor beans. Nor vegetables. When she was between 1 and 2 she had a couple of bites of chicken nuggets and shrimp. But never again. I don't know what to do if she won't try anything do to the smells of food. She now avoids the smell and screams to leave.

Terri · Post by **Terri** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:19 pm

I'm no expert but what are they like with non-food smells? Is it worth having a non-food smell game? You could put lavender in a jar, and all sorts of other things in jars. Or maybe buy essential oils that she can sniff and say whether she thinks it smells of flowers or something else.

Alexyss · Post by **Alexyss** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:20 pm

I hate to comment.. I am no help .. but my almost 4 year old smells his food before he tries it .. if he doesn't like he won't even touch it to his tongue.. we are down to about 8 safe foods..

my 2 year old just looks at it and walks away screaming like it's poisoned, she is down to maybe 3 foods , has gone days without eating.. I cry every day and I stopped eating myself because I'm so stressed ..

my 6 year old has finally opened up to EVERYTHING this year

Abi · Post by **Abi** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:20 pm

We used a scented candle of my PE’s choosing when there were ‘big smells’ at the dinner table. It gave him something else to smell that he liked and the tools to communicate what was bothering him. It opened up the conversation around big smells and little smells, and how some things have a big smell when they are hot but smell ‘smaller’ once they cool down.

I would light it while cooking, and have it at the dinner table so he was able to eat his safe foods while tolerating having the family meal in front of him & giving him exposure to the smells and sights of food he wasn’t yet comfortable with.

Joclyn · Post by **Joclyn** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:20 pm

My sons smells a lot of his food. What I do to try and attempt to try new things is I distract him and swipe the food across his lips so he faintly tastes it 8/10 he will look at me for more food . Many times it’s their senses that deters them from even trying a new food so I get him to use the only sense (taste) necessary for food consumption - I have successfully got him to try new food.

ie like tonight I made rice which is usually a big no no with mince meat and Lebanese spices . He normally doesn’t eat it but I did this technique he was watching TV a swiped his lips and he asked for more by opening his mouth (non verbal ASD)

Jenna · Post by **Jenna** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 4:21 pm

This is interesting, I hadn't thought much about the smell but now am after your post. My 3-year-old son sounds version similar to your daughter. He says the same about our food and drinks being smelly and doesn't want to be near us with them. No cooked food either.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Sun Dec 25, 2022 2:20 pm