My toddler won't eat meat?

[giraffes2021]

Wondering if anyone has any recommendations my little boy for the last 6 months or so will not eat chicken/fish/beef
He will eat mince (spag bol) and he will eat sausage and mash etc.

Do I keep trying ? We are very much a meat pot veg household so we will have roast dinners he won't eat the chicken or beef but will eat everything else! I've made chicken curry tonight will not eat the chicken! Points and says urgh chicken! Haha now I don't know if it's just a phase and he does it as a thing now! I'm going to speak to nursery as I'm sure he eats whatever they give him!!

So do I just not bother or shall I keep offering ?? He certainly isn't living off mince and sausages can't stand the things ha!

I guess I just want to make sure he's getting enough protein. I've not asked him why as he's only 2 well almost 3 so not sure I'd get a proper answer apart from yuck! Nope won't eat salmon etc says it's yuck too haha I think it's a phase ! I'm hoping it is anyway.
He used to pretty much eat anything at all I think it's the old when they start having a choice etc!

@MargaritMargo I'm not inflicting anything on my son. You can think that but thats all BS. Please don't force your views on me.

Does he eat other non meat sources of protein? Eggs, cheese, fish, beans and pulses? Does he still drink milk?

It’s really common op, texture rather than taste related. And also potentially the sheer effort it takes to eat with milk teeth must be quite significant. My own daughter was fine with meat in some forms eg mince but not actual “cuts” of meat until she started losing her baby teeth. This fits in line with the ages mentioned above, when other posters children started enjoying meat.

Keep offering it up but add protein alternatives to meals like lentils etc.

I think it is a texture thing too. My son is 6 and still fussy about meat. He loves fish, sausages, mince and chicken. He will eat any meat minced, but not lamb chops or steak etc. He will eat stew/tagine if the pieces of meat are chopped up very small and are really tender. He just cannot be arsed cutting or chewing. His love of chicken seems to make it worth the hassle 🤷

Mine will only eat meats like chicken if they are shredded finely. She loves it shredded, hates it in chunks so I assume a texture thing!

My DS also went the that phase. Insisted he didn’t like things he’d previously liked. Between 3 and 4 he put it down to not wanting to eat animals but was still happy to eat the ones he wanted- sausages, gammon and meatballs. He is 5 now and starting to try new things. He said yesterday “Oh so I do like chicken!” We offered lots of cheese, beans/pulses and some meat replacement. Quorn nuggets are lovely.

correct

Q. How do you know if a person is vegan?
A. Don't worry, they'll tell you

My daughter refused meat from age 2 and has never eaten it …now 27 and vegan .
Her toddler is vegetarian and has all her protein from green veg ,cheese ,eggs etc
She is quite petite but healthy. Many children at her nursery are vegetarian and the food is really lovely,,,tastier than meat .

This.
I was a child in the 70s, battled constantly with my mum at mealtimes as I absolutely hated meat.
Finally became a vegetarian at 11, thanks to a hippy teacher at school doing an assembly about animal cruelty etc

I apparently went home and told my mum I was vegetarian and she described as a lightbulb moment for her and now feels guilty she ever tried to force meat on me!

I'm 52 now and still find the concept of meat eating repulsive. I literally cannot understand why someone would want to eat flesh.
Obviously now I also have an awareness of the impact on the planet and understand how abhorrent the meat industry is and feel glad I've been veggie for so long!!

Does your son need to eat meat?!

@SomePeopleAreJustBloodyStupid

How do you know someone is a meat eater?

They'll have one, unfunny, tired old joke about vegans, that they trot out at every opportunity.....

If he's not eating meat then just add other sources of protein to his diet? Adults only need 50g protein per day for maintenance (NHS guideline) so less for toddlers) obviously lots of adults choose to eat more because of gym or whatever.
An egg has 13g protein, if he eats yogurt like Greek or skyr rather than fromage fraud they are very good for protein. Also consider foods like baked beans, adding refried or black beans in fajitas (my kids love those), chickpeas or tofu in a curry (tofu is great because it's a complete protein with all the amino acids you need, not all non animal proteins are complete so it's necessary to eat a variety of proteins if you're vegan rather than survive off baked beans say). Oh if you do try tofu, buy a brand like tofoo aa it's easy to cook with, don't accidentally buy silken tofu in the world food section and wonder why it breaks up in your pan like I did, and then decide that's it tofu is disgusting because it isn't. Try Noah's butter tofu curry recipe for an easy recipe which my three year old recommends.
Also remember lots of ordinary foods have protein, such as brown bread and peas and spinach. You can also make some little tweaks to your normal recipes such as adding chia seeds to porridge to give a little protein boost without really changing the taste or texture.
Does your child like cooking at all? Maybe get some of the Ella's kitchen books and get him involved in the food prep? Also there's a really great blog on Instagram called kids eat in colour which is a great resource for picky eaters. You might also like the gentle eating book by Sarah ockwell smith. I've found bits and pieces from those resources quite useful for me in my kids'eating and relationship with food. Xx

❤️

I should add - my daughter has sporadically raised that she, currently 7, likes the idea of being a vegetarian. I’m not anti the idea but have explained to her each time that she would need to eat a lot more vegetables (in the broader sense) than she does currently.

She’s not sold on that idea as yet but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if she does choose to become vegetarian when she’s a bit older. If she does, I’ll support that choice.

I am an omnivore, but I agree with this comment.
I just like food.

That was me apparently. Never liked meat from weaning onwards.

And I've never changed, I have been vegetarian all my live and am becoming vegan at 57.

I grew up on beans on toast, scrambled eggs etc

Don't mention pizza on here. It's the equivalent to poisoning your toddler, dontcha know.

I became veggie myself at a similar age. My family are all avid meat eaters.

Some patronising and unkind people on this thread.

Yes they certainly will make it known.

Animal flesh is really bad for us. Wise kid. We don't need it. Mine have never eaten meat, and are absolutely thriving.

DS2 only really liked mince as a child

DS2 is now veggie (age 28)

It's really not. Vegans/vegetarians always waffle some shit.

Pretty horrendous for the animals though eh?

thats Lovely - new generations