To think this is a perfectly acceptable diet for a toddler?

[SuddenBeetE]

Apologies for a fairly dull AIBU..

My DS4 is about to turn 3. He can be a bit ‘ ‘not a chance mate’ over some foods, but I think generally eats well.

My SIL (who has 2 DC, 5 and 2) is obsessed with him being a ‘fussy eater.’ She literally mentions it every time we see her, asks how his eating is, what I’m going to do, what he ate that day. It’s fucking infuriating, tbh. I can’t actually eat a meal or meet for coffee/cake with her because she constantly tries to bribe and cajole DS into eating something new, or clearing his plate. She’s almost gleeful if he doesn’t like something. My older DSs eat everything, but they’re teens now.

I do like my SIL, we’re not particularly close but do meet up fairly regularly with the kids as they’re close in age and get along. I’ve tried to just ignore or redirect the conversation to no avail.

This is what my DS ate today, for example.

B- 2 weetabix, a banana
S- an apple, few cracker biscuits at playgroup
L- poached egg on toast, peas, melon slice
D- veggie bean chilli (carrots, peppers in), 1/2 jacket spud, cheese, chocolate hob nob

AIBU to think this is pretty average for toddlers, honestly?

Sounds absolutely perfect!!

I'd have been thrilled if my DC had eaten that.

She sounds so annoying!

Sounds fairly typical to me. What is she expecting him to eat?

Absolutely normal. Similar to what DS would ear but larger portions to DS who is a baby (11mo), everyone says his diet is great.
A good diet (for anyone) is a mix of fruit & veg, protein, fat & carbs ensuring some dairy altho some fruit & veg are actually better for calcium intake.

Yes I’m wondering what your ds doesn’t eat!

Sounds brilliant to me - my DD lasted for 6 months living on fish fingers and plain spaghetti at about that age 😁

What do SIL's children eat?

I wish mine would eat like that!!!

If you can't avoid her, can you make helpful suggestions to her about how she can eat stuff she's not mad on? 'Just try little bit SIL, you have to try. Look I've cut it up into a fun shape and all. Don't sulk!'.

But I'm a bit of a wagon so maybe not..

Sounds pretty normal to me. My ds3 is the same age and would eat that(although egg would have to be scrambled!).

Can you give us some examples of what she tries to get him to eat?
Is she for example trying to get him to eat sushi and olives? Or is it that she only sees him eat the same thing when you are together??

I’m not sure tbh. Say he gets a kids meal if we’re out, she’ll have a bit of a song and dance that he left his carrots, or that he hates cucumber.. then say ‘oh he’s fussy eater isn’t he.’

Wish my toddler had eaten like that today.
I think your SIL is probably using it as an excuse to show off about what a great parent she must be as her children will eat roasted fennel and lobster ravioli or something equally ridiculous.
She sounds like a bit of a twat to me. Ignore her.

Sounds completely fine and normal to me.

I would do naked cartwheels if DS ate what your son does. His menu looks like this:

B- handful of dried cheerios, raisins and apricots. toast, muffin or crumpet with marmite.
L- cheese sandwich. Cucumber, tomato.
Sn- nakd bar, babybel or fruit.
D - chicken dippers, turkey dinosaur, fishfingers or sausage. Peas, sweetcorn or raw carrot. Sometimes pizza.

That's pretty much his whole diet. It drives me spare. He's 3. Your SIL is a lunatic.

Sounds perfectly fine/healthy (albeit rather a lot!) for a 3 year old

You have a competitive Sil. Her and her dcs must be the best so she must find a problem with your dc - she's chosen food, others choose school, sports, music.

Strikes me as you're just from different generational influence. Hers sounds like it's to force kids to eat what they didn't want to, yours is to chill more and let them explore in their own time without making it an issue.

The best bit of advice I ever had was to look at what my toddler eats in a week, not even in a day, and definitely not on just one meal. When I did that I realised it was a really healthy diet, it was just arranged differently.

For example, they'd want apple and carrots then hours later only bread, then hours later only fish fingers and cucumber sticks, then hours later a yogurt. If anyone saw me feed one of those at a mealtime they may raise an eyebrow thinking it's not a balanced meal, but overall it was fine. Yours looks even better by the way!

But you probably won't change your SIL's mind so I'd spare yourself the bother.

It's a perfectly good diet. Tell your SIL to mind her own.

He won’t eat anything battered or breadcrumbed, will eat chicken plain or with sauce though. Doesn’t eat much veg unless it’s cooked —hidden— in something, unless it’s peas. He eats olives, green only!

As PP said your child's diet sounds excellent for his age! Maybe your SIL is into competitive parenting and is glad to have found "diet" as sth where she thinks her children are outperforming your child?

I'd be thrilled if DS ate that. Today he's had some (I don't even count any more but it was less than "most") of a Weetabix and a banana, lunch was crackers and cheese (a lot ended up on the floor), yoghurt, dinner was rice and curry (he actually did alright with that although he did spit out all the chicken), jelly (not a lot).
12 months.

@Ribrabrob he’s a big, tall 3 year old, 107 at last measure. My other boys were all pushing 6ft by 13 so I’d imagine he’ll be the same.

She's a loon lol,that's brilliant eating for his age.

I wish my three year old ate as well as yours m! My kids don’t eat any fruit and the only vegetables they’ll entertain are peas broccoli and potato. Shes have a field day with my kids!