At a Loss - Pittsburgh,PA

We always used a baby food grinder, ground up what we were eating, add a splash of milk or water to moisten if necessary, and they eat along with the family.

I wonder if he is eating with you and enjoying family social time or is perched alone?

We usually feed children in our family small samples of what we eat. We do puree, grind or blend some of their food to manageable portions and textures. Keep trying and don't offer him his favorites first or at all and definitely don't offer milk instead of food first. Let him see you enjoying your food and perhaps he will get curious about it.

My now 6 year old refused to eat anything but mac & cheese and ice cream at that age. He could hold out for DAYS. Now he's a SUPER adventurous eater ("What? They have squid on the menu??? Let's have that!!!"), so I'd say keep offering, but don't stress too much - it's probably just a phase.

How much milk is he drinking during the day? He could be filling up on fluids.

It's not that bad, you say he is not eating anything, but in fact he is...he is getting yogurt (calcium), he is eating cheese (protein), he is eating granola bars (fiber) - I would say he is doing pretty well with healthy food. You even mention green beans and banana mixed berries food (that's fruit)..Your suggestions of hot dogs, lunchmeat and other stuff is not healthy for him even though it is quick. To add some energy to him, try some oatmeal. If he is not lacking in the weight department, don't get worried, he is not. He likes his food. I am sure he will have another set of food he sticks to after this phase. Then you will get annoyed with him eating just that. I think he is fine. Mine ate only cheese, grits and strudel for a long while. Now he wants only bananas and yogurt.

Could you try mixing little bits of things into the yogurt and then gradually increasing the ratio from mostly yogurt to mostly other food?

I recommend you start offering him things directly from your plate. He is physically capable of eating just about anything now. And try unusual things you wouldn't expect a toddler to eat. He might surprise you. My kids love Gyros & tacos & Chinese food. They have been eating & loving these since they were about 12 months old. He might be looking for something with more flavor. Or he might just like eating off your plate.
Also, if you are not doing it already, give him a fork & spoon & let him try to feed himself. Or maybe he eats the foods he eats, b/c you still feed him those, but not the others. Maybe he wants you to still feed him.

Some other food ideas...since he loves cheese, try mac and cheese. Try pasta & red sauce (my kids love bow tie pasta, tortellini, ravioli, lasagna, etc). One thing that my boys really enjoy with their pasta...I bought a block of parmesan cheese one of those crank cheese grinders, like they have at olive garden. My kids will ask for seconds just so they can crank more cheese on their plate.
My kids also love to dip things. So if we give them chicken I will also give them some ketchup, honey mustard and/or ranch on their plate. So, they can choose their dipping sauce.
My youngest will only eat chicken if its mixed with apple sauce. He will eat steak or ground beef plain. But chicken needs something.

Also, let your son "help" cook dinner. He could stir something or pour something. My kids always eat better on the days they help make the food.

Good luck.

You are right mama -- At 16 months, you can let him self-guide his eating. He really is too young to starve himself or over-eat. And also, kids this young that have not been introduced to junk food almost always pick the things they need to stay healthy because that instinct hasn't been dulled by junk food yet. If he wants to eat nothing but yogurt and cheese now, next month he will probably refuse to eat yogurt and will want nothing but pancakes. Go figure.

Make sure he's eating "meals" not grazing all day. Give him something you know he'll eat and some of what you're having. My 7 yo ate mussels at the beach this year and my secret is I never made him his own "stuff" he ate what we had.
Add berries to his yogurt, add yogurt to other things, melt cheese on bread, sprinkle cheese on noodles....

You are not alone! My 15 month old eats very little as well, and yogurt is one of the few things he will eat without much fuss (but only the Apple/sweet potato YoBaby yogurts!). He is still breastfed and the vast majority of his diet still consists of breastmilk. At first I was freaking out about this, but reading the book "My Child Won't Eat" by Dr. Carlos Gonzalez, really put my mind at rest. You should check it out! As long as your little one seems happy & healthy, there is no reason to be concerned.

It's sooo frustrating isn't it? My son ate and loved everything as a baby as long as it was pureed, and now that he's a toddler he's suspicious of anything that seems new to him. I have found that he will suddenly eat something at lunch out of the blue, like he's done it every day of his life, despite rejecting the same food and throwing it on the floor at breakfast. The key is that I serve that food (next to other stuff I know he'll eat) at EVERY MEAL, EVERY DAY FOR 2 WEEKS! He eats it eventually, though the waste nearly drives me crazy. And by the time he decides he likes it, I can't stand the sight of whatever the food is! I also eat a little of the new food every time he eats, and sometimes let him feed me a spoonful, which he seems to enjoy. Anyway, good luck! I'll be checking back to see what advice you get so I can use it for my family!

My dd started around this age that she refused to eat if I was purely feeding her. I started giving her raw shredded carrots to much on if I felt I had to feed her what was in her dish. Otherwise, I gave her the fork/spoon and let her do it. I would help guide the end of the handle if she would let me. She is now 21 months and I still find that is she says she is finished that if I give her a fork to eat finger foods such as smoked sausage, she will eat more using the fork. Weird, but that's my dd. :-) Try to be inventive and creative...you never know what may be a hit. My daughter started not liking cooked veggies so I started giving them to her raw. She LOVES salad now. She will choose it over junk food. Good luck.

They tend to be picky at this age, in my experiences! My 16 month old only eats bananas, yogurt, mac & cheese, chicken and bread :) just keep trying new things and remember the 10 times rule...it takes about 10 introductions of a new food before they actually like it. my son does like using a spoon himself with applesauce too (the only way he will eat it is if he feeds it to himself!) so try that too!

Don't worry! I had one kid who ate four things for six months at this age. She is still very picky, but it is much better, and it did not hurt her at all. I tad some where that as long as their weight is not an issue, if the get their milk and half a banana a day, they are fine. He will come around! I would love to only need to shop for cheese, yogurt and grandly bars, and a few jars of baby food! At least it is easy, so there is a bright side! This too shall pass...

M.

Hiya! If it makes you feel any better, you are not alone. My son is 4 and STILL doesn't eat anything!! He's been categorized as a "picky eater" every time I take him to see the doc. He eats cheese, yogurt, apples, toast, pizza, granola bars, various types of crackers, snack foods... and that's it!!! No meat, no pasta, no veggies, potatoes, eggs, etc. He's gaining and maintaining his weight, so the doc says he's fine. They say he will try new foods when he's ready, and I don't force him if he doesn't want something. (I personally don't agree with all the people that tell me to make him something to eat and if he doesn't eat it, don't give him anything else, and then make him eat it later....) Good luck to you and your little one!!!