My 2 1/2 Year Old Will Not Eat Most Food

Updated on October 22, 2008
R.C. asks from Leesburg, VA
4 answers

My daughter is 2 1/2 and will not eat most food that I put on her plate. When she was a baby she had all organic food that I made myself. She loved broccoli and cabbage and carrots, etc. Now that she has been on solid foods for a while she will not even try most foods. Last night she was given stuffing, chichen and green beans. She took one look at the plate and started crying. We don't force her to eat the food we just ignore her crying. I have discovered that she will eat anything if it is on a pizza. I can put spinach and onions on a pizza in plain site and she will eat it right up. My pediatrician told me not to give in and feed her what she wants (chicken nuggets, mac n cheese) b/c eventually she will be hungry and she will eat. My mom keeps telling me that I am giving her a food complex and I am traumatizing her and that she will have food issues growing up. Does anyone have any good ideas on how to get a 2 1/2 year old to at least try food or just eat the dinner I have prepared? I really don't want to get into the habbit of making my daughter her own dinner. Does anyone else have this problem?

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H.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I also have been worried about giving my son a complex about food...I grew up in a "clean your plate or you can't leave the table" household and I feel like it has contibuted to issues I have with food..so I really wanted to avoid that with my son, but I, like you, also didn't want to make him a seperate meal all the time. I read or heard someone once say "As a parent, it is your job to provide your child with nutritious food and it is their job to decide if and how much of it they will eat." So, I generally make up a plate for my son of the same stuff we are eating and if he eats it fine, if he doesn't eat it, that's fine too. Even so, we don't tolerate bad table manners (throwing food) and we make him him sit with us for a reasonable time even if he isn't eating. I do admit though that sometimes I will make him a separate dinner if we are eating something I know he won't eat...or I modify what we are eating for his palate...for example, if I am making something like a spicy stir fry with chicken, I'll pull out some chicken and veggies for him before I add the spicy sauce.

So far this seems to be working for us and though I do worry sometimes if he's getting enough, he's growing like he should. I do give him a children's multivitamin every day to help fill in the gaps.

Good luck!

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A.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi,
One suggestion I heard years ago from another mom was that if one of her 3 daughter didn't care for her dinner, there was alweays yogurt in the frig. You could have an easy nutritious backup meal your daughter likes if dinner is not to her liking. Yogurt, peanut butter sandwich, favorite canned soup , cheese and crackers might be possibilites.

Or you could serve the regular meal with one or two of the foods she likes. I agree our kitchen is not the local cafe.Children can be encouraged to eat many types of food, but not forced.

Good luck!

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B.D.

answers from Washington DC on

If she will eat anything as long as its on pizza, that sounds okay to me. Bring on the pizza crust!
Our daughter, also 2.5 years old is a really good eater. But sometimes refuses to eat what she has eaten many times before. We just let her fuss...& then try again. This usally works, and if she doesnt want to eat she doesnt have to. She ( they) will eat when they are hungry. Our pediatrician also says not to be suprised that one day she will eat chicken & Brocc. & the next push it away. Its more a control issus than anything I think, its really the only thing at this age they can sort of control & they know it.
Good Luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.P.

answers from Washington DC on

Hi R., I understand what you're going through. My son ate everything and anything as an infant and I made all his first foods including a fabulous super baby porridge. However at 2.5 yrs he suddenly refused the porridge. He also began to refuse meals on the spot. I personally went for his weakness - macaroni cheese and just pureed everything and anything and put it in there and for a few weeks that was pretty much all he had for supper (finger foods for lunch). I always offer him a small bowl/plate of what I am eating too. After a few weeks I think he got bored and is back to being pretty adventurous and food friendly. Maybe if you went that route with the pizza base and gave her what she wants in addition to offering a tiny amount of your meal you'd all win (well - you do still have to make something different but at least you know she is eating well). I hope that helps.

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