My 2 year old son just doesn't eat; any menu ideas?

Question

It's not that he's picky - he'll eat - once in awhile. I think he's just too busy to eat. For instance, if I offer him a bowl of cereal at breakfast (me, him, and his younger sister all sit together at the table) most of the time he won't eat... but if I sit in the livingroom and bring the bowl of cereal out, he will continously come to me to get bites and go back to play. He eats alot like this, but I don't always have time to do that, plus he needs to learn to sit at the table anyway (I cannot take him to restraunts!!!). Any suggestions on maybe menus or tips from other moms who have had the same situation? I

Answer 1

It is a stage they all go through. My 22 month old is going through that right now and my other 3 did the same thing. Just leave out healthy things they can come and get at will. Part of it is a power struggle for them. They want something they can control and they can control their eating. Your pushing them to eat, only makes them want to control it more. This is something they will out grow withing about 6-8 months. Some take longer, some less time. Just wait it out, he will soon be joining you at the table again.

Answer 2

I do remember when my son went through this. I asked everyone i knew and the doctor and everyone said and i am sure you have heard it, "they will eat when they are hungry" but my son was the opposite if he didn't like the looks of it he didn't try it and he would go hungry until another meal would come along then he would pick at it and say he was done. So i decided to buy pediasure and when i thought he wasn't eating good or enough i would give him a drink for a snack. another good tip that i still use is setting healthy foods ( apples, granola, grapes, raisins, carrots with ranch, he loved to put things in dip, yogurt) out on the table, if it was snack time then he could pick something off of the platter, if it wasn't time to eat i would have him wait that way he was excited when he was able to get a "treat" :D he did eventually grow out of it but it took him a while.

Answer 3

I wasn't sure I desired to answer this query, seeing that I should not have a 2 year historic, i've a four month ancient. But, I don't forget that my cousin would only consume butter bread and Cherrios growing up and it doesn't matter what my aunt and uncle put before him, he simply failed to consume it. He is now 23 and loves all the ethnic and diverse foods which might be out there. I do know that I sat many nights at the dinner desk trying to cover these lima beans, which can be all sooo healthful for you. The object is, our style buds strengthen as we develop older and no matter what we consider that a little one wishes to devour, if he does not want it he is not going to consume it and could withstand you on other matters simply on account that he is at that age when he is getting his own independence and testing you. My recommendation is make it enjoyable. Take him to the store and let him decide on out one veg. And one fruit. He's going to suppose extra in cost as soon as given options and if he would not like what he picked out, then subsequent trip to the shop try some thing exclusive.If worse comes to shove and you believe he isn't getting proper diet, chewable vitamins are on hand. Indruction to new meals are one thing , but being compelled to eat them are a different. To at the moment i do not devour lima beans. On the other end of the spectrum are historical humans, their taste buds trade and nothing taste excellent to them. But none forces them to devour, they have make certain.

Answer 4

I agree with routine and being momentarily strict. When my son was two he would sit at his little table for every meal time, even snacks....and if he got distracted/stood up to go play, then I would take the plate away until he sat down again. If you can keep it up for a few days and keep to a fairly regular eating schedule, he'll probably eat more - especially if he's eating with you. Otherwise, don't worry about how much he's eating - they eat if they are hungry and he'll get enough over a day of 3 meals and two or three snacks.

Answer 5

Use a timer! He may think it is cool. Initially set it for 90 seconds and tell him he has to eat as much as he can before the timer goes off. Tell him that if he can "beat" the timer and eat all of his food before it goes off, he will get a little surprise (IE: a sticker, a small cookie, etc). After a couple of days of the 90 seconds, stretch it out to 2 or so minutes, etc, etc. This may work? If you don't have a timer, use the timer on the stove until you can get one.

If all else fails, make him healthy shakes and put them in a tippy cup. At least he is getting some nutrients. Pediasure may help too.


Good luck.

mb

Answer 6

Actually this is a stage that toddlers go through from what I 've been told by my cousin whom has 3 kids that have all passed the age of 2. The best thing to do is to get plates with characters faces, it worked for me with my 2 year old. She still drinks fluids more than she eats but like I said it just a normal stage for toddlers. Good luck!!!

Answer 7

Well I think it's because you let him get away with it. You say he's too busy; he's only two. When it's time to eat, make him sit down in his high chair & eat. Let him know that they won't be any playing it he doesn't. That's all to it, your the parent so you need to inforce the rules. It he doesn't eat everything that's fine, but he needs to learn that there's a time to eat & it's to be down at the table, not the loung.

Answer 8

try and tell him things will be taken away if he doesnt eat right. but dont do it falsly , if u say that he needs to eat his dinner or he cant play later after everyone is finished tell him to stay there and eat and when he can tell u that he is finished then he can get up and play. i was the same way when i was a little girl my dad made me sit at the table and eat and if i didnt then i had to stay there and then my food would get cold and it encouraged me to eat with the family. im not sure if it will work with your son but now im done first at the dinner table!

Answer 9

Oh yeah, the joys of the terrible 2's. I've always just kept a routine of when to eat. (8am)breakfast, 10am snack, (12noon)lunch, 3pm snack, dinner(6pm), only water after 8pm and then bed time 8:30. If they don't eat during one of these times, they will eat during the next. Kids will eat when they are hungry. Just make sure they are not eating when ever they want to...no junk food all day. Good luck!
Kids love finger food...chicken nuggets, fries, cut up fruit, pb &jelly, graham cracker animals, pizza in small pieces, tortilla with melted cheese cut in 4th, hamburger cut in half or quarters, mac n cheese, spaghetti(a good one is pull your ear to suck up a noodle for fun)...make it fun.

Answer 10

you gotta find a food that he really enjoys, my little brother ALWAYS ate chicken fingers and hotdgos whenever we went out and thats what he wanted at home, although he ate what we were eating, he was very picky about it. just find a cereal he likes, lunch foods, snack foods, dinner, etc. so that he will WANT to sit down and eat it. I have a 2 yr old and he eats pretty regularly and is a little picky but not too bad