Dinner a battle ground every night

[Josie747373]

1 and 3 year old….3 year old used to eat everything but since around 18 months because very fussy. I already:

• always put something on her plate I know she likes
• involve her in cooking (she likes this)
• never give alternatives except maybe hours later I’ll give her some porridge for supper or something if she’s eaten nothing
• I remain calm and just repeat that’s all there is, you don’t have to eat it but there’s nothing else
• always eat together
• no tv on

she usually asks for something else, like cheese or bread. I usually put one of these on her plate so she has something I know she likes. She’ll eat that, ignore the rest, ask for more. I’ll say you can have more when you’ve eaten some of the rest. She’ll go nuts, screaming tantrums and repeatedly asking for more all through dinner. I rush dinner, feel mega stressed and I dread having tea every night

1 year old barely eats anything probably because her sister is screaming at the top of her lungs through dinner and all my attention is on her

I know it’s not her fault but finding it so hard and stressful! Any tips?

Follow Solid Starts for amazing advice on toddlers eating.

I think they would say you're doing all the right things already but instead of saying 'you can have some more when you've eaten some of the other things' say 'sorry theres no more cheese on the menu tonight but you have x, y and z there on your plate' (and hold the boundary)

They also say a small change can make a huge difference. I.e. would the child like to sprinkle something on top?

Or involve them in a 'game' that helps them explore the food but with no pressure to eat it. E.g. listen to the crunch this makes when I bite it, I wonder if you can make a louder crunch? Or I wonder if you can get more peas on your fork than me?

Those are just some examples but give them a follow on Instagram and check out their website too. I'm sure you'll get some good advice for your one year old too. Good luck!