My DD 2.2 will only eat puddings

[bepi01]

My DD is 2.2 and is at nursery for 4 days a week (has been since 9months old). She used to eat all/most of her main course, although always loved the puddings more. Over the last month or so at nursery she has been gradually eat less and less of her mains to the point where she won't even touch it but she will usually eat all of the puddings.

When she's with me I don't tend to give puddings as I'm not a cake person and I admit that I get her to eat mains by reading to her and spooning it into her mouth which she is more than happy with.

Does anyone have any tips on getting toddlers to eat main meals? Anyone else had this happen to them? My DD is quite changed from how she was just a couple of months ago - language really coming on, more stroppy and assertive, more clingly ("miss mummy"). Don;t know if this is anything to do wth it. Hope it's all a phase....

Can you ask them not to give her puddings at all? My rule has always been, no main, no pudding! Even when dd was very little, if she didn't eat dinner, there was no pudding even if that meant she ate nothing. She soon learned but I know its very hard to stick with it if they don't eat anything at all. The Annabel Karmel books have very tasty toddlers meals in them - have you tried any of her recipes?

Sorry for taking ages to get back! I have thought of asking them not to give her pudding. I think I will go for this.

Sounds like you're doing the right thing at home. I also think you've put your finger on it: your daughter is going through a few changes just now. You could try to find out why she's becoming more clingy, but again as you say, this will be just a phase.

As well as asking the nursery not to give her puddings, you could ask them to go back to mashing things up a bit more for her. Perhaps she's getting more teeth? Sometimes it's two steps forward and one back for kids, so maybe she just needs to be babied a little before she takes her next strides forward.

I've recently seen what you've described with my own grandchild (2.6) but she moves in and out of phases very quickly.

Thanks Mellowfruitfulness. I asked the nursery today about my DD's behaviour and they now think its because her key worker has taken on a new child who is very upset and cries a lot - particularly at lunch time. My DD is tending to copy this child they think and is very clingy towards her key worker. This seems to make some sense I think - that and the fact that my DD has a sweet tooth perhaps? :)

Yes, that does make sense. Kids often copy each other - bad luck! I hope the other child settles down soon ...