I have a 2 year old that is not eating. It is so frustrating to me because I make an effort to make him good food and he doesn't want it. He eats breakfast okay, For lunch I would make vegatables, fish sticks, chicken nuggets hot dogs, PB & J, cheese, turkey lunch meat, macaroni and cheese, pasta and mashed potatoes and gravy. Help! I don't know what to feed him. The only things he readily opens his mouth for is yogurt and cookies. Dinner is much of the same experience. I am so tired of making the effort only for him to not eat but one bite, maybe. Of coarse he does drink milk. Is this common? Do you have any suggestions or are you going throught the same experience?
Ommmm, ok. No cookies. Put the food out. If he eats, great. If not, leave it out. Maybe he is a grazer. He might go back throughout the day to eat. Also, keep the milk away until after he eats.
He is only 2, but he is definitely a master of manipulation. He knows that if he holds out, he will get what he wants.
They all go through this... The more you worry about it, the more control they have.
In all actuality, they can survive on a tablespoon of food a day and a serving size for anyone is the size of the individual's palm. I wouldn't take the milk away. I bought my daughter Boost during this stage because it had a good vitamins and minerals and helped me worry less.
I have one of those, he is 8 now, and his big issue is with texture, it started with baby food, he wouldn't eat anything with a texture to it and he would only eat peas and apple sauce, he did drink a lot of milk to stay full, everything else had to be mixed in to the peas, and with n texture.
I finally had to limit his milk to let him get hungry and I always offered a variety of foods, eventually he found food that he liked better than others, so we focused there and worked out way out from there... but yes the old saying they will eat when they are hungry does work and no it's not cruel, eating is one of the few things kids have control over, and I respect that but we also have to teach them to be risk takers and try new things. Start with what you know will work Yogurt then try apples dipped in yogurt, or peanut butter and yogurt dip with apples or pretzels, then maybe plain yogurt with carrots or celery or with a little turkey slice rolled up, or with grape tomatoes, if it is the texture that is part of the issue then try to find things with similar texture, yogurt is similar to fruit smoothie (with protein powder) or similar to salad dressing for veggies... encourage him to try one bite.
my picky eater surprised me one time when I was going on about some salami that I was eating and he wanted some, I told him he wouldn't like it but he persisted so I gave him some and he loved it... probably because I was going on and on about it made him want to try it, he still loves salami btw, sometimes they want what they cant have...
but I would say that I learned the hard way with my 2nd and third child that too much milk will ruin their eating habits! I didn't take it away completely but I did restrict it till after they ate some of their meal, and none in between meals, but yes it is common!
My sister's first was a horrible eater, just would not eat anything at all. Her second eats everything in sight so you never know. My doctor used to say kids will eat when they are hungry, as long as they continue to thrive you are all right. What does your doctor say? Maybe if you stop giving him cookies he will eat something else. That was not meant to be critical, my youngest would only drink lemonade at that age until I made up my mind and said the store ran out of lemonade and then he drank milk.
Good Morning, I am sorry that you going through this. I went throught this with my sone, and he has sensory issues it did get better with time, but i still sometimes have to make several types of foods TO see which ones he will eat.
All i can say , is as long as the pedi says your baby is healthy and ok, keep doing wht you are doing..its frustrating but he will grow out of it.
My daughter is 7 and is still this way, I still serve her what we are eating but also include a fruit cup so she'll have something to eat. I'm still waiting for this "stage"to be over. I've tried it all, getting her to help me cook food, doing the if you don't eat dinner you can have breakfast in the morning and it hasn't worked. She'll just wait till breakfast. I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions. I just wanted you to know your not alone!
Milk is the number one allergen. For some kids who only like milk and yogurt and have ear infections and respitatory issues this can be a problem. Not saying this is your child's problem. Some kids have sensory issues and the book Just Take a Bite can be helpful. Hopefully it is neither of these issues and only a phase.
Yogurt is great for him. Try and mix in some fruit(use a little baby food and he won't know it is in there). Mix in a little baby cereal(oatmeal, maybe). It is so easy to mix in that he'll never know it is in there either. Go on the internet and look for some healthy cookie recipes. The ones with grains and fruits in them. Have you tried making mini muffins? My kids love those and I mix in baby food prunes and wheat germ and they have no idea. All kids go through stages like this and I think it is important not to cause a power struggle and make meal time a disaster for everyone. Just keep offering the stuff you want him to eat along with something you know he likes. Maybe even more breakfast foods for lunch and dinner. Just be patient and creative. He isn't going to starve or be malnourished, believe me. I've been through it twice.
I'm going though this too. Sometimes every bite is a stuggle. But she will eat her granola bars and yogurt (anything with sugar). I've taken to bribing. for dinner if she eats the healthy stuff, she gets to watch a DVD, or have a bit of dessert. Or I'll hold her favorite food in sight but out of reach and tell her she can have x after she eats y.
