Two year old and eating... tell me it's getting better!

[dodi1978]

DS has just turned two. Very healthy, 75th centile for weight and height, all perfect. Weaned well, slightly fussy period after he turned one, but then famously ate anything and everything and double portions of it - until he was about 22 months old.
Now he has even gone off his favourites... potatoes only if they come in chip shape, pasta only if they come in the right shapes. Refuses most lunches and teas at nursery (bar the dessert of course...) and at home is a bit on an off with everything... Will also definitely not try new things at the moment (although I have to admit that, given I work full time, I am stuck in a bit of a food rut and don't try new things all too often).
At the moment, he also doesn't drink anything in the morning... no milk, no water. He gets enough during the day though, and when we get home from nursery, he usually asks for water.
Altogether, he still has a reasonable diet. Eats lots of fruit, lots of fruit puree pouches, etc. and looks healthy.

Any ideas? Maybe it's just one of these things ("just a phase") and it will all get better soon. One lives in hope!

[Pancakeflipper]

Probably a phase of "ha ha.... I am in control and its pressing your worry buttons...ha ha"

I think the trick is to not let them see it worries you (whilst you frantically note down every morsel they eat to check if it's enough and varied.

Also try to put new things on a plate with old favourites, at first they won't touch it but eventually drift towards it for a try.

And although just 2, you could get them to 'assist' in food decision making e.g what to put in a sandwich, wrap, casserole, what type of pasta, what type of sauce etc..

But just keep smiling at them!

[Chocolatestain]

It's not at all unusual for toddlers to turn super fussy out of of the blue. Try not to stress about it. You have the advantage that your DS is a good size and weight - I always think it must be much harder for mums of very little kids to not stress about their eating.

Just keep offering a varied, balanced diet. When DS is going through a super-fussy phase I tend to give him foods I know he will eat along with those that may well be refused, or alternate popular meals with less popular ones. That way he's being offered a varied range (and I don't feel like I'm totally pandering to his ever-changing whims!) but I know that he will at least eat something during the day. On particularly bad days I give him infant vitamins, more to reassure myself that he's not getting malnourished.

You could also try cutting down on snack so he is a bit more hungry at meal times, or only offering things that you might give him as part of a meal, such as carrot sticks. And having interesting-looking new things on your own plate is often a more successful way to get them to try new things than puting them on their plates (the grass is always greener ...)

It is just a phase and it will pass, although I'm afraid I have no advice on how long it last. Toddler whims are beyond the reasoning of we mere mothers!

[dodi1978]

Pancakeflipper - oh yes, definitely a control freak. When will he learn the word "yes"? He has "no" down to a fine art...

Chocolatesatain: "Toddler whims are beyond the reasoning of we mere mothers". That DID make me laugh!

You are of course right - he is happy, healthy and a good weight. I'll try from next weekend onwards to introduce new things alongside old ones. I remember now that this is how I managed to get him to eat pasta with sauce. I put a little pasta on his plate that was not covered with sauce and some that was covered. He started on the uncovered paste and then gravitated to that which was covered. I reckon if I apply the same principle with old favourites and new foods... however, that means I need to get organised!

Saturday lunchtime was funny. We had pork with a mushroom sauce, potatoes and peas. Put pork, potatoes and peas on his plate. No mushroom sauce as he didn't like it in the past.

So what happened? Total refusal of meat, potatoes and peas, but kept on pointing to the pot with the sauce. Gave him some and he started to try eating it with a fork. Gave him a spoon and he ended up spooning the stuff into his mouth directly from the pot, like soup! Never mind, the sauce was made with cream and he got some calories.

I live in hope...