How to get a stubborn 24 month old to eat meat/fish?

[Pickie]

Our 24 month DD is a grazer. Grazes all day long on healthy food (strangely enough) such as tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, olives, fruit, ricecakes, houmous (by the spoon).

Doesnt eat bread just likes off the butter and eats whats on it, loves rice with soy sauce, loves potatoes with loads of gravy but refuses to eat meat or fish.

Never made a big deal out of it but am bit worried she is not getting all the nutrients she needs.

Tried all the usual, fish fingers with sesame seeds, chicken burgers with loads of veg in it (she just eats the crusts), spag bol, sausages in sticks but she just doesnt want it (doesnt even try)

Has anybody any ideas or the same experience and managed to get them to eat some fish or meat or alternatives to meat/fish?

I think if you have a two year old eating olives, soy sauce, and houmous, she has no issues with flavours - maybe it's textures? Although the houmous would say otherwise.

Is it the lack of protein that worries you? You could try peanut butter. Will she eat tofu, etc?

I must admit, dd's weren't picky in the slightest,though dd2 did go through phases where all she wanted was tuna, or peas, or fish, etc. We just let her go with it, and kept offering alternatives, and serving her the same as the rest of the family, and eventually she would come round.

Maybe try removing the 'grazing' items a couple of hours before your evening meal, so she has chance to get truly peckish, and offer a small easy portion of meat/fish as part of her meal, see if she'll countenance it.

Other than that, you'll have to hope she takes to taramasalata

Best of luck, but I think she sounds like a cracking little eater already. My brother in law is a GP and he had to take someone to task last year for trying to wean their baby onto pot noodle . Pat yourself on the back, and nurture your little vegetarian

OMG Pot Noodle that is sad!!

Thanks for your help! It is indeed protein and iron I am worried about.

I will try to curb the grazing again but she is very determined 2 year old and has all the tantrums to go with it but it might be worth it.

DS eats anything and plenty of it and has always been a good eater so find it sometimes very dissapointing if you spent ages making something nice and healthy they just plainly refuse to eat it!

Also considering a reward chart but dont want to make too much fuss out of it as before you know it she will use not eating as a weapon.

i would say don't worry too much. keep offering meat and fish but don't make an issue out of it. you could offer her tofu, tempeh, eggs, pulses, cheeses, nut butters to extend her range of proteins. hopefully over time you will find that she gradually expands her repertoire, which is what i have found with ds.

My ds does not eat much meat or fish - he used to eat fish fingers but now picks the coating off. I have taken to adding purees to mash in the hope my DS will eat more protein - (weaning DD who eats anything). DS would not even eat chicken during weaning. Does sound like your DD is a good eater - will she eat lentils? I make a a lentil puree which he eats very well. I have always worried about his eating and weighed him today a whole 24lbs - 6lbs heavier than my 6mth old... I think one child always provides more concern. All you can do is continue as you are and ensure that all food you offer is healthy.

Cybermoneky sorry for the late reply! Yes she does eat lentils, quinnoa and loves any other type of beans.

Found out last week she will eat meat if she goes to a restaurant!!!

She weighs the same 24lbs but she is a tall girl for 2

Pickie, I have recently discovered puff pastry and he will now eat all sorts if it is in a pasty. Does not even pick bits out.