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?

@ethelfleda that would make sense, but her kids are still really in the beige food stages at the minute, really picky. I don’t ever comment on it because a it’s not my business and b I don’t really care..

I feel much better reading all the replies btw!

People can be horrible about food, I'm a fussy eater and my eldest is too and my ils are serious foodies and so I dread any dinners they're involved in as there's always a 'you and ds1 probably won't eat/ like that. They always have to say it, even if it's something most of the table are avoiding or ths t they don't eat themselves. As for the veggie chilli? I'd die of happiness if my kids eat that, most things like that sit on the plate

If her DC prefer beige food, maybe she feels a bit embarrassed by it so comments on your DS's diet to make her feel better.

Oh OP you could have a lot of fun with this. Lie to her - tell her he subsists on gummy bears and coffee cake. Or is only eating orange food. Or that youve put him on the paleo diet. Any rubbish, til she gets the message.

My dd is 7 and out of allllll the fruit and veg in the world she will only and only ever has eaten sweet corn.....an apple at a push. That's all. She maybe likes strawberries now - hasn't decided yet.

Your ds sounds like he has a great diet - lots of varied food there too.

SIL probably sees a threat somewhere between her dcs and yours....sad but true. Or her dcs are obviously just perfect and no one else can compete with them.

Sounds amazing - my almost 3 year old only eats pasta with ketchup.

He does have odd days where he’ll leave something like chilli, or ask for toast instead please If we eat out with her (tends to be garden centre places, or cafes) I’ll get him a tuna jacket spud or sausage roll, something like that. I don’t get it, I really don’t.

This is her issue not your child's. I'd call her out on it if it was me.

It sounds really good to me. I hate the idea of being made to eat food, it strikes me as cruel.

If her kids eat beige stuff then I don’t get it. So weird!

I’d be delighted if my 3 year old ate like that. He actually eats quite well, but there’s definitely a lot of beige in his diet

A retort of 'For goodness sake, he's fine!' said in as light-hearted a fashion as you can manage should do it.

I’d be dancing in the street if my 6 year old ate that she sounds like a competitive parent. I literally pay zero attention to what my friends/relatives children eat! Like who cares 🤷🏻‍♀️

No sushi, no fermented foods. Terrible diet for a small child.

SIL clearly mad.

Another one who would be thrilled if my 6 yo ate that - of what you've listed, she would eat:
the banana
cracker biscuits
toast (but not the egg etc.)
the cheese, and possibly the potato.

Your SIL would have a field day with her!

Sounds great. Block out her comments as much as you can, but remember they say far more about her than they do about your child!

I’m going to have to say something soon aren’t I. DS is getting older and more aware, I don’t want him to feel awkward eating in front of his Aunty.

We’re meeting up tomorrow morning, I was going to just come home for lunch but might brave it and tell her to fuck off out of it.

My SIL and her husband are obsessed with food and I get digs all the time about what my slightly-fussy-but-mostly-normal kids eat and don't eat. Their kids do eat a vast range of foods but I suspect that might be partly down to them being forced to eat it, which is not my style. There's always a big song and dance about how their kids would never eat off the kids menu, never have sugar, hate juice...it's so very, very boring to listen to. At 10 my eldest is allowed fizzy drinks on high days and holidays so the last time they were round ours for dinner he had a diet irn-bru, I thought they were going to keel over.

You carry on regardless and ignore, ignore, ignore!!

Why do people give a shit

Sounds very normal diet to me. You need to say something, he’s more likely to develop issues with eating if he’s got someone breathing down his neck about it. Tell her to leave him alone

My DS was a desperately bad eater as a baby. Several friends have never let him forget it despite him now being 7 and eating almost everything even though now their kids will only eat beige but still it's mentioned 🙄 She's jealous.

Flipping heck I'd be doing cartwheels if my DS would eat that - honestly!

I would be quite direct and tell her that no he is not actually fussy, but if he constantly hears her talking to you about his food he might learn to be. Just tell her you don't know why she is so interested and to stop talking about it especially during meals.

My 2 yo barely eats anything, ever. I really try. Today she had 1 bite of a piece of toast for breakfast, about 2 mini rice cakes & some greek yogurt for lunch & a few pieces of avocado & garlic bread for dinner. So yeah, that’s fussy. She gets offered loads of variety but will only eat what she really likes & in tiny quantities.

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