To think this is enough food for a 2 year old?

[Dranktoomuchpepsi]

DH is a bit worried about DS's diet. He doesn't really eat very much compared to other toddlers, it seems. He's gotten fussy recently! Use to eat everything given to him.

Today he's had:

Breakfast: Two slices of toast with butter. It is usually peanut butter. All eaten.

Snack: Handful of cheese. Most ended up on the floor. Ate one bit. Some pineapple - eaten. A multivitamin bear.

Lunch: Pasta with cheese. Eaten.

Dinner: 2 Weetbix with strawberry soya milk. All eaten.

Is this enough? We don't give a proper 'meal' at dinnertime because it NEVER eats. DH is really really worried.

DS is in 12 to 18 months clothes and he's 2.5. He is being investigated for height but doctor says it just may be genetic (both my grandads jockies), yet less likely since DH is 6 foot 3.

He does also get breastmilk but they're short feeds, not frequent and don't seem to impact appetite.

He was a brilliant eater before

Things like beans, vegetarian meats, etc, all get thrown and rejected. He won't eat them and has become so so fussy!

Could you try giving him more snacks throughout the day rather than a big dinner?Could include things like smoothies or muffins with vegetables mixed in?

Following for interest as my two year old has gone from a more adventurous palate than me, to deciding that only peanut butter toast, roast chicken, pasta pesto or baked beans are acceptable. He doesn't understand these items are in short supply due to lockdown!

I do wonder if it's the lack of nursery and peer pressure plus standard terrible twos/ defiance?

Smoothies may be a good idea but he's terrible for just spitting out.

Any finger food doesn't really work, just gets thrown

I think that breakfast is really big for that age! I probably would give 1 piece of toast and some fruit. My 9 year old gets two and wouldn't want a midmorning snack really.

For 2 and 1/2 I would think that's ok, I am sure my daughter ate reasonably similar amounts.

It’s enough food in terms of quantity I’d say.

But in the long run I wouldn’t want to stop giving him healthy stuff because he’s unlikely to eat it, because when he gets a bit older and maybe comes out of this phase he won’t have the chance.

Could you try the method of having something on his plate he loves, and something he doesn’t usually like/something new?

My DD is 3 and always refused veg but we kept putting a little bit on her plate and she randomly started eating it a couple of months ago.

he's terrible for just spitting out.

Any finger food doesn't really work, just gets thrown

He is 2.5yo, it's not like he's an 8 month old just learning to use his hands.

I would not be ok with my 2yo deliberately throwing food - is be telling him off about it. Of course toddlers may well accidentally drop food. But if he's spitting it out or deliberately dropping it on the floor, I would deal in a similar way to hitting: a very sturm and loud "NO", static "mum stare" for a few seconds while holding hands/wrists to stop throwing motion and a return voiced "you DO NOT throw food - STOP IT NOW".

That morning snack is just being messed with and not eaten. Either don't give it at all, or give him food you expect him to eat rather than thrown.

I would be worried about the lack of fruit and vegetables but not the amount of food. I'd be aiming for at least two small portions of fruit and three of vegetables a day, all different. Will he eat things like baked beans on toast, or a frozen strawberry, banana and almond smoothie? Will he snack on things like cucumber, cherry tomatoes, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas?

Sounds fine to me, I'd keep giving him plenty of milk. I find it's quite hit and miss between one and three.

I would think that they need more meat. DS is 21 months and his day was:

Breakfast:
Yoghurt
Raisin toast
Fruit

Second breakfast (apparently essential for him these days 😬):
Very large bowl of cereal with full fat milk

Lunch:
An entire beef burger patty with cheese, coleslaw and half a corn on the cobb

Dinner:
Large portion of chicken, sweet potato and mashed carrots

I think protein is very important at this age. He’s also still BF so will have some breastmilk before bed

Any finger food doesn't really work, just gets thrown Give him a fork then?

@leasedaudi

Baked beans are excellent though (not for clothes Due to staining 🤪) - especially the low salt or low sugar ones. I mean you have a protein AND a vegetable in one 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

Does he need a mid morning snack after 2 slices of toast and peanut butter? I'm guessing that's why it goes on the floor.

I agree he needs more fruit/veg, could you hide it in the pasta with a bit on the side so he gets used to it?

Fate Telling off doesn't work. It just doesn't. It goes over his head and he doesn't even give any sort of eye contact with it. He is suspected ASD but I didn't mention in the OP as it doesn't seem sensory related as to why he won't eat certain foods because he recently ate them before.

Telling off is hard to work out as nothing seems to work and unlike most toddlers, hasn't really done the terrible twos thing with tantrums etc, he's just blissfully in his own world and needs telling off for stacking objects in a line that he can't actually have, like my keys etc

Mine needed six eating sessions at that age. Little and often. So breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, supper. It feels like feeding is never ending but it was the only way to get a decent amount of food in.

He won't use a fork. Can sort of do it but then drops it. You can persist until you're blue in the face but it just won't go in, like I'm talking to a brick wall.

He refuses baked beans but they were a bi staple of his diet until recently.

He is vegetarian

He needs more fruit and veggies. Just give him whatever you are eating

Is he less active at the moment OP? I know we definitely are and our appetites seem to have shrunk for the duration!
Just keep offering a variety of foods, and I would encourage offering a lot of finger foods too.

Is the lack of meat for a reason? If not then it's worth remembering our brains are hard wired to get the most calorie dense foods so you may find he chooses meaty options if they are available.

Forget to add he has started refusing banana now too

Free he is veggie. Definitely less active! No nursery etc anymore

He needs more protein (animal protein) and animal fat. If youre vegetarian make sure to give him plenty full fat milk, cheese and eggs. They need this to build their brains!

I'd say a bit more protein. My four year old is a much better eater earlier in day than evening. What about avocado? Covers lots of essentials.

I think ASD is very relevant! I have ASD and struggle with food. I know I'm an adult, but I've been like that my whole life - be could be starting to experience texture he doesn't like etc.

I wouldn’t be worried about that. It’s pretty similar to what my 3 year old would have, though spread out differently (eg she would only eat one slice of toast for breakfast but would eat a small evening meal). My older child ate about double that at the same age! Kids are different but it sounds in the range of normal.

Loves he doesn't have cows milk. Breastmilk and soya milk

I think as he's diet is so restricted you need to offer a wider range, you might be vegetarian but something like fish or chicken could be a valuable source of protein for him. If you havent tried already then I think it's time you did.