2.1yo dd will not eat veg

[Madallie]

She used to eat a variety of veg e.g broccoli, peas, cauliflower, carrots and had quite a varied diet. Then one day about 6-7 months ago she just started to completely refuse to set any if them. At first I bit very stressed about it and probably made too much of a big deal about it. After a week or so I realised that wasn't working and decided to just leave it be for a bit.

I gradually started to re introduce veg slowly a little bit at a time in various forms, in meals, on the side, as finger food, crudetes etc. this just doesn't work, no way will she eat any veg in any firm and I don't know what to do about it. I've stopped putting it on her plate and to my shame she is eating baked beans more and more with her evening meal. She loves to try things of our plates but whenever I even try to give her a bit of my veg she refuses.

She eats and absolutely loves all fruit. Sages always asking for some fruit or another, which at least is one thing but I really want her to eat some veg. She also won't eat sloppy food or food in a sauce like bolognaise or stew, I've tried, so I can't even hide veg in there. I'm really at a loss with what to do,where to go from here.

Dies anyone have any advise?

Ps - we really try to give dd a healthy diet in all other ways e.g range of food groups, water throughout the day, don't give snacks high in sugar often etc.

Just keep offering and leave it at that.

My ds was like this but now at 4 will eat some veg now eg carrots, yellow peppers (and only yellow), sweetcorn and peas. He added peas only yesterday declaring that he likes them now....

I got him to eat peppers by chopping them up and letting me help with pizza by putting them on top (of mine). I make a tomato sauce which has garlic and courgette in (cooked for ages then blended) - I use the sauce for pasta too.

Sweetcorn is a nice veg as sweet - although not the cheap frozen stuff (only decent frozen stuff).

He will now eat bolaignaise sauce with mushrooms and peppers chopped up small. No chance at 2/3 years!

Basically keep offering and ignore if she doesn't eat it.

Just keep putting it on her plate then ignore it if she doesn't eat it.
Ds2 went through the same thing. I never stopped giving him them and never made a fuss. Now he generally eats it but not always.
I just give him a meal that includes something he will eat with the things he won't. When he's really hungry he'll eat it all. Others are hit and miss.

Thanks. The thing is she'll tend not to eat anything on her plate if there is veg there whereas she will if there is no veg or beans. It turns every meal time into a battle if veg is there. I worry about her going hungry. She has a very strong will.

DD12 seems to manage on carrots, sweet corn (birds eye frozen or canned, she also leaves cheap frozen) and courgette hidden in tomato sauce.

Peas (and anything else green is poisonous) and backed beans are even worse!

Would a plate with separate sections I got a rectangular one in dunelm mill with 5 different sized sections in it. Hardly use it now but it comes out every so often.
It did help until ds was consistently eating.
I can honestly say from bitter experience don't make it an issue. And as a former fussy eater myself I now eat almost anything and I ate nothing as a small child .

Maybe one day she'll just decide to eat some vegetables. I take heart in the fact she eats fruit as I know it could be worse. I don't make a fuss about it now but feel I can't even have veg on the plate at all which makes me feel like I'm not trying.

I've tried a bowl with separate sections but with no success.

Keep offering. But some toddlers will survive for a year on jaffa cakes and fish fingers, so be glad she's at least taking veg!

DS refuses all veg except carrots and sweetcorn. He won't even eat potato. I generally give him carrot or sweetcorn.

He too loves fruit. He's a healthy wee chap so I'm not stressing.

I feel better hearing other people's experiences with toddlers and veg. At least she does eat more than Jaffa cakes and fish fingers. Ha ha! I'll try to stop stressing.

My Dd is very similar to yours by the sounds of it, will be 2 in March.

Point blank refuses all veg for me unless its sweet potato. That she would eat every day...and often does. I mash carrots in it now unless I roast if. She will eat sweet corn and peas with mash but only if its made up as a fish pie, but absolutely not with anything else!! She is a total feeding nightmare and mealtimes are horrendously boring for her.

Then to add insult to injury she will demolish veg in those pre-made Hipp meals!!

She's limited with fruit too but were finally happy eating bananas, apple and pear?!

Sorry I have no answers...just a bucket load of empathy and hope knowing your not the only one reassures you!?

Please dont worry. My 5 year old won't touch most veg despite me being veggie. And she's pretty fussy with fruit. I think it's a texture issue for her.

If she will tolerate a baked potato or new potatoes, even home made wedges with skin on, there is vitamin c and roughage in potato skin.

don't worry about her going hungry. All two year olds are tricky with food to some extent. dd2 refused to eat her dinner and kicked off yesterday , I was like 'ok' and she had nearly nothing. She wanted yoghurt and a banana I just said no. She was more compliant at tea time .

If it was me I would completely ban baked beans for the time being. dd1 went through a phase at about that age of only eating frozen peas, frozen sweetcorn and frozen mixed veg - gross of you ask me but los like them. .... Cheap big advantage ! I just kept giving her other veg when we all ate together and by 3 things were improving.

just to be clear I did cook them

No need to be clear, brett - I don't cook them sometimes, DD loves her peas straight from the freezer!

Does she eat oven chips? You could try sweet potato chips/wedges. My DS is similar so understand how you feel. I just keep offering it as a side dish/bowl rather than on his main plate, or we let him 'steal' food from our dinner plates as he occasionally gets a mouthful in that way.

Another thing i did was make little pizza type things and let him help me, with little bowls of cheese, ham, tomato, pepper etc. he didnt eat the finished product but scoffed loads while we were making them.

Only other thing i can suggest is to try frozen vege nuggets (similar to fish fingers or chicken nuggets). Obviously not the healthiest way to offer vege but may be worth a try.

Ooh, might try the veg nuggets. I agree not the healthiest option but it's a start. At least it's something veg related. Thanks.