Toddler Eating Habits - Dodgeville,WI

My boys both went through that phase, and it's very very normal. They have growth spurts and they have growth 'lulls'. Typically they won't eat as much during the lulls, but when they get a spurt, they'll eat whatever they can get their hands on! Your one year old will probably go through the same thing eventually, but don't panic. They only eat what their bodies need, not like us adults who snack for sheer enjoyment. lol Try making him very small portions, because you can always make him more. And if he doesn't eat it, wrap it up and refrigerate it, re-warm it for later. The ziploc containers are great for leftover toddler dinners! ;)
Good luck to you! :)
PS: My youngest practically lived on mac & cheese and peanut butter & jelly his 2nd year. I don't think it's a horrible thing to make an alternative to what mom & dad are eating. His tastes will eventually change and catch up with yours.

Both of my kids have gone through the same thing. When they were each about two and a half we made a concerted effort to let them know that eating healthy food at mealtimes was important and required. Our solution was to offer them their meal (having first cut out snacks as you did) and then if they didn't eat, have them go to bed until they were ready to come back and eat some healthy food. Of course, they did not at all want to be in bed and this made a big impression. It took two times of going to bed and staying for the night as she wouldn't agree to eat (our issue was mainly at dinner) for my older child and three times for the younger. Now they both eat what we servce for meals with only the occasional need to threaten going to bed. That's what worked for us. It isn't for everyone but solved our problem with minimal upset in the long run. Good luck!

My 2 1/2 yr daughter is going through the same thing. She eats very little of her dinner, will not stay seated, just constantly monkeying about in her chair. What I do, is allow healthy snacks during the day like cheese, fruit, etc. make dinner for her, usually what we eat or something that I know she likes. She can only get away from the table if she has to go to the bathroom and then she gets right back on. Otherwise, she's in the corner. We make her eat a portion of her food and she has to sit at the table until she eats it. Mind you it's like 2 bites of chicken or 2 spoonfulls of potatoes. If she's a good eater and we haven't had to yell at her to often she gets one piece of halloween candy. We still battle every night with her and it's very draining on both my husband and I. Nothing drains you like fighting with your child every night:)

I have friends that if the child goes away from the table (other than bathroom) the food gets put in the fridge or thrown. I will also offer her lunch back to her if she asks for a snack mid afternoon. I've also heard of leftover suppers being offered for breakfast the next day, but that seems a bit extreme.

Hope this gives you some ideas. I just know that it's not going to last forever. In the meantime it's good birth control :)

We don't allow the pickiness in our house, I make meals and serve them, if they don't want to eat it then they don't eat. Really it sounds mean but its not. My oldest tried that 'I don't like this' phase and we just didn't allow it, and he was always such a good eater and never picked at all, and it lasted about two days of him seeing we weren't going to become short order cooks and make him a new meal, he just gave it up.

I would suggest offering the meals and if he doesn't eat, remember he won't starve, and will eat when he is hungry. Sometimes it seems kids live off of oxygen alone, and I know my boys both have days where they barely eat, and days where they outeat thier dad! It is a long time between lunch and dinner, so I usually offer the boys a small snack, like a banana, apple slices, toast, cheddar crackers, mixed Cheerio's, etc. Also limit the juice and milk consumption, if he's sipping on a cup all day he won't be hungry for meals.

ANd remember its just a phase, if you keep at it and just keep offering meals without caving to make him something special, it will pass. He won't starve himself!

I just started watching a 2 yr.old little girl in my home on the weekends and she is so tiny she looks unhealthy to me and other's make comments as well and her skin looks weird like she's sick.She fits in a size 12mo.clothes and her carseat almost eats her up. She doesn't eat ANYTHING!The first weekend I had her she ONLY ate french frys and juice in a 48 hr.time period. The second weekend I cracked down. She is used to walking around and sipping on a sippie cup with juice ALL day and picking at food and walking around and eating. So I couldn't stand to watch this and have strict rules in my home that we eat at the table so we don't ruin the carpet. I strapped her in a highchair, and sat down with her and my daughter tried to have a conversation and be silly with both girls to keep them entertained at sitting. I told them if they ate their breakfast they could go to the park. I have NEVER pushed to clean a plate but to eat a decent amount. I wouldn't let the 2yr.old have any juice prior to breakfast. She still wouldn't eat so I told her your not going outside with my daughter until you do eat. She then proceeded to eat and with more encouragement she actually ate quite a bit. I think this child's biggest problem is running around filling up on juice all day (ughhh.....) and they don't have a kitchen table in their home.

I use to work in a home daycare too and we made ALL the kids age 1 and over sit at the kitchen table until everyone was done eating. If you were full you had to just sit and visit til everyone finished. That way the fast kids who were done weren't distracting the slower kids. We had a problem where the kids who weren't even full yet would say they were just to get down and play. We also did songs and learned our letters and numbers at lunch time it was fun time. And after lunch anyone over 2 yrs.old had to bring their plates and stuff into the kitchen and clear their spots which they enjoyed and it taught them to help out and made my day alot easier.