How do I get a 2 year old to eat more and to eat other things?

Question

Also how long do let him continue eating this poorly?
I have a two year old son who will eat very little unless it is cookies or chips! When good food is placed infront of him, even if it is pizza, hamburgers, fries, etc., he only takes about two bites and leaves the rest. He does however love his milk!!! I am getting fustrated and now even getting mad at him and i don't like it! I would like to understand what is the best course of action and if this is common among children at this age!!!! HELP!!!!

Answer 1

put out grapes, small apples, bananas, chips that are made by gerber that are actually like veggie chips, popcorn, goldfish crackers, etc good food that is portable and can be left out to snack on all day. and leave him alone. He will eat what he likes when hes ready. Also let him see you and the rest of the family eating these things and do not buy any more cookies or chips or juck food if its not there he wont get it.

Answer 2

This is very common among young children. My 5 year old still tries to do that to me. What I have done is offer alternate choices like fruit or I make the food fun. For example, I made my son a plate of food the other day that had chicken nuggets (stacked) and told him that was a mountain, broccoli (standing up right) and told him that was the forest, and mac and cheese which I told him was a cheesy lake. Everytime he took a bite, he would say "Look momma, I ate the tree or I am eating the cheesy lake". And remember that kids will eat when they are hungry so if you only offer good food and he doesn't want to eat, don't force him because when he is hungry enough he will eat it.

Answer 3

Yes, this is normal. A lot of kids this age will only eat certain things.

Honestly, don't offer him cookies and chips. They aren't really good for him and he isn't going to eat the food that will help him grow and be healthy if you are giving him the junk that he prefers. If you have to, don't even buy them.

Also, cut down on the milk. A lot of kids will drink tons of milk but not eat. They are filling up on the milk! Limit his milk intake. Give him a small cup of milk and if he finishes that and wants more, offer him water. Or consider offering only water at meals.

Offer him small portions of everything that you are eating at meals. Don't give a whole lot at once. If you give too much they are overwhelmed and don't know what to eat next or what to do. SMALL portions. Just a couple of teaspoons at once at this age.

Don't worry about him having balanced MEALS at this age. Try more for a balanced WEEK. (This is what our doc told us when my son was around 3 years old.)

How often does he snack? Does he eat healthy snacks?

Don't get angry with him and don't make this into a power struggle. You are in charge of what you offer him and he is in charge of what/how much he chooses to eat. If you don't offer the cookies and chips, he can't eat them and he will have to eat something else!

Answer 4

Don't get cookies or chips. Buy the good foods like cheese (all kinds), fruits (all different kinds). Put the foods in front of him. Don't give in to his crying and complaining. I hate to say this but eventually he will get hungry enough to eat more than two bites of the good stuff. He will eat the foods you want him to eat, but you have to stop buying the ones you don't want him to eat. I recently bought a whole bunch of fruit and cut it up and put it into containers and my girls have been asking for that. I also make them no bake cookies which has peanut butter and oatmeal in it (2 1/2 cups oatmeal). They don't eat much of these cookies, but what they do eat of it gives them some fiber and protein. Cheat, find recipes for things that are healthy but look naughty. But keep putting the good foods in front of him and don't give in. When he doesn't eat a meal don't give him a snack in the middle of the day, it will just make him not want to eat dinner. Once he starts eating regularly, you can enter other foods into snack times - fruits and veggies. Eventually you will have a child that eats healthy. But it takes time and perserverence.

Answer 5

That's why they call it the Terrible Twos. Two-year-olds are at the age where they test you on everything.

If you force a kid to eat, you'll end up with an obese kid. Same if what you're offering him is pizza, fries etc. Establish specific mealtimes and offer wholesome food to everyone, including him. If he chooses not to eat, don't worry; no 2-y-o ever starved himself. Just don't offer him ANY alternatives to healthy food. NO cookies, chips etc. If you do, you are undermining his health, and more importantly, you have caved - and proved to your child that he can get whatever he wants if he just holds out or nags long enough. Be firm. You're the parent!

Believe me, when he gets hungry enough, he will eat what you offer!

Answer 6

Who taught him to eat cookies and chips? Pizza, burgers and fries aren't "good food". Since you are getting frustrated I suggest you consult your peditrician on a course of action because you have already taught your child some really bad eating habits and now you're wanting to unteach him what you've taught. The only other thing I can suggest is to stop purchasing cookies and chips, stop bringing them into the home.

Answer 7

You have kind of answered your own question! He loves his milk. Cut down on the milk and offer him other things. Kids at two are usually grazing more than eating meals. They are just discovering tastes for foods of a variety. They are also discovering likes and dislikes. Variety is the key and it will take some time. Don't expect things to change overnight...be patient. Avoid power struggles. If you are angry about food with a two year old you could influence his whole eating habits for life.

Answer 8

do not give any cookies or chips put our fruit and whole wheat crackers make peanut butter and honey sanwhiches and cut them into shapes whith a cookie cutter cheese can be done the same way

he will eat the healthy food of that is what is offered

also keep in mind your little ones tummy is as big as his fist so a couple bites maybe all he needs

another thing to remmember is that he will get hungry more often so give him snakes in between

Answer 9

My daughter only liked corn on the cob when she was that age until she went to daycare twice a week. She saw other babies eating! She decided it was okay to eat other stuff and even if it meant I had a little competitor on my hands, that was fine. So, maybe figure a way to have him observing other little ones eating well. Worked for me. Also, put cereal or Ensure with liquid vitamins into his milk. Job well done.

Answer 10

first of all he's filling up on milk. Allow one cup a day. Secondly, I myself have had to quite buying "junk" food all together. If my daughter knows it's in the house, that's all she'll want and refuse anything else. Thirdly, tell him that's what we're having for dinner, eat it or go hungry. A few meals like that and he'll be chowing down. Trust me, it won't kill him. Works for my daughter.

Edited: Please remember too he has a little tummy. Make him appropriate sized plates not grown men sized. And don't expect or make him eat all of it. That's just setting him up for a lifetime of weight problems.