If your DC eats none of their dinner, what do you do?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

3yo DS1 is a fussy eater. I am doing my best to follow the advice I have frequently been given that my job is to present the meal, he chooses whether he eats it or not. No substitutions etc. I am trying to cook a range of healthy family meals and not pander too much to him. This means some meal times he literally eats nothing at all. He doesn't seem overly bothered by this but I feel guilty sending him to bed on an empty stomach.

What do you do?

Also OP the chances are he's not going to bed on an empty stomach. Toddlers often just eat 1-2 good meals and leave one. My (almost) 3 year old did this for ages, she had an ok breakfast, a good lunch, a snack then next to no dinner for months.

No stress is best, if he's hungry he will eat it (if there's no SEN or sensory issues). At the same time don't make it a battle of wills just be relaxed.

See i totally disagree with the whole if they are hungry they will eat it. I don't eat things i don't like just because i'm hungry.

I also want my kids to have a healthy meal so would rather cook things they like and will eat.

Dc are 4 and 2. If it's something I know they like then there's nothing else on offer. If it's something new I'm happy to give them a sandwich if they try it and don't like it.

They both still have milk before bed anyway regardless of what they've eaten.

I still allowed DS to have milk after uneaten tea. pLenty of calories in that. Also tried hard to include (boring) stuff I know he'll eat, but sometimes we'd get caught short. DS really doesn't eat much, so he doesn't suffer b/c he doesn't need much.

Glad I've seen this thread, I worry about 16 month old DD's rubbish eating but this has reassured me she's fairly normal! She pretty much lives on breakfast and then banana and yoghurt the rest of the day!

She would have the cup of milk she has before bed normally and that's it. We've always been of the 'no special meals or substitutions' camp and I've found it really does work, but you have to do it consistently over time. Mine is nearly 5 now and eats just about everything because we've never given her a choice. She did go to bed hungry on a number of occasions. They always make up for it eventually in the course of a week or so.

Try serving dinner earlier if DC are regularly refusing it, they might be too tired to eat.