Toddler refusing supper...send to bed without more food?

[LadyCatherinedeBourgh]

23m DD just ate two mouthfuls of fish pie then point blank refused more, despite saying she was hungry prior to supper. She then asked for pudding! I refused, saying she had to eat more of her main course before pudding, so since she refused I put her food away and she's now playing.

I just know she will start saying she's hungry in about 15 mins, would you stay firm and say no or offer an alternative? I worry about her going until breakfast without any more food (she will have a cup of milk before bed as usual)

Thanks

My 2.8 year old has just done this. I'm afraid I usually offer something else, as she's tiny, and not a good eater. I wouldn't cook another dinner though. She's currently having some cheese & ryevita.

I would offer a non-pudding alternative such as a piece of fruit or something else that doesn't give off the message that if you don't eat dinner mummy will fix you something else anyway. Don't make a battle over food, just say if you are hungry you can have a banana or an apple. don't offer the pudding or the fish pie as that meal is over now - unless you put her fish pie in the fridge and then you could offer her the choice of either the rest of her dinner or a piece of fruit instead.

Fish pie is on the side, but not sure I'd offer it that particular meal to her again as it was leftovers to start with. Good idea on the fruit. She's a fussy beggar but agree to try not to make it a big deal, easier said than done though! I just hate the idea of her being hungry but don't want her to realise she can get her own way, tricky balancing act :)

When my DD was this age I offered the same snack every single time she rejected food/woke up hungry in the night - a dry oatcake and a drink of water. Perfectly good snack but not remotely exciting - so you really only would have it if hungry . ALWAYS the same snack.
That way I felt I was never punishing DD for not eating earlier, and I would not have wanted her to be hungry, but she soon learnt not to spurn food in the hope something better would come along.

I would try once more with the fish pie but if she refuses offer her something else (but not pudding). Maybe she just doesnt like fish pie? i'm sure there are things ou dont like eating?

If you can't offer the fish pie again, I would offer something plain. Weatabix? Buttered toast? I totally get that fact you dont want to send her the message that she will get something else if she doesn't eat dinner, but I would feel uncomfortable saying no to food completely iykwim? Hth

Beamer that is genius!

Does she usually eat fish pie?

The difference between 23 months and >2 yrs can be quite marked. Certainly with my DS, now 2.4.

He has always been a decent eater, but around that time he became a little faddy. I never denied him pudding, it was only ever yoghurt or fruit purée anyway. He was made aware that leaving food did not make mama happy!

Anyway, upshot now is that he honestly eats everything and anything, I am flabberghasted at the variety and quantity of stuff he eats.

He knew I was peeved, no doubt about it, but I never denied him food if I knew he was hungry, way too young in my mind for tactics like that.

Yep, I also agree good tactic of Beamer.

If u you send her to bed hungry the will she wake up in the middle of the night hungry? If she's had a proper meal at lunchtime then you don't have to worry about letting her be fussy at dinner time. I offer pretty much anything,within reason, to fill my 22 month old otherwise he wakes up too early.