Would a snack tray work for DD (16 months)?

[CharCharGabor]

I'm not sure what to do about DD's eating. She eats a small amount for breakfast then hardly anything until tea time when she eats a large portion of whatever we're having. I'd like her to eat more during the day. I do offer lunch and snacks but she only picks at them. I was thinking maybe I could make up a snack tray each morning with healthy things in like cheese, raisins, oatcakes etc. and just let her graze through the day. Would this work on a younger toddler? I'm sure I saw a thread about the snack boxes a while ago but I can't find it now. TIA

If she's happy and healthy, why do you want her to eat more during the day?

TBH I'd be wary of introducing the grazing habit. It could come back and bite your DD in a very large bum in later life.

I don't know really, everywhere says they should be having 3 meals and snacks and DD eats about 1 1/2 meals a day. She still has bfs though. Hmmmm not sure what to do now. I worry about her not getting enough nutrition from such a small amount of food.

but if she's still bf'ing she's topping up on that isn't she?

The authorities that say a child needs 3 meals know YOUR child. They are all different.

No child will starve itself, if she isn't hungry, don't try to stuff food into her. I bet she'll eat more as the bf'ing stops.

DOH!!

I meant to say
"The authorities that say a child needs 3 meals don't know YOUR child"

Yes that is true I suppose. I'll just keep offering lunch and snacks for a while as I have been, maybe her appetite will go up soon. I've always been one to let her regulate her own appetite etc. was just worried that the way I was offering food wasn't appealing to her. Thanks

So if I'm just going to go with the flow for the moment, what can I do to make such I maximise the nutrition she gets from the little she eats. I do offer all healthy food.

I think what you are doing is just fine.

If mine eat one good meal a day, then that's OK. I think toddlers often find 'grazing' a more natural way to eat, so keep on with the bits of cheese, grapes, raisins (careful of too much dried fruit as of the natural sugar content).

She sounds pretty good to me. My LO probably eats about the same (also 16 months), at least, what she doesn't chuck around the kitchen

That's reassuring. So would you offer 3 small meals rather than lunch and two snacks? She is growing and developing fine but her poo is a bit solid, not sure why.

If it helps, this is what I give LO: weetabix and fruit as soon as she gets up (which she always eats as usually hungry and no milk first thing anymore), toast mid-morning, lunch of pasta or sandwiches with fruit for pudding, and a cooked meal for dinner - tonight it was roast chicken - and a yogurt for pudding. It doesn't mean she eats all this, its just what I persist in giving her.

She usually likes to feed herself or chuck it around. Meals are always at the table, snacks are wherever she is.

She tends to snack on fruit as she loves it and asks for it, but if I gave her chocolate biscuits she'd eat those too. She's definately a constant grazer.

I just keep the food coming.

Thanks for that OFFS. It's not that far away from what I offer DD. She usually has raisin wheats with fruit for breakfast and eats about half. I'm going to make her some scotch pancakes with raisins in tomorrow to see if she'smore keen on them. Then I usually give a snacky lunch of pasta or cheese sticks and fruit in the living room as she's not interested in sitting in the highchair at that time. Snacks are usually oat cakes, cereal bars, fruit or cheese. She often eats more at snack time than lunch time. In the evening she has a big portion of whatever we're having, such as spaghetti bolognese, frittata or curry. She has finished her portion of tea the last three nights and had fruit for afters. She has never let me feed her so feeds herself everything, she is getting quite good with a spoon. Doesn't sound too bad when I write it down. I'll just keep pushing on and see how it goes