Nutella for toddler breakfast

[FanofLeaves]

This is not a food bashing thread, I don’t care who wants to eat Nutella for breakfast in their own households 🤣

More just to canvas opinion.

Currently have a 3.5 year old who is pretty much refusing to eat meals. Nothing wrong with his appetite if offered crisps and biscuits, naturally, but I’m getting really stressed out that he’s not being adequately nourished. Seems to eat ok at nursery but he’s only there three days a week and they probably give them pigeon portions and almost certainly say he’s eaten more than I suspect he has. At home it’s mostly a shit show, I can’t seem to get anything proper into him. I’m trying so hard and doing everything I can think of and it’s really getting me down.

anyway so I’m having a crack down. Today we were supposed to be going out, nothing special just a trip out to the woods to mess about with his toy dinosaurs and an ice cream on the way home but it’s a beautiful day.

He should have woken up ravenous as he ate about 5 pieces of pasta for tea last night, so I asked him what he wanted for breakfast. Egg on toast, great. Make it for him and he won’t even look at it. I take it away, give him half an hour and try again. Same. So I’ve says until he eats either that or cereal or natural yogurt and fruit for breakfast we are not going anywhere. So he’s flinging himself about on the sofa sighing but refusing any offers of breakfast.

DH gets up, I briefly fill him in. Come back to him offering DS Nutella on toast which I have said no to and DS is now crying because he wants that. On the one hand, great, it’s food and we can crack on with the day but on the other, it just proves my point that he’s happy to eat what I regard as ‘treat’ breakfast items (and have no problem with but not in place of adequate nutrition) and is refusing regular food.

So would you just give in and make the bleeding Nutella on toast 🤣 I’m sticking to my guns but just interested.

And yeah it’s not a very exciting thread, but I have time on my hands now we are in a stand off trapped inside 😅

Let him have some Nutella on wholemeal toast. Some people seem to thrive on a sweet carby breakfast. It'll get him revved up and out the house.

The ice cream isn’t the issue - and most of the points are not whether you should give the ice cream but that it never should have been used as a punishment or really as a reward. My advice don’t discuss anything like this now at all and let it be more organic

the real issue is that yes you probably should have given the Nutella on toast (which I assume was wholemeal) as whilst not the healthiest is not the worst breakfast in the world. And crucially having offered and he said no taken it away. Becuase it is that that can cause issues.

I’m sorry for your unhealthy relationship with food, but I very much doubt there aren’t other factors at play.

We were pretty much all brought up in the 80s and 90s being told that some foods were healthy and others were treats.

I don’t have problems with bingeing or secret eating.

Some people seem to thrive on a sweet carby breakfast.

😬 they really don’t.

If you mean that it spikes your blood glucose levels and sets you up for crashes for the rest of the day, creating cycles of overeating and blood suage imbalances, then I guess…

But it’s not, is it? Not compared to an ice cream. It’s full of sugar and cream and is delicious.

The point is, at this age you need to be guiding him towards healthy choices because he can’t make those decisions for himself.

If he knows he’ll get sweet treats even if he doesn’t eat the boring stuff, he’s not going to bother eating the boring stuff. He doesn’t know that’s a poor decision. He’s three.

The not buying the ice cream doesn’t need to be a big deal. Just don’t buy it.

@Wantitalltogoawaybut healthy foods can be treats too - why are we demonising certain foods as “bad” - there’s just no benefit to it.

Perhaps something worth considering is he may be tired because of the pressure or tantrum around meal times. That can be quite draining and may contribute to his low energy. Especially if he can pick up on your mood while out at activities too. Just something I've thought about while reading your posts.

Does he help out in the kitchen? That's been a game changer for us. Started with choosing ingredients for smoothies and now they help with the (veggie heavy) pasta sauce. They seem to feel keener to try their own kitchen creations.

He's definitely not going to eat it or find it enjoyable if it's framed as something to get through just so you can have an ice cream at the end of it. That isn't a healthy attitude towards food to teach children either.

Absolutely not what I’m suggesting.

There’s a really good child psychologist on insta, can’t remember her name, but her quote she repeats over and over is “dish up and shut up”. Basically don’t draw attention to the food, no talking about it, no pressure, talk about something completely different. It’s worked for my kids.

Thank you, looking at this now!

He has a kitchen stool and is very happy to help me chop things up, stir, whisk, add spices/herbs. Loves putting toppers on pizza etc. still seems to be no link between doing that and what he will eat though, sadly!

An occasional treat is fine but I got into a terrible rut with one of mine where I was so desperate to make sure they had had something before school it was Nutella everyday and she ended up with several fillings. It's so so hard not to give in but if I could go back I would. I was a SP and it just felt like too many battles with two kids and me. You have a husband, get him on side, united front. If there's none in the house it can't be had. Good luck

Nutella for breakfast isn’t what gave your child fillings - it was likely genetics or bad luck. Please don’t beat yourself up about it.

When I took my son to his first dentist check up it was dried fruit the dentist was saying was the worst, raisins and those squished up bear things. Parents think they are being so much healthier dolling them out as snacks, but they sit in the gaps in the teeth until they’re next cleaned. (And not cleaned well if small children are left to do it themselves) but most of the time genetics have a big impact on your teeth.

I don’t think it was the Nutella for breakfast, @RhaenysRocks

Probably a phase that will pass

toddlers are controlling little sods

I’m sure others have said this but he’s not a toddler!

Completely agree with the other advice about giving same things, make no fuss and see how he gets on. My friend goes through a list of things she offers her children st breakfast and they still moan! The idea of giving toast and the yoghurt and fruit is a good one.

Im baffled by all the posters arguing with you about the ice cream! You didn’t make a big deal about it but it’s good he didn’t have an ice cream.

My toddler always ate the best when we left her alone

never ever ask them to eat. Never encourage

just busy yourself doing other things

I know he’s not a toddler… he’s certainly not toddled anywhere for years. why isn’t there a word for the bit after the toddler phase but before you say child 🤣

He might be 3.5 but he won’t go to school until sept 26 as he’s a September birth, so I suppose I should say ‘my pre school aged child’ but just said toddler because it’s shorter 🤷🏻‍♀️

I would let him have nothing for breakfast. Set off for the day without rubbishy snacks. No crisps or biscuits. Plenty of fruit, peanut butter sandwiches, cheese, carrots etc.
Never offer nutella, except on special occasions.

Well it’s only your kid that will suffer 🤷‍♀️ m The research and evidence is there whether you agree or not.

And the word you’re looking for is preschooler.

God you’re snippy 😅 I did say thank you, but there’s a wealth of research out there, as with all topics- you have to weigh it up and think critically, not just accept it as the only way forward! Advice is constantly changing. And of course all children are different, what works for one won’t work for another. I can assure you my child won’t ‘suffer’.

‘pre-schooler’ yeah I am aware of the word but it’s not one I’d naturally use, I suppose I think of it more as an American term.

My blood sugar is fine. After breakfast I'll have nuts, avocado, kale muffins, pasta for tea etc. I'll have a more protein-y lunch at weekends. But I am not leaving the house without something nice.

I've tried to have a non-sugar protein breakfast many times and I'm fed up by 10am. It doesn't set me up for the day.

Stick to your boundary. Cut out all junk food until you are happy with what he is eating. Serve one meal, no options. Sit and model eating with him and having a chat about your day. Offer just 3 meals a day, and don't throw away the food. If he gets to the point he is hungry tell him he is welcome to eat his food. Have a cut off for the next meal. A toddler will not starve to death, and they don't run out of energy because they skipped breakfast. Just Offer lunch a little earlier if you think that is the case. A person will not starve to death with plates full of food in front of them. Hold the line, don't give in.

I have never over eaten either. My BMI has sat at 19 for over 35yrs (I'm 50).