15mo less hungry/more fussy as the day goes on?

[naughtymonkey]

15mo DS devours breakfast. He does pretty well at lunch, but dinner is an absolute struggle.

Usual routine is porridge and fruit or 2 weetabix for breakfast. Lunch is a sandwich, fruit and yoghurt.

Evening meals he once ate, he refuses now. I can only really guarantee he'll eat cauliflower. He will eat roast dinner on a Sunday but I can't do it every night!

It's really disheartening to see most of his food end up on the floor, and I usually give in and give him a couple of weetabix.

I'm really trying not to limit his diet, but I'm running out of ideas. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks!

I would switch main meal to lunchtime, this might mean batchcooking/freezing sunday lunch type meals, to get your nose in front; defrost and blast in the microwave. Then a sandwich type thing for his supper, I do appreciate the want to eat all the same, that will happen but for now, eat together but separate foods.

Mine often had porridge or indeed weetabix at what one might call tea time.

Try moving the meal earlier - kids won't eat if they're tired. They can always have milk and)small helping of cereal immediately before bed if necessary.
Also, give main meal in the middle of the day.

Main meal at lunch and early supper of something light.

What times does he eat? Does he have anything in between? Is there enough time in between meals for him to be hungry enough for a large meal?

My 7YO has always been a bit fussy with meals. Last year he decided he wanted to be vegetarian and TBH looking back, he never liked meat. I suspect its texture rather than ethical reasons he's a veggie now.

It could be something as random as he doesn't like warm food if everything else he eats is cold.

Thank you @FlounderingFruitcake @Seeline @FlibbertyGiblets I hadn't thought about swapping the meals round. Everything I've read said how important it was to eat all together, eat the same things and model good eating habits etc. I think I'd struggle to cook and eat a main meal at lunchtime for me, but I can try that for DS.

@Bicthebiro breakfast is usually 8am, lunch immediately after nap between 12 and 1 usually, then dinner at 5pm. There isn't time for a snack before nap time in the morning, and if I'm honest I don't usually give him one in the afternoon either.

Those meals seem very close together - probably not really hungry for dinner. No food between 5pm and 8 am seems an awfully big gap - does he still have milk during the night?

And really don't worry about eating together or having the same meal every time. Sit with him and have a cup of tea or something if it's not the right time for your meal. We didn't have our evening meal with the children until they were about 6. They couldn't wait until 7.30pm when my husband got in from work.

@Seeline yes, sorry - he has about 200 ml of milk first thing, between 6.15 and 7am usually, and about 100 - 150 ml before bed at about 7pm