chicken nuggets - Boston Moms Blog

All the mamas of picky eaters, raise your hands! **Waves hand super high.** I feel you. I hear you. I hear you loud and clear. It is so frustrating. You are not alone.

I am blessed with not one, but two super-duper picky eaters. My 3-year-old daughter and my 1-year-old son like about 10 foods each. My daughter eats all the carbs — if you put an English muffin, toast, bagel, or roll in front of her, she’ll devour it. Plain, of course. My son eats all the dairy and fruits. Yogurts, cheese, smoothies, berries, bananas — he’ll eat it all. Interestingly, he doesn’t favor carbs. Go figure.

They both equally hate vegetables, and my daughter deems any meat as ’sgusting. My son can’t talk yet, so he shows his distaste by throwing things on the floor. Typically ground meat, grilled chicken, and potatoes of all kinds.

And since I know you’ll ask, yes, I’ve tried all the tricks. Hiding vegetables in sauces or smoothies. My daughter has hawk eyes and will literally pick the teeniest-tiniest onion out of her food and then push her plate away. I’ve tried bribing — if you eat this piece of broccoli, you can have [insert favorite treat of the moment here] for dessert. Nope, my daughter has a will of steel. I’ve even attempted to cook with my kids — maybe if they make it, they’ll eat it? Nah. Nice try.

I’ve seen other kids demolish plates of brussels sprouts (true story). My nephew asks for seconds of egg salad. Kids at daycare bring in thermoses full of soup and devour them.

Where did I go wrong?

I’ve asked my doctor about this countless times. He isn’t concerned. It’s normal. At least they’re eating. They’ll probably grow out of it. Keep offering new foods.

OK, cool. Will do, doc.

One of my go-tos — that both kids will surprisingly eat — is chicken nuggets. Bell & Evans antibiotic-free, all-natural chicken nuggets, mind you. I love that there are only four ingredients — and I can pronounce them all. They have 21 grams of protein per serving. And yeah, my daughter will smother them in barbecue sauce or ketchup most of the time, but they’re one of the only protein-filled foods she will eat, which is important for her as she is growing.

So, sigh, I am that mom who buys chicken nuggets by the dozens. I never thought I would be. I was all “not my kids, they’ll eat everything.” But alas they don’t. And I’m okay with it. At least I have my protein-packed nuggets.

What about you? Do you have picky eaters on your hands? I can’t be the only one!