To be a bit concerned my DS diet isn’t very good?

[Toffeecaramelapple]

He didn’t wean very well and it’s a struggle to get him to eat a reasonable meal. Breakfast isn’t too bad but then lunch and dinner isn’t great.

He grazes a lot and he eats a lot of tidbits from my DH which aren’t very healthy. Yesterday for instance he only had a mouse sized bit of turkey and veg but ate loads of jelly and ice cream. He will eat sweet fruit pouches but not much actual fruit.

Any advice? He is a bit on the small side but no concerns about weight gain - more worried about habits etc.

How old is he?

Presumably he's very young? Tell your husband to stop feeding him rubbish and he might eat better.

Grazing is fine but it's better to do it on cucumber than biscuits.

He’s 13 months.

I would stop feeding him fruit pouches, jelly and ice cream.

Experiment with different foods and flavours and (chances are) there will be something healthy and actually nutritious that he likes.

13 month olds can't eat what they're not given.

Tell your DH to be more mindful of that and perhaps your baby will eat better at meal times.

Yeah I have thanks but everyone ignores me! Just not sure whether it will impact on him S he grows up or not.

Your DH is setting him up for a lifetime of poor eating habits, does he know this? It's sheer laziness by him, he needs to stop undermining your attempts to improve your DS's nutritional intake. Jelly & ice cream are basically nutritionally void. A banana would be better.

To be fair that was on Christmas Day, I don’t mind him having a pudding but just concerned he is not really eating the healthy stuff he’s offered.

He needs to eat a balanced diet - like everyone.

Children eat a healthy diet over the course of a year not a plate

If you feel concerned keep a food diary including what he was offered and what he actually ate

After a few months if you are still worried show it to your gp

Also be really conscious that most food issues in adults are actually control issues manifesting in food

The more you try and make your dc do something the more that builds

Eating should be about nutrition not about pleasing you or earning dessert through ‘work’ foods

I'm a firm believer in no snacking.

I have 3 kids, 2 sons and a daughter.

The boys were both harder to get to try new things. DD has literally eaten everything I've ever given her as a meal but I think that's because she's 6 years younger than her siblings so she's learnt by example.

During first lockdown I had to have stern words with the boys (then aged 7 and 9) and told them it was a case if we eat what I can get, no waste or we go without.

OP obviously your little one is way too young for my methods but I would say limit snacks, do baby led weaning and tell anyone else with an opinion to fuck off!

Definitely but just the same it isn’t good to not have meat, veg etc and I’m just concerned that a lot of his diet is sweet stuff (when he’s home anyway.)

Baby led wearing just didn’t work at all here - he just wasn’t interested.

@Toffeecaramelapple

Baby led wearing just didn’t work at all here - he just wasn’t interested.

Persevere. He won't starve.

I don’t have stuff in the house the children can’t eat because I believe in an open snack policy - they can help themselves to cupboards but all they usually find there (not at the moment due to Christmas though) are things like breadsticks, raisins, pouches etc.

I offer 3 healthy but nice meals a day - weetabix and fruit for breakfast, leftovers or sandwiches/vegetables etc for lunch and a cooked dinner. Sometimes they don’t eat it; that’s children. But if you always offer then sometimes they will.

Firstly you don’t have to do baby led weaning, and no it doesn’t work for every child. A mix of chopped/mashed and finger foods gives a good balance of textures.

Stop the unhealthy all day snacking /grazing, however that doesn't mean stop all snacks, NHS recommend a mid morning and mid afternoon snack for babies. Just make the snacks healthy ones - loads of ideas on the NHS website or try Annabel Karmel. In Annabels recipes for babies and toddlers are great.
Bad eating habits now could cause health / growth issues, so be assertive with other family members about this.

At this age his diet is your responsibility. If you're mostly feeding him sweet stuff then no he won't be getting a balanced diet with the protein, fibre and vitamins he needs for growth and development.
Does he get omega 3 fatty acids? Protein etc?
If not you need a serious talk with your DH

He mostly eats at nursery but it all goes to pot at weekends and on holiday. I do buy chicken, turkey, veg, fish, but he doesn’t eat well. A few mouthfuls and that’s it. But he does eat yogurt and Ella’s fruit pouches. And gravitates to DH for food too. I do try to minimise this but I can’t stand over them both all of the time.

@Toffeecaramelapple

He mostly eats at nursery but it all goes to pot at weekends and on holiday. I do buy chicken, turkey, veg, fish, but he doesn’t eat well. A few mouthfuls and that’s it. But he does eat yogurt and Ella’s fruit pouches. And gravitates to DH for food too. I do try to minimise this but I can’t stand over them both all of the time.

You can't rely on nursery to raise your child on an appropriate diet. You and your DH need to have a serious conversation about this.

I'm sure your DH enjoys being the 'good guy' dishing out sweet treats but he's doing your son a disservice in the long run

@Toffeecaramelapple

He mostly eats at nursery but it all goes to pot at weekends and on holiday. I do buy chicken, turkey, veg, fish, but he doesn’t eat well. A few mouthfuls and that’s it. But he does eat yogurt and Ella’s fruit pouches. And gravitates to DH for food too. I do try to minimise this but I can’t stand over them both all of the time.

What does your DH say when you talk to him about your child's diet?