How can I nip this in the bud now!

[Annonymous123456]

My son,15 months old, has always been a great eater, but recently he has been refusing his meals and crying at the fridge signing for food. He seems to only want to eat snacks and not meals. How can I nip this in the bud now?

Just say no? I know it’s heartbreaking when they want food and you’re not offering it but if he’s getting his 300 mls of milk a day and you’re sitting him down 3 times a day for his meals you’re doing your bit. Stay firm OP

I agree, the way through this is that you decide what to offer and when, and he decides how much of it to eat. If he won't eat a meal that you know he generally likes, then he's not that hungry (exceptions for things like if he's teething and wants soft, cool yoghurt, or if there were development concerns around restricted eating, etc.).

Personally, I'd try to choose meals that can be offered again a short time later and still be pleasant to eat so that if he refuses his lunch, you can offer his chicken sandwich or cheese and crackers and cucumber sticks from lunch again, rather than just leaving him hungry, but some people do go for 'no food until the next scheduled time'.

Plenty of them get fussy around 1.5 - 2 years old even if they weaned really well. I keep offering mine a range of foods but I include safe foods too so she will at least eat something. Sometimes she only eats rice or cheese as a result. . . I hate the fussiness and she 2.9 now. It started around 18 months.
But 15 months is too young to understand the consequences of not eating so It's up to you whether you want to play hardball or not. Mine is much older but still doesn't understand the consequences of not eating so I'll save a more harsh approach until she's a fair bit older yet! People always say they will eat if they are hungry, but it's not true. Some will refuse to eat even when hungry if they don't like what's on offer.