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What does your 18-24 month old eat in a day?

12 replies

Thatsnotevenmyusername · 20/07/2023 10:36

My LO has been fussing over her meals lately. It would be interesting to see what mums of similar-aged toddlers are feeding their children!
Including times you feed them would also be really helpful as I feel like our times are a bit all over the place as have to work around nap times and school run for her older sister.

Thanks!

OP posts:
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Maybebaby12345 · 20/07/2023 10:52

The rate a child grows slows down significantly around this age and many will notice their toddlers have hardly any appetite. It doesn't last very long and my dd is 2 1/2 and suddenly has gone from barely eating her food most of the time to always hungry. And shes suddenly too big for all the clothes which fit last week. As long as they are drinking plenty and the bit they do eat is healthy, let them be.

Thatsnotevenmyusername · 20/07/2023 11:17

That’s interesting to look at it from the perspective that their growth is slowing down and they will need less calories. My eldest DD was tiny when she was born so at this age she also barely ate but enough to sustain her, however DD2 is much bigger at 21 months than my eldest was and she seems to really need her food - when she picks over her food in the day she wakes up during the night hungry and drinks milk and has a snack - this then has a knock on effect to her eating the following morning and it seems like we are stuck in a vicious cycle. I might just have to cut out the milk altogether to get the daytime eating sorted

OP posts:
ZforZebra · 20/07/2023 11:25

2 years and 3 months:

Breakfast 0715: oats & avocado & scrambled eggs
snack 1000: milk, grapes & banana
lunch 1230: polenta, chicken curry, spinach
snack 1500: milk & yoghurt
dinner 1730: rice, beef stew, veg purée (cabbage, carrot, broccoli, tomato, onion, sweet potato, kale)
bedtime 1845: milk
Plus water throughout the day.

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UnravellingTheWorld · 20/07/2023 11:27

My 2 yo definitely does eat less than a few months ago, because he simply doesn't need as much now that his growth has slowed (if someone could tell his feet that would be great!)

8am - porridge w/ chopped fruit

noon - eg banana sandwich / toastie / potato waffle w/ cheese and ham

5:30 - eg bolognese / noodles w/ chicken and veg / sardines w/ pasta and veg

He doesn't consistently snack between these times. Sometimes he does need something but he eats full dinners so I don't always need to give him snacks. He has fruit or a big yogurt for dessert for lunch and dinner.

Has milk with breakfast and again at supper, but other times he drinks water.

ZforZebra · 20/07/2023 11:28

Plus as PP mentioned - appetites vary so much during this stage. As long as you offer healthy and varied food at regular intervals they’ll eat as much as they need, some days it’s loads and others just a small amount. My eldest DC was a very picky eater at this age (still can be) but youngest eats pretty much whatever she’s offered unless she is unwell.

PurplePansy05 · 20/07/2023 11:42

My DS (nearly 2) eats:

Breakfast 7.30ish: 2x weetabix and either banana (if at home) or slice of toast (if in nursery), might have some fruit after and sips on milk.

Lunch either 12ish or 2ish (before/after nap, depends on how the day goes): In nursery he'll eat hot lunch, e.g.: a pie, curry, pasta, meat + veg. He eats things he wouldn't touch at home (even though he's not been an extremely fussy child overall!).

At home he is going through a phase of not having a big lunch - he'll often choose to have cheese, yoghurt and fruit instead, maybe an oat biscuit, peanut butter. I offer him more food, but he doesn't want it then.

Tea: In nursery he has tea at around 4pm, probably some beans on toast/macaroni cheese/Veggie soup. He would sometimes have it at home too, but not always.

Dinner: 6.30pm, he is filling up then a lot. He'll eat most things, but his main love atm are meat and veg, all types. He'll eat his main meal, then fruit with greek yoghurt, then he'll sip on milk. He eats a lot in the evening.

I would say he's very consistent in the morning and eve and eats a lot and we'll then. During the day he tends to pick on food more, but they're still good snacks. I avoid giving him sweets or puffs unless we're out/away. He goes through phases of eating little during the day and then suddenly eating a lot at lunchtime too.

He is very active and burns a lot of energy during the day. He is looking slim now because he's just had a growth spurt and is suddenly really tall, but I think his weight is perfectly fine and above "average" 50th centile for this age (he's roughly 12.8kg).

It changes so much every few weeks and depends a lot on growth spurts and their activity levels I find!

PurplePansy05 · 20/07/2023 11:47

I would suggest you reduce milk intake and replace it with water and other types of dairy during the day OP (e.g.: cheese, Greek yoghurt, soft cheese etc.). She'll then likely have a better routine during the day and focus more on eating solids, not drinking milk, which should give her more energy and keep her feeling full for longer at this age.

HettyMeg · 20/07/2023 19:57

Usually something like this (19mo) if at home ie not nursery.

8/8.30am weetabix or porridge topped with fruit or toast with cream cheese and fruit on side. Also has milk on waking up but amount drunk variables!

10am ish: Snack - usually fruit and one other thing. So a bit of Blueberries, or half a banana, with some baby biscuits, or baby crisps, or a strip of toast and PB if hasn't had in morning.

Lunch - around 12: sandwich, yoghurt, veg strips (varies - currently eats cherry toms, cucumber and carrot/pepper but only in small chunks) or soup and bread or a smaller portion of dinner leftovers, try to have some sort of fruit or veg on side.

Afternoon snack at some point after nap, around 3/3.30: yoghurt and fruit or chopped tomatoes and cubes of cheese.

Dinner about 5-5.30pm: Will usually just be whatever we are having - veggie chilli, pasta bake, or something like fish fingers, peas and homemade chips or rice.

SweetAndSourChick3n · 20/07/2023 20:02

My almost 2 year old...

7:30: porridge made with oat milk, an apple grated into it with cinnamon, and a banana chopped on top. Ate all.

12:00: two boiled eggs, 1 slice of bread and butter, slice of melon. Ate all.

18:00: chicken curry, rice, cauliflower, carrots, Greek yoghurt, a few strawberries. Left most of the chicken, ate everything else.

Water through the day. He won't drink milk.

Münchner · 20/07/2023 20:05

21 months
6:30am yoghurt with Oats and Banana
Weekdays 7:30-16:00 no idea as she's in childcare
Weekends 9:30am usually some fruit or half a croissant as a treat.
Lunch 12 noon avo on bread with hummus or something similar. Sometimes just cooked plain pasta.
Afternoon snack breadsticks or fruit.
Dinner whatever we're having.
No milk before bedtime - water only.

Cuwins · 20/07/2023 20:20

Nearly 18m. She has got very fussy in recent months and we have been working on offering a variety of foods- no pressure and making sure she has a safe food on her plate.

Today:
6:45am- unusually late as she normally wakes by 5:30)- almond butter on a crumpet

9am- 1/4 of my honey toast, offered a piece of melon and a grape but refused

11:30am- pate on toast x1 slice, dairy free petit filous, banana- ate 1/2, again offered melon and grape but refused

3:30pm- soreen bar

5:30pm- Caribbean pork fried rice (hello fresh recipe) with sweetcorn and spinach in it- ate a really good amount.

7pm- 200mls oat milk in a bottle

Really pleased with dinner as she hasn't been eating any veg lately but did eat some sweetcorn and spinach mixed in. Normally I would have offered fruit or veg with breakfast but daddy was in charge this morning!

jumperoozles · 20/07/2023 20:36

20 months old DS:

7am - toast, porridge maybe some fruit or yoghurt if still hungry

9am snack - usually a banana or maybe half a brioche

11:30 - something like toastie / cheese or tuna sandwich / tomato pasta and some fruit or veg like blueberries / cucumber / pepper slices

2:30 snack - something like bread sticks and hummus / veg muffin / small sponge cake and cup of milk

5pm - varies a lot but favourites include mince Bolognese / cauliflower cheese / curry and rice / sausages and chips / lentil spag bol. He’s a bit fussy with cooked veg but he will eat corn on the cobs and might try one or two peas before spitting them out. Pud is usually a Greek yoghurt again maybe with a bit of fruit pouch on top.

Cup of milk in the evening during stories.

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