help, my 18th month old wont eat meat!!!

[kmowell]

My toddler only eats pasta and smoked fish, sometimes egg. does manage cereal and toast for breakie.When i make mince, chicken, bacon..Pulses, soup, anything else really, he wont even taste it, just shakes his head.Dont know where he is getting protein and iron from! Even disguising it doesnt work....HELP!all suggestions welcome..

[LilRedWG]

Can you face ignoring the issue and putting meals in front of him and telling him that is it?

I think they see it as a means of control sometimes and like the extra attention they get when you beg them to eat.

I know DD has gone through phases like this. At you LOs age she went for a month on Weetabix and nothing else passed her lips - or at least that's what it felt like.

[Dragonesque]

It's fine.

Some people are . veggie, their kids don't eat meat either!

I think you may be worrying unnecessarily, but we all worry, god that's why we all looked on this site in the first place no doubt!!

[claraquack]

Oh my 18 month old doesn't like meat much either although she loves eggs and beans (or peas as she calls anything vaguely round). I just keep offering it and assume at some point she'll come round.

Cereal usually has iron in, eg Weetabix.

Smoked fish - that's pretty sophisticated.

Does he eat cheese? Cheese on toast, pasta with cheese sauce, fingers of cheese with lunch, cheese on pizzas etc.

We eat a lot of cheese in this house!

[Dragonesque]

Sorry I forgot- 18 months old?

Stop fretting lass.

[Dragonesque]

God I sound so unsupportive... his tastes will change over time, may just be texture right now, don't worry about it, just give him things he likes and add new stuff gradually- he may prefer to have finger food stuff to test out for example? ie cut up chicken strips, burger, beef etc?
I wouldn't worry about the meat thing, he may just not like the texture until he's older- mine didn't eat meat until they were a lot older, and they had a really balanced diet (obsessive mam)

Sorry, I've read my posts and they seem very dismissive, I suppose all my DCs are a lot older, but each stage has it's problems doesn't it?

[kmowell]

I know, should really stop complaining, You do end up becoming a little obsessed with things like that dont you think? Maybe i should get out more! Make the most of it before no.2 arrives in 4 weeks!!!!Good to hear that others have same problems tho....

[Joolyjoolyjoo]

My 18 mo ds won't eat meat either. I just keep putting a little on his plate- I'm sure when he feels like it he will try it! as others have said, lots of other ways to get protein- he would eat his own body weight in cheese if allowed!

[kmowell]

Not a huge cheese fan, mini baby bells sometimes, he even ate the shell of egg tonight rather that the egg!!

[Dragonesque]

Hey well at least it's got calcium in!

[BlueChampagne]

My sister began to refuse meat about this age and is a steadfast veggie in her mid 30s.

Try lentils instead, they're full of good stuff.

[LilRedWG]

Conversely, DH was like this as a toddler and is now a major carnivor.