To think DD should eat a meal now and again?

[NewShooz]

I'm really starting to worry about this now...
DD has just turned 2, and although her diet is quite healthy, (plenty of dairy, loads of fruit and veg), she never eats meat apart from sausages!
She used to love eating 'proper' meals at tea time, like Lasagne, Spag Bol etc but she won't eat anything like this anymore, and just seems to live on what I would call 'packed lunch food'. She doesn't even like chips or potato waffles!
AIBU to worry about this?, or should I just go with it? This has been going on for a good couple of months now

As long as she is eating a variety of foods from all the food groups it's fine. Hot food isn't healthier than cold food and frequent small snacks/meals are a better way to eat than fewer big meals.

Does she eat soup/beans/lentils?

Coriander tastes of soap - bleugh!

Unfortunately she won't eat eggs, I think it's a texture thing with her too, for example she won't try jelly, she puts it up to her mouth, tests it with her tongue and then doesn't eat it.
She used to eat weetabix or porridge for breakfast but not anymore, so now it's a yogurt and toast. She loves cheese, soft or cheddar, and eats plenty of bananas, grapes and apples. She also loves peas and broccoli.
Good idea about making things in to 'sausage shapes', I think I might do a bit of experimenting this week!

She still loves her milk too. And only drinks water in the day (she doesn't like any sort of squash/juice) which I don't think is a bad thing really. Sounds like another phase, after reading all your replies, thanks for the reassurance

My cousin went through a phase of only eating sliced ham with apple juice for months when she was younger. She is now a nutritionist and really healthy.

Sprouts taste bitter when out of season

If it makes you feel any better, my DS is 4.4 and hasn't eaten a single bit of veg since he was about 10/11 months old he was a very competant self feeder and really since then 12 months ish he has been a nightmare (to me anyway) though he does sometimes ask to try things and loves to cook - but he will not be swayed by what others are eating etc either. He does have some sensory issues, does not eat anything mixed up or touching each other - so spag bol, stew (ha) lasagne etc would be totally out.

Like someone else said - he looks great, I think to an extent the body adapts anyway, take Eskimos for example - their diet would probably kill us if we started it now. I rember a fussy eaters progamme years ago (you know, back when i didn't believe in fussy eaters ) and their was a girl of about 12, had th most gorgeous long red hair, lookd well - and was well, they did lots of tests on her. Her diet consisted of wotsits and Mcdonalds fries and that was it! Not saying that is ideal or ok but sure you get my point.

Anyway my DS eats meat, fish, eggs, cheese, fruit and milk so not all bad. he will eat mash but no other kind of potato (except Mcdonalds fries ) no rice or pasta but will eat cous cous - strange considering he dosn't like textures! He would live off blackberries, strawberries and raspberries if he could. He has endless energy so can't be all that bad.

This is all very reassuring!

Telling yourself that anyone "should" do anything is a surefire way to get frustrated and/or angry about it. There's no moral component to her not eating a meal. It would be nice for you if she did eat a meal. Reassuring. Convenient, maybe. But that's all. Relax as much as you can and trust her - she knows what she's dong actually, far better than you do, already!

DOING! Jeez.

My 3yr old has been a nightmare eater since 10mths old. He has routinely refused really basic stuff like rice or pasta and his diet was really crap except for fruit, bread and dairy! Now that he's older and understands we've really clamped down on it and he's improved so much over the last few weeks, it's amazing. We are having proper, calmer, family meals!

I wouldn't stress about it - it IS a phase and there will be an end to it (even though it will feel like that day will never come!) and making mealtimes a battle will make you miserable much faster than her!

I would stop giving her attention over it. Serve the meal, clear away without comment if it isn't eaten. Do not give snacks. If she says she is hungry say, with mild surprise, 'you would be-you didn't eat dinner'. Do the same with the next meal. When she gets the message that you are not going to be messing around with alternatives and getting into arguments, she will get on and eat it.

what exotic says, my ds4 went through a nightmare picky stage and we simpy served meals at the table as usual, if he ate it we said well done, if he didnt we ignored it and he didnt get anything else till next meal time.

and re the babies not having taste buds! NO they have more taste buds than adults and i have never given my babies bland boring foods, right from weaning at 6mths they just had what we had either bits they could pick up or else i mashed it and if it was too thick i added a bit of milk if necessary, they ate curry etc right from weaning. as long as salt levels arent too high and its not something a baby shouldnt eat ie honey, then i just gave them what we are having, 13mth old dd wolfed down her chilli last night! i used smaller pasta when she was younger the little stars you can buy, but now she eats regular pasta, i always just gave them our food, made some meals for them but still stuff we would eat, so butternut squash soup or turkey tagine and then froze it in baby sized portion but never bland mush.

She will eat it if you take all attention away from it.

As I parent I provide meals-it is up to them whether they eat them! I am not a restaurant.

Its her age offer her her meals as normal dont do what i did make a bit hoha and ended up with the fussiest eatier EVER . let her eat what she likes and her tastes will change again and please dont try and force her , although our insticts tell us they have to eat , keep meal times clam and dont fret , all this is said from hindsight

yep totally, my hv said the same exotic, as a parent you provide them with a healthy range of foods and you are doing your bit, if they eat it great, if not a child wont starve themselves. ignore any hysteria, offer a meal and then ignore if they dont eat. many a time ds4 has gone to bed without eating his dinner but now he is getting much better, he has learnt you eat what is given, or at least make a decent attempt, i am NOT cooking a variety of different meals each night!

It is always harder as the parent. You are emotionally involved and they read your body language and they know that, whatever you say, you are very anxious that they eat.
They could come to my house because they would know from my body language that I'm really not concerned if they are hungry and so they had better eat it when offered.

also with dd2 i was a bit more chilled out about things with dd1 i was a bit erm stressy anyhoo dd2 had no eating issues and would eat anything , which was great i just dint get into the whole OMG shes going to starve thing , i really dont think little children will starve

I tried everything with DS1 and it didn't work-by DS3 I did my method (outlined on here) and it was more relaxed and he ate anything.