Toddler not eating at home

[Luckystar1]

DS is just turned 2. He will not eat anything at all at home. He goes to nursery 2 mornings a week and eats EVERYTHING there, gets seconds etc. At home, he is eating literally nothing at all.

He might eat a bite of toast all day.

We eat all our meals together, he gets offered what we have, he always gets a yoghurt after dinner. I know 'they won't starve' but he's getting as close as possible it seems!

This has been going on for about 2 months now, and while I was initially quite chilled it's now very fucking annoying.

He sits at the table, looks st the plate, pushes it away and says finished. Every meal. This encompasses everything, including food he likes.

What should I do?!

Ps. I should say, he walks round demanding crackers, breadsticks and pancakes all day, which he devours if given (I've tried days of giving abundantly, days with no giving and days with snack... makes no difference at mealtimes)

I'd try just offering throughout the day. My DS2 eats with us at mealtimes but DS1 was much more of a grazer when he was younger. I'd just pop a plate of something next to him while he was playing, fruit, toast, carrot sticks, crumprts. He'd eat bits as he went along. As you say they won't starve themselves so I'd offer little and often.

Thank you. I do often do that, I suppose I quite stupidly never commit eating properly!

And what should I do at mealtimes? I'd like us all to sit at the table? Offer him some dinner still?

Considered it not commit....

Mine is doing this. He says 'finished' or 'don't like it' [a phrase I DID NOT EFFING TEACH HIM!] before he's even been lifted into his high chair and seen what it is. Even favourite things are rejected. Bloody annoying! We've done bribery quite successfully on occasion - one bite of risotto and veg, one bite of jelly, but it's not a long term solution, more so I know he has had some veg!

Yes I got 'don't like it' today for the first time. It had been a bad day so it tipped me over the edge hence my need to post!!

Strangely heartened to know I'm not alone!!

The worst is when you've made something lovely from scratch, something that was their absolute favourite before and you get the I don't like it I'd still offer at meals, bring him to the table but not worry too much if it's eaten or not. With DS2 I just put it on his tray and leave him to it. If he finishes before us I let him have a book or small toy to play with.

Yes!! I can absolutely see how some children end up only eating pizza (or whatever!).
He was a fantastic eater until a few weeks ago!

My DD is the same and she is 2 in January. She always has an enormous breakfast and then picks continuously throughout the day. I leave plates of fruit, crackers, cheese, ham, raisins etc dotted around so she can help herself.

DD is the same, just turned two last week. She is in nursery two full days; I work three; and I am half seriously considering putting her in another day so she eats a bit more!!
it is a downward spiral. For us, she has been getting pickier since about 12 months; despite being BLWed which I was promised would lead to a wonderful eater, hahaha, my arse. It is so hard to bother cooking her proper meals, or new things, when she always rejects it. So she gets the same things repeatedly which obviously cements the fact that she only wants to eat those things.
DH doesn't get home til 7:30 so we don't eat dinner together; I have tried eating with her at 5, but it doesn't make any difference.
I'm actually fairly laid back about it now as I'm used to it, it's been going on for a year and she's still alive and growing (and on the same percentile as ever). But then I think my laid back ness has gone too far, I don't even really bother trying to get her to eat different things any more!! :-(

It feels like we are suddenly getting every single thing that 2 year olds do (awful at bed, won't eat, being a little shit!)

He was BLW too and was a decent enough water, but I totally agree, it feels like ever decreasing circles at the minute.

We went out for a huge long walk this morning and I tossed him bits and bobs en route which he eat, but that still feels like I won't get much decent food into him aside from fruit!

I have a 3 month old too, so I can't (won't!) spend all day making bits of food!!