My 2 year old won't eat anything, please help me

[rose9826]

I'm at a loss now with my little boy. He's 2 will be 3 in January.
He used to eat so much stuff, I'm talking Shepards pie, lasagne, spaghetti and sausage tins, normal spaghetti, fruit, jam sandwiches, etc.
Now all he will eat is chicken nuggets, sausages, crisps and yogurt, cereal and maybe pasta sometimes. He refuses everything else. He also only drinks juice and won't drink water anymore, only sometimes.
I've spoken to my health visitor about it and she gave me tips and tricks that I've tried and nothing is working. He just turns his nose up and simply will not try any foods that aren't in the group of things he will eat.
He used to eat so much fruit and absolutely loved bananas but now he won't touch any of it. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. It's been going on since about summer this year too so a long time for a picky phase.
I've tried getting him involved in picking food, preparing etc and he hates it. I've given options and that doesn't work. Also please note he's quite non verbal at the moment too so he can't explain to me why he doesn't want to eat.
My HV weighed him and he's healthy, she's coming back soon to check he hasn't lost any weight but I'm literally at a loss. Every meal time is such a struggle and I find myself getting so upset with myself and him over it.
Has anyone been through this and what happened, did it get better? I'm scared he'll end up with a feeding tube or something, or that this is just our life and he will never eat anything else so I'll be making chicken nuggets for dinner for as long as he lives with me.
Getting so down and depressed about it, I have no idea what to do

@rose9826 please don't worry, my little boy is the same age as yours and barely eats more than what you've listed. He used to eat what we were eating and clear his plate :( it's so worrying but if he gaining weight then you must be doing something right!

My son went through this stage at that age (he is nearly 10 now). He has no ASD or any diagnosis, it really was just a phase that he went through. Ideas that worked for me (a little bit they weren’t miracle workers!) were the following-
Using a paw patrol plate with pics of the pups on and putting different food over each pup. Have to eat that food to uncover the pup, would work with whatever he was into. He used to be so intent on uncovering Marshall he wasn’t really focused on what he was eating. I always used to put at least 2 ‘safe’ foods on his plate mind.
Putting bows in the middle of the table and everyone helping themselves. He liked to pick the foods out and copy me and his Dad. Again I always put a few things out I knew he liked.
introducing new foods after swimming lessons or doing something that increases appetite. He wouldn’t eat sandwiches for ages (was a complete pain!) however after swimming I introduced him to cheese ‘squares’ (just didn’t use the sandwich word… but that’s all they were!) and he devoured them.
As someone mentioned above just a good multivitamin and keep doing what you do. My son is a very good eater now, not as adventurous as his sister but we have a good range of food that he eats and so they do grow out of it I promise!! x

Also meant to say making faces out of food also worked… banana smile, blueberry eyes, strawberry nose etc… encouraging like ‘ohh can you eat both of the eyes?’ Making it all a bit more interactive and fun.

My grandson is same. He is Asburgers, non-verbal except couple of words. He doesn't like to eat. He just likes drinking a special milk in the Philippines that the Dr said for him to drink. He only likes a few things to eat. According to my son, the not wanting to eat is an aspect of his Asburgers. Dr said he is healthy and not too worry about it.

chicken nuggets, sausages, crisps and yogurt, cereal and maybe pasta sometimes, Juice

There is plenty of protein in there, dairy and carbohydrate, vitamins in the juice, and in the milk on the cereal.
Nothing to worry about.
Just go easy on the crisps due to salt content or get some low salt children's variety. Buy the best quality nuggets and sausages you can afford.

Above all, take ALL the emotion out of mealtimes. No fussing, persuading, cajoling, making games of eating, none of that.

Imagine he is an adult guest. You all sit at a table together (assuming a DP/ family but can be just you and him e.g. at lunch). You present a plate with food you know he likes (plus a tiny bit of whatever you are having), then you talk with him and each other about anything else except the food. Then when the meal is naturally over, clear away the plates with no fuss and no comments.

Don't keep looking at him during the meal, just a glance now and then but try to keep it natural and normal, no special attention. If it is only two of you, glance at his face while you chat but not at his plate.

However little he has eaten, don't offer 'extras' because you are worried that he hasn't had enough. Instead, perhaps make a family tradition of having a 'supper' of snacks or crackers two or three hours after the evening meal and before bed (can be on the sofa or more informal), and again make sure you all eat together, so he is not getting anything special just for him.

Hi do you have an update please