Meal times

[MotherOfLittlePeople]

I have an almost 4 year old and an almost 2 year old. Neither are brilliant eaters now but used to be as babies.

Every meal turns in to a drama with my almost four year old. She screams the place down she isn't eating it. She refuses unless it's plain pasta. She then asks constantly for treats. I dont give them apart from yogurt.

2 year old has started not to want hers either and refusing it.

Do you at this age offer something else or not?
My partners saying no and I am sick of them not eating it and demanding something else. Wasting a lot off food and this is every meal time apart from breakfast.

Have a DD (5) & DS (nearly 2) - DS eats most things though not a huge fan of larger pieces of meat. DD on the other hand is a PITA when it comes to dinner. Usually she eats a cooked lunch at school so has tea when she comes home, but now nearly every dinner is a battle. If she had her way she eat sausages/fish fingers/pizza/chicken goujons every meal - despite being baby-led weaned & eating everything when she was little including Curry, chilli, paella etc.
We don't give her anything else if she refuses to eat unless it's a brand new food/meal. If it's something she's eaten/liked before she gets nothing else. She eats well the rest of the day so isn't going to starve.
I've no advice I'm afraid. We're just carrying on trying to coax her to try stuff etc but yeah it's honestly one of the hardest s parts of our day.

I know it's easier said than done, but I like the mantra "you don't have to eat it". As the adult you choose when they eat and what they eat. The kids decide if they eat it. If they don't want to that's fine. That's their decision.

That said I often try to put a bit of "safe" food on their plate - a handful of pasta for example with something else.

I've experienced a fair few dinner battles.

We've come through the other side and the things that helped us:-

• always serve a little of what you know they will eat
• always serve a little of something new/unknown/previous dislike
• accept that plates of food will he assorted and not match
• don't discuss food at the table beyond "eat what you want, leave what you want"
• if they want "afters" they have to eat all of what they like and have a taste of everything else on their plate.

I also managed to convince my kids that taste buds change every birthday so whatever you didn't like when you were 3, you may like when you turn 4.

Thank you all. I'll try the suggestions. I put things on her plate tonight I know she likes but she refused them too. She even said to her dad "I didn't eat it because I wanted a yogurt"

I think I'll not make a fuss but not give in to treats or puddings etc either.

Hoping my youngest will start eating better too. As she's barely ate anything today. I try all different fruits which she will eat the majority off but won't eat cereal or Sandwhiches or much meat. I think she's picking up on my eldest behaviour at meal times.