Advice wirh eating for my 2 year old

[tiredmama17]

Hi mums!

Just looking for some advice on eating for toddlers. DS just turned 2 a couple weeks ago and he incredible fussy with food. He scene like this a few months now and seems to refuse anything new I try him with. He was a brilliant eater when he was weaned to solids and ate anything without a fuss. The last few months or so he has been refusing to eat anything other then his weetabix in the morning and occasionally some potato waffles, mash and peas. He will pick at things like chicken or mince etc but won't actually eat any of it. He gladly eats veggie soup I make but other than that I'm at a loss. Thing is he will eat any crap anytime if it's snack foods like yogurt or fruit but not a meal. I also put multivitamin drops in his juice once a day.

Health visitor advised me to try him with leaving his food at the table for 10-15 mins and see if he will eat it and if not take it away but again at most he will pick at it and leave it. I'm just really worried he's not getting enough in him he's a growing boy so just want to see if I can try anything to help him get what he needs!

Thank you in advance for any help

No snacks between meals, my 2yo pretty much lived off that your ds
eats, until I stopped snacks.
She has a bottle / cup of milk 2x daily so really doesn't need a snack as well.
I found dd1 started eating better when she started pre school as she'd see other children eat different things.
I always offer a bit of what we are eating as well as something I know she'll eat at each meal.
As long as his growing well, I'm sure his fine, dd2 lives off grease air some days.
Also try making little shapes sandwiches, stars or circles, it encouraged my dd to try them.

Hi OP, my DD is 2 next week and we are going through the same. It seems to have worsened over the past couple of months. She too was a great eater just six months ago but now we are getting "no like" and the plate passed back to us... So frustrating when it is good I know she has eaten before.

She has plain yoghurt after her dinner usually, and has started telling me she's finished (when she hasn't started..) and asking for the yoghurt. So from now on I'm stopping that completely as I think she's relying on the yoghurt to fill her up. I'm also stopping all snacks, although she doesnt really have snacks aside from fruit and the occasional cracker.
I also find she will try foods if she's distracted with something else. So e.g. if I put a pot of carrot sticks out while she's playing she will eat them, but if they're on her dinner plate she wont. Will your ds try new foods that way?
I

The best thing you can do is not worry and not narrow the range of food you are offering.
Put the meal down, let him eat what he wants. When he's done, take it away. If he's hungry half and hour later, give him his plate back for a second go. Don't snack him full of biscuits/crisps/yogurt between meals.

No stress, no bribes, no coaxing, no trying to make him eat. He will eat what he needs over the course of a few days.

Remember that milk is food. If he's drinking pints of it, maybe cut this back some.

I remember this stage with both of mine. Ds1 was under the dietician due to food allergies and she gave me the above advice. She said as ling as they are active and growing taller then they are getting enough to eat, even if you think its not enough to keep a sparrow alive.

Thank you for all of our advice mums. I have cut his milk down to only one bottle before his bedtime. I have been trying to introduce a couple of new foods this week and he has gave it a try but then it's "no" and he pushes it away from him. His snacks have been limited down now too so he does seem to be eating a little more of his meals but not a drastic amount. He is growing and he isn't losing weight or anything it's just more because he has always had an appetite. I'll give taking away his plate when he leaves it for a half hour and see how we get on. Thank you

I am a childminder and I have seen lots of kids doing this at this age. I believe the best thing you can do is not to worry and get frustrated about it . I think this way kids try to control their parents and once you show them you are upset and frustrated they get their satisfaction and they feel they control you ☺️. So, no snacks, remain calm, keep on with your usual routine - breakfast , lunch, dinner, once your child get that you are not bothered, they start eating . Will take some time and I know it will be difficult for you as a parent, but trust me, it did work for me and my parents and nobody died 😘