My 28 month old won't eat

[Alibongo33]

She is refusing to eat, she has a nibble then says she's done. I am really worried.
She is very strong willed and since this developed from about 18 months she has become worse and worse.
I used to be able to rely on a few favourites, eg spag bol, wedges and chciken nuggets, chips, yogurt, fruit, sunday roast, fish fingers but now she won't eat these. I have tried shopping with her and cooking together which she loves but then won't eat it when its cooked.
Today she had no breakfast just cup of milk, lunch was a couple of quavers, tea was one chicken nugget.
She keeps asking for biscuits, she loves digestive biscuits.
What do I do? Give her what she wants when she wants it even if its 5 biscuits and juice so at least it's something.
I have tried bribery with chocolate for pudding or a new toy. shopping and cooking together, varying her food, then I tried sticking to her favourites for a while and all that doesn't work.
She just asks for juice and biscuits.
I am so desperate for her to eat I would take her to macdonalds every night but she still won't eat if I did that. She has not had vegetables for months.
She drinks alot of milk and juice.
She is between 50th and 75th centile for weight and height.
HV said to keep persevering with what I'm doing. But what about protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals for her health.

Any advice please.
Thanks very much

how much milk is she having? They only need 300mls from 1 year and no more than 1 pint as then it can affect the appetite for proper food. I would also watch the amount of juice she is having as again it fills them up without giving adequate nutrients. Could you water it down until it is just water?

Hi my daughter started going off food at about 18 months and I went to the dietician etc. NHS don't really do anything unless they really are not thriving. Remember they don't need as much food as a baby as their growth slows a bit after a year and what we think they may need is probably far more think. My daughter wasa milk guzzler and we had to cut it out but she put on 5 lbs really quickly when we stopped it. Cereals and bread are fortified with vitamins etc but I do try not to react to my strong willed 4 year old. She is still the same! She basically only eats cereal, bread, chicken nuggets, turkey dinosaurs, chips, smoothies, yoghurt, pancakes, crackers - just got her to lick satsumas and a morsel of juicy bit, crackers and usual rubbish. My niece used to only eat bread but I've been assured shell grow out of it. My niece is 13 now and eats a good range of food so I'm trying not to worry. Unless your child is not putting on weight or doesn't have energy would I suggest you worry. Good luck

Would keep the amount of milk to max 1 pint per day, and not keep juice/digestives in the house. The juice and biscuits are just filling her full of empty calories. Maybe keep offering her the foods which she used to eat. Will she eat things like crackers/cheese/hummous/carrot sticks?

Does she eat with you?
The general advice is to just keep putting a bit of the family meal in front of them and make no fuss have no fights about it.
Mines smaller but also trying to fill up on snacks so I only offer plain rice cakes which he eats if hungry but not so much he then wants to miss a meal.

Firstly I'd get her gp to make sure there's nothing medical such as enlarged tonsils making it difficult to swallow.

Then, provided she's not losing weight I think you know what you need to do is stop all biscuits and juice and moderate the milk. So max a pint a day of milk (cows not formula, too sweet), water freely available, nutritious meals put in front of her three times per day with mini snacks (few grapes, humours and breadsticks, rice cakes, carrot batons) in between.

She will barely touch anything for a few days. Ride it out. Make no fuss. Put the food there, after 20-30 mins take it away. Batch cook so you're only reheating from frozen, it'll make you feel less cross than dumping freshly made food!

Have a read of My child won't eat.

Please don't go to macdonalds, even in desperation. That every night is definitely no better than digestives and juice! Though fine for a treat of course.

Sounds simple. It's not. It's bloody hard work and will send you to bed in tears but it's worth it. bitter experience

"she drinks a lot of milk and juice"

Agree with others - she is filling herself up.
The pint a day should include milk in food such as yoghurt, fromage frais, cheese etc. They don't need to drink a pint of milk.

My BF was desperate ,her son ate nothingbut constantly drank milk and juice - she swapped him to water only and he turned into a ravenous monster !!

My DS1 (2 next month) goes through phases of hardly eating (last few days actually) and I just ignore it to be honest. He'll eat when he's hungry and the world's too exciting to him to slow down for food sometimes!

I think there's a real risk of making your life difficult by making food a battle of wills. Assuming she's healthy, just offer three meals and a couple of snacks - if she won't eat, just move on to the next meal at the appropriate time.

DS1 has never had milk to drink to be honest, only ever water or juice -gave up BF at 16 months and didn't have many feeds for the months before that (only at night really as I went back to work when he was 7 months and wouldn't take expressed!).

Don't go down the bribes and cajoling route - at that age her desire to exert her independence and will over yours will triumph!