my 2yr old wont eat dinner!!!!! HELP

[barmymamma]

my ds will eat really well at breakfast and lunch, but refusing dinner. tried not giving him snacks,giving him meal ealier,later,giving favotite foods(these he will graze on)even put ketchup on it!!!!
getting really cheesed off cos older ds has food allergies and we all try to eat the same for cost/ease and its really good healthy food! its prob behavoural, but any reciepe idea's or child management tips gratly welcomed. xxxx

It may just be he isn't hungry on an evening. How is he later on, does he get grizzly and need something to eat, or is he fine til the morning?

My ds has always had a really good appetite mornings and early afternoons, but it lessens after about 4pm. As he has got older (now 6.5) he has got better, but he still has a larger appetite before 4 then after. At the age of 2 there were many evenings where he just didnt eat, as he just didn't want anything. This may be the case with your ds.

Sorry, I haven't any advice if this is the case, except maybe plate his up and reheat it the next day for his lunch, if it is possible with the meal cooked, and then just give him a sandwich to graze on for his tea.

have you tried making faces out of the food? Time consuming I know but it can work for some.

My DD is the same. My HV, having weighed her and she's smack on the 50th percentile therefore not under weight, told me not to worry. She said to try giving her smaller portions, and changing to giving her main meal at lunch. If it doesn't work, not to worry too much, she will eventually eat.

Eating 2 good meals a day is good enough at that age apparently.

Trying not to stress about it is easier said than done, but do try and not worry about it. They won't starve.

Think mine might starve! He is 2.3 and eats 1 weetabix in a morning, 1 slice of toast for lunch n 2 yogurts, then just pushes food round his plate and eats very little of wotever we give him for tea!
I have no idea how a child has so much energy from so little food, everyone says he'll eat when hes ready, but when?

I admit I do top him up in the day with the odd custard cream or such like, if nothing but to try to keep his blood-sugar level up!

My DH is very fussy so is it a genetic thing, is he being stubborn (for no apparant reason) or is he ill?

My MIL says my DH was if anything worse at this age, how do i change this?

xx

thank you for all your idea's. ive been thinking about doing main meal at lunch time, but mornings are so crazy that i'm not sure i could cook from fresh if previous evening meal cant be reheated. also would it be unfair on my elder ds,4yr, to expect him to eat a proper meal when his bro eating sandwiches???? older ds at school, so cant just switch meal time round.
mind you it does sound like i have it easier than you, santapaws.just a thought for you....instead of giving him biscuits, why not make home made chips or pot wedges? they are so easy and my ds will eat them almost cold with bit of sauce. or give bananna bits? at least you will know some vits getting in him as well as calories.or raisins? good luck, it is really hard.

Santapaws - your DS sounds v similar to mine (though he'll only eat at most half a weetabix in the morning). He's a tall boy who is very active so worry about it alot - I know that no child will starve themself but DS seems to be well on the way to doing it. Am just trying to ensure we keep offering him different nutritious meals (so if he has two mouthfuls of it, its at least better than nothing) and that snacks between meals are nutritious but not too filling (fruit bits) and we're giving him chewy vit pills in the meantime. I was abit of a fussy eater (had to be fed and entertained as a toddler) but then a really good eater - DH ate everything under the sun - so we're amazed that DS is such a bad eater. And keep repeating the mantra to myself "This is just a phase - it will pass"...

Santapaws - my DS is exactly the same as yours!

Me and DH are thinking of selling him to scientists as he can apparently create limitless energy from fresh air

The amount of food he eats in a day is tiny but he is quite a solid, happy little boy who sleeps very well and is certainly healthy enough - so I am trying not to stress about it (hence the jokes between me and DH!) He does like his fruit so I do try and give him a bowl of fruit a day so at least he is getting something!

As Dinky said, tis odd as me and DH are very good eaters so it is all a bit alien to us.

Sorry - not much advice but I don't think there is anything you can do but accept it and live with it.

I have started giving DD her main meal at lunchtime. Somedays she just has cereal and a yoghurt at Dinner time (and fruit - always fruit!).

She does not nap loads though so some days she is too tired to eat much. I go with the weekly intake school of thought. I keep a mental note of her diet and try to balance it over the week rather than a single day. It helps avoid tantrums if she is feeling in the mood to refuse a certain food.

Also try offering alternatives, I have a stash of favourites in the freezer and offer her a choice. She usually goes for one or the other. If not something quick like scrambled eggs or cheese on toast go down well. Bearing in mind she has eaten a cooked meal for Lunch.

HTH

My little man is 2.3, and i'm still having to distract him with something while i try and spoon some food into his mouth He seems to have no interest in food whatsoever, and will slightly (and i mean slightly) pick at finger food. Reading this thread has made me realise how normal it is though (everybody else i meet has brilliant eaters!) So i shall try to relax a bit and leave him to it.

Sorry i couldn't offer any advice, but i'm really glad i read this.

Hiccymapops - lol, my DS is 2.4 and I have also been known to spoonfeed him - much to my mum's disgust

He has suddenly decided that sitting at the table with mummy and daddy is boring so he goes off and plays - so I feed him a spoonful of brekkie in between him playing. My mum is of the view that this is pandering to him (which it probably is!) but at least I know he is eating something.......who knows what is the right thing eh?

ceebee74, thank you so much I'm glad it's not just me