hardcore picky eater with allergies - how to make food more enticing?

[BernieBear]

Picky Picky 2.9 ds with milk, egg and nut allergies. I have some pork steaks and want to try him on these. He used to LOVE pork but is getting increasingly picky. Was going to cook them in Rice Cream with onions and sweetcorn and some rice on the side. Has anyone got any ideas if there is anything else I can add that would get him to eat it? Obviously apart from his much loved Dairy/Egg free chocolate cake

[DrumMum]

my son has the same allergies... we use a sticky BBQ sauce, as long as the meat isn't too tough my DS aged 8 will eat it.
I hadn't thought of using rice cream to cook with... good idea....

[BernieBear]

Thanks for that. What sort of barbeque sauce (sorry to sound thick) I went to shop and could either get the stuff similar to tomato ketchup or the jarred variety? Or do you make it yourself? Will let you know how the rice cream works. Never used it before. Also ds turns his nose up at anything other than carrots, chicken and potatoes, bananas, apples or spag bol. So could be a no goer anyway! Really would like to get a taste for sweetcorn though. I just get so bored cooking the same things all the time.

[nearlyfourbob]

I have an allergic child and he wants to see all his food in a natural state - I think it can put off their natural ability to spot potentially dangerous (for them) food if we try to disguise it with other things.

So if you want him to try sweetcorn then put some on his plate, one day she will try some.

We all eat the same, but I might put a sauce over ours when I have taken off ds's. We all eat the same veggies.

You get used to plain food.

[karabiner]

Can you try tomato ketchup?

I would cook the pork steaks, and serve plain with rice and sweetcorn. Perhaps with some diary free spread on the rice to make it moist. Serve with ketchup.

I don't bother with sauces like what you had planned cos DS just wont eat them.


I never had much success making sauces with Rice Dream - seemed to 'curdle' in a way and taste not nice.

[nearlyfourbob]

Oh yes, we do go through some ketchup - though ds has now got a taste for sweet chilli sauce and humous. I think allowing him to dip things in other things is a good first step.

[BernieBear]

Yes had been thinking overnight about what fourbob and karab said. Will go with the plain version and buckets of tomato ketchup. Would love to try hummus but am concerned about the link with that and peanut allergy. Must get him re-checked at hospital. Thanks again, will report back later. x

[zippitippitoes]

what about herbs or lemon, orange or other fruit sauce like apricot?

[BernieBear]

Right - a reasonable success by keeping it basic! I marinaded the pork in honey then oven baked in foil. Did rice and sweetcorn. He ate all the rice, most of pork and two small mouthfuls of sweetcorn but didn't like it - but at least he tried! Whoooopppeee I can now add pork and rice to our exciting list of non-exciting food!!!!! Thanks for the advise, will deffo keep things simple from now on!

[Heartmum2Jamie]

I also have a child who is multi allergic and does not eat well. I would go as far as to say that he is food phobic. It does not matter how I make things, wheter complex or simple or something in between, he refuses to eat it. Thankfully our paed has just referred ds onto a paed psych. Seems drastic, but if it helps, i will be so happy.

[nearlyfourbob]

Next time you do pork and rice have a sweet and sour sauce to pour over your own portion. His is plain - yours in fancy - one lot of cooking.

[DrumMum]

Hi BernieBear... I've got Ainsley Harriott's hickory dickory smokey marinade in the cupboard to try.. no mention of nuts.. eggs or any dairy... I got it from tesco's
I'm lucky [smug emoticon] my son will try anything... my daughter is another story.. very picky... sigh!
Does your son like corn on the cob... smothered in butter... (dairy free of course)

[BernieBear]

I've yet to try the corn on the cob thing and I love them but sooooooon, I promise, sooooon my pretty...... .....and for the record I am starting to create an intense dislike for Annabel Karbel lady person. (sorry had my requisite glasses of wine for a Friday and a tad squiffy!)