My toddler won’t eat

[CanINapNow]

My DS turned 2 a few weeks ago and he’s just stopped eating! Everything I read tells me not to worry yet I am just worrying constantly! He’s never been a great eater but now he is surviving on a couple of snacks and some milk each day. He’s growing, happy (aside from toddler tantrums lol), has plenty of energy and wet and dirty nappies but still I’m constantly worrying. And very annoyed by the wasted food and the time I spend cooking it all. Anyone else been there? I just need a hand hold really.

Firstly. Stop saying your toddler wont eat. Your toddler is eating.

Secondly. Just keep offering healthy options and leave it up to him to decide. Dont make it a thing. Dont start offering crap in order to get him to just eat something. If the cooking is too annoying I totally get it. Just cook what youre having and offer that. Or, just snacky bits. Tomatoes. Cucumber. Chunks of cheese. Hard boiled eggs. Leftover meat or fish. Fruit. Greek yogurt etc.

Thirdly. Dont show any stress about this. Dont congratulate for eating. Dont encourage more eating. Dont make it a battleground. Offer. Clean up when done. Thats it.

Hi Op, they go through phases.
Just remember, given he are ok before so unlikely any sensory issues etc, if he’s hungry, he will eat.
Cut out snacks altogether. Offer him his food at meals time and if he doesn’t eat it, offer nothing else. Stay firm. NO snacks

Why are you wasting food? Just offer him a teeny bit of whatever you're having. If he eats it all, offer him a little more. There's no reason to prep stuff just for him and end up binning it!

My DD went through a similar stage at the same age. Literally the only thing she would eat was those tiny petit filous yoghurt things. Worried the hell out of me. She's now 33 and eats pretty much anything

As PP have said, its a phase, don't make a fuss and don't worry, it will pass

What snacks is he having @CanINapNowand how much milk would you say he has in 24 hours and is it Cow’s Milk or formula?

Thank you so much. This is all great advice and I needed to hear it set out straight like that. I am going to stop making him specific meals for a while, as you say, it just makes me more stressed/disappointed.

Ok thank you. I do end up offering snacks as I’m worried about him going without but you’re right, it’s just making things worse!

Thank you. This is reassuring xx

Tends to be little toddler snacks like those fruit crispy tiddlers or some crackers. That’s all he will eat at the moment (I am offering apples etc as well but he doesn’t touch them, he used to love them!). He does LOVE his milk. It’s whole cows milk and he has about 18 oz in 24 hours.

I never noticed anything like this because I just followed my child's needs. I didn't give any foods, just waited for her to start trying to take my food. She was 7 months before she had any solids. I just offered to share meals with her from then on and at 2 she was not eating full meals. She was grazing. She's now 11 and eats brilliantly. I never force her to eat. I have periods where I don't want to eat. It happens when our gut is working if we have infections. I just never saw an issue. She probably went through the stage yours is in but I didn't notice. Of course if she were not a healthy weight it would have been an issue, but she has never been anything else.

Stop offering the UPF crackers and toddler fake food. Its like crack for them. Just stop it completely. Its no wonder he doesn't want an apple if he knows he'll get a ultra sweetened, perfectly crunchy mouth melting snack at some point soon. Seriously just stop it now, youd be doing your child a huge favour.

With tge milk the recommended amount is 10 Floz a day between 1 and 2. There’s no minimum after 2.

So if he’s having 18 Floz that might in some way explain the lack of appetite for food.

Is he night weaned?