Any tips on getting DS1 (2.6yrs) to eat more?

[2point4kids]

DS1 has never been a fussy eater. He always tried a bit of everything I made him.
He just eats less than I would like!

He is very spirited and strong willed and I think meal times for him are a bit of a power struggle. He would be quite happy to go without food rather than give in to my requests/demands and I am unsure of quite how far to let him push me!

For example today he had a bowl of cereal for breakfast. He kept asking to eat 'cereal in lounge' as he wanted to watch TV. I insisted no, we eat at the table (as I do every day!) and I was sitting at the kitchen table with him. He eventually got up and carried his bowl into the lounge when I was dealing with the baby. I went after him and said no, we eat breakfast at the table and took the bowl back. He threw a wobbly and refused to go to the table so had no breakfast.

I gave him a banana mid morning as a snack.

Lunch he ate a couple of slices of pizza (we were out at a play place), no pudding and no snacks all afternoon.

Dinner we had cottage pie. He messed about with it, threw 2 spoons on the floor in a tantrum and ended up eating one mouthful only.

This is a typical day. He will very very rarely eat 2 full meals a day, let alone 3.
He will eat them when I make him sandwiches for lunch, but I usually let him eat those on the sofa and he grazes at them and eats them over an hour or so.

I dont give him snacks between meals, with the exception of fruit and he only gets that when he really has eaten nothing all day and I am worrying.

He likes everything I make. Just doesnt seem to have much of an appetite at all!

Any ideas?

i really would just carry on with the firm boundaries you seem to have in place. he will eat when he is hungry and you have more chance in the long run of food not becoming a big issue if you dont make it a battleground now. if he is not fussy you are v v lucky. he wont starve himself through stubbornness. sounds like you are doing a great job with him. with a baby on your hands too you could probably do without the stress anyway! it is v hard i know as i have a dd approx the same age who doesnt eat much but just try and hang in there for the long term.....

get a tablespoon

measure out 11 level tablespoons of food and look at it

THAT is how much food an average 2 year old eats per day when averaged over a week to 10 days (ie some days they'll eat more, somedays much less)

It's not much .. it includes all snacks and meals

then readdress how much he's eating

I bet he's fine

and stop battling with him

Some kids are just grazers. Tummy empty quick, tummy full quick, tummy empty quick. My Dd does this and in some ways it's an advantage because I can get more variety into all the little meals and they're done swiftly.

They say the problem with adults is we've learnt to overide our full signals and that's why we put on weight. He just listens to his body and stops eating when he's full.

I'd back off and thank my lucky stars he's not fussy.

Wow twiglett that's very reassuring!

I've also heard that before about the 11 tablespoons of food.
I honestly wouldn't worry too much about it.My ds1 is 2.10 and I would love him to even TRY a piece of pizza,but he never has,along with many more foods.He is extremely fussy with what he eats and I struggle each day,wondering what to make him for dinner.
I've now learnt not too make too much of a fuss at mealtimes now and couldn't believe it when he actually ate a bowl of pasta for the first tme tonight.I was so pleased,I even took a photo of his messy face.

Ok, 11 table spoons is not a lot at all is it. That does make me feel better!

I guess it doesnt matter too much then that he tends to eat all his daily intake over one meal or two at the most, rather than having breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Yesterday he only ate breakfast, today he only ate lunch...

He does also have a beaker of milk in the morning and at night, which he loves. He'd drink much more milk than that if he could!

no really 2.4 it doesnt matter. they are funny creatures in some ways toddlers and they probably regulate themselves far better than we ever will!