How much should my 2yr old be eating?????

[Nemo1977]

hello
have posted about this a few times but doesnt seem to be getting any better at all no matter what I try. Just wondered how much should my 2 yr old be eating as he hardly eats anything. Today he has eaten
1 piece of toast this morning
1/2 piece of toast at 4pm
2 spoons of cereal.
1 slice of ham[the thin prepacked stuff]

That is it despite being offered numerous things from fruit to sweets to pasta etx he just refuses it all and says he isnt hungry.

He doesnt even drink a lot to say its going on that as he has had 1 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of water all day.Again more has been offered of water[not milk as dont want it to fill him up]

I had exactly the same problem my dd 2.10 has always been a nightmare to feed - since about 18m she has not been a good eater - she is sooo not interested in food, she saw eating as something that stopped her playing, she wouldnt try anything new by the time she was 2 - what you have stated was a typical day really.
I used to get really stresed about it, about 2 months ago I found MN and realised that there are 100's of mums with the same problem. I have really chilled out and stopped badgering her to eat and to my surprise she is eating more - sometimes I think at 2 its a control thing for attention - once I stopped the attention and praised her up for eating we have really turned the corner. She actually tried a some chicken at the weekend, didnt have much but its a start ( prior to this she had never eaten meat in any shape or form) There was a thread around last week about what your toddler would eat in a typical day - again much the same as your list.
What I'm really saying is don't panic because your ds may pick up that you're desperate for him to eat, and so he won't.
If anyone could find that thread from last week, and link it on this one, it will reassure you.
Sorry I'm not techie enough!!!!!!

thanks onefoot will have a look for the thread.
I dont panic about the food thing more just intetersted as DS is just below average for weight but a lot above for height. More getting frustrated in myself as he was a fab eater until 18mths when he has turned into a nightmare.

my 2 yr old dd didnt eat anthing except fishfingers vegetable fingers and smily faces for 6 months despite being a great eater before then one day she just started eating again we still have off days where she wont eat anything then she will make up for it another day by eating everything in sight i dont make a big deal of it anymore if she eats thats good if she doesnt its her that is hungry not me no child will starve itself!! found it does help so sit and eat something with her though she wont eat a sandwich if she sits on her own but if i have a sandwich too then she will eat all of hers and mine aswell!! loads of my friends with kids then same age all had the same problem with them refusing food so i think its quite normal

Today DS 2.2 has eaten small bowl of ready brek & raisins, two tablespoons of rice crispies, hand ful of dried pineapple, apricot & raisins, a crumpet with spread & jam, an apple, a banana, a cheese string, rice & curry and two helpings of trifle.

But he has man flu at the mo and normally eats more. He is normal weight (2st 2lb) and above average height (3ft 2in).

And costs me a fortune and is just like DH!!!!!

Exactly the sam as my dd - below average weight and always has been way above on her height - it doesnt help when they look so slim does it? Nothing ever fits on my dd's waist - buying jeans is a nightmare!!
Seriously though I think at 18mths they start to know there own mind and with my dd it was about cotrol and attention mainly - now I just clear away and say nothing, I find she normally makes up for it the next meal or the next day.

I think just reassure yourself that as long as he has fluids he will be ok. My dd's get like this when teething- some children do take a long time for each tooth to come through so it may be connected to this? If you feel his diet is quite restricted you could try vitamins till he seems to be eating a bit more.

Deep breaths and mutter "this WILL pass..."

Totally agree with all posters! Ds seems to survive on 1/4 piece of bread per day (usually a jam sandwich), 1/2 a weetabix, 1/3 of a banana and some grapes.
However, he's happy and healthy and far more interested in playing! Stopped stressing myself about it because he'd eat if he was hungry.
I still offer him allsorts (and then bin it after he refuses it!), but guess he'll eat what he wants.
Dh apparantly used to survive on Weetabix and bananas!! No hope eh!

Im glad i found this thread as I have often wondered if my ds was eating enough as some days he will eat all his food whereas others he will only nibble little bits throughout the day. I havent been overly worried as he is fit and healthy and always has lots of energy but now and again i start to think that maybe i should get it sorted. Now though i know that he is perfectly normal and other children of similar ages are doing exactly the same thing.

hi all think it was my thread under behaviour and development "how much does your toddler eat in a day", hope it reassures.

thanks all
am off to look at 777777 thread.