My 2 yr old only eats 5 things, no fruit,veg. She just refuses everything. Whats up???

Question

She will only eat toast with marmite, cheese, crackers, yogurt, MILK (lots and lots!) and of course anything like cake/biscuits (though not a fan of chocolate or sweets). I feel like we have read every book going and try and tempt her with everything, but she is so stubborn. It seems like the more stressed out a person gets around her food (i.e her Grandma really frets over it, and there she eats NOTHING) the less she eats.

Will this go on forever? I honestly have tried to offer her all the stuff like little pretty sandwiches, fancy meals, plan old fruit and veg - but she just drops it on the floor with a look of disgust on her face or tries to make me eat it!

Answer 1

Pay no attention to those above who want you think your TWO-YEAR-OLD is "bossing your around"! What rot! They don't have some vast, nefarious plan at that age! LOL They're just trying to tell you that they don't like certain things! Not all kids like or ever eat many vegetables! My kid was VERY picky about food and still is...he's now 16 and is 6'4" tall!

Texture IS important to some kids. He hated any foods that were slippery (fruit), cold (icecream), rubbery (jello, pudding) or any veg's at all. He only liked bread, pasta, spaghetti sauce and various meats.

My advice: DON'T do what I did! I made a big deal out of it and it backfired... even when he was hungry! The more worked up you get, the more she'll resist, if she's stubborn by nature. Just go with the flow. Continue to offer a wide variety of foods, but don't push it! I never made a big deal out of bedtime and my kid started putting HIMSELF to bed by age 2!

Inuit kids ("Eskimos") used to grow up w/almost NO greens and they somehow survived!

Answer 2

Oh I recognise this scenario! At least yours is eating some stuff that is good for her. Try dipping your finger in a bit of food and eating it, make a big deal about how good it tastes. Make sure she's watching. If she shows some serious interest, put some on her tongue. If she swallows it, praise her.

There's nothing wrong with marmite on toast, cheese, yoghurt and milk. You have some good ingredients to start with. Perhaps you could try mixing up the ingredients a bit- maybe offer her a little bit of bread and milk, or put a bit of cheese on her toast instead of marmite. Try putting marmite on her cheese. If she at least tries it, give her lots of praise, let her know how pleased you are. Tell grandma to stop fretting. If you are concerned about your daughters eating habits take her to a doctor and have her weighed. The main concern is nutrition- is she getting all her vitamins & minerals in the food that she is choosing to eat? Speak to your doctor about it. If your doctor feels that your daughter isn't getting the proper nutrients from her food he will be able to advise- Do not be tempted to start giving your child vitamin suppliments without consulting a doctor first.

Answer 3

My friends 2 sons are the exact same but they eat nothing healthy at all ! Their mum is beside herself , but at least your little irls eating cheese ,, yogurt and u can`t complain about the marmite its high in vitamin b6 ! Its true what u say about the more stressing the less she eats , she can pick up on your vibes and little madam is playing you , you maybe just have to relax , i think if you could get fruit juice into her for vit c along with what she likes already she`s getting enough nutrients .I would stop buying cakes and biscuits etc , does she not even like grapes , lots of kids love grapes . Seriously try and chill i think she will grow out of this as she gets older i think its a common concern for parents with small children .

Answer 4

My 2 yr old only eats fish fingers with beans, scrambled egg on toast & occasionally spag bol. I have asked my health visitor about this but she doesn't seem too concerned, she even said her son would only eat a variety of 5 things for a year between 1 & 2. My guess is though that if she's hungry she'll eat, her grandma isn't helping matters by getting worked up!

As long as your daughter eats something who cares if it's the same thing over & over again for months? At least she's eating, soon she will want to start tasting what you have, she'll let you know when she's ready for the good food!

good luck

Answer 5

Oh this is so challenging with 2 yr olds. I went through it with one of mine too. I had to use a vitamin supplement. Also, try not to do the biscuits or sweets. She is getting a ton of carbs and not much else. So along with the vitamin supplement, restrict her cheese and crackers etc. She will eventually eat what you give her if you wait it out and get a bit creative. But by giving in and filling with empty carbs she won't. I know how hard this is. Some things I also did was make some homeade apple sauce, oatmeal that I added fruit too, I blended and "hid" veggies in the mashed potatoes or pasta. It was craziness. But she will come through and while she may not ever be a huge fan of fruits and veggies, she'll be older and easier to reason with. Good luck!

Answer 6

First off, she's 2. It's normal. BUT...I think you're giving her too much milk *MILK (lots and lots!) * . Try this. Don't give her anything but water with her food. No juice, no milk, nothing. Tell her that if she wants milk or whatever, she needs to finish her food. When my son was around that age, his doctor told me that a lot of times kids will drink milk with their food, get filled up with the milk and not eat and in more extreme cases wind up with vitimin defincies *sp?*

She won't starve to death, but make sure you're firm about not giving her milk or juice until she finishs her food. She'll balk for a bit, but she will eventually eat. To this day, I don't give my son milk with his food because he still drinks the milk and won't finish his meal *he's 5 now*. And maybe put a plastic sheet under her chair so when she throws it on the floor, you can just pick it up and put it back on her plate. The important thing is to realize she's testing limits and if she learns NOW she can manupliate you...you're gonna have a hard time when she gets older.

Answer 7

lol hon, here's a sneaky way to get her to eat.

Assuming you are the one sitting next to her at dinner:

Put the food you want her to eat on your plate and give her the normal stuff she will eat (which, btw, isn't all that bad lol). When she sits down next to you, put one hand over your plate protectingly and tell her "I forgot the butter, I'll be right back. DO NOT eat off my plate, this is MY food." Then get up and walk away. Chances are, she'll eat your food while you are gone lol.

Also, are you aware that you have to serve each and every single thing 18 times before she'll try it? Yes, it's true! You have to waste 18 servings before she'll eat it. So if the above doesn't work, just put a dollop of whatever you want her to eat on her plate and don't say a word. If she's hungry enough, she'll eat it.

Oh, one more thing: stop fretting about it!!! Remember, if she eats a piece of stale candy from under the couch it counts as nutrition!

Answer 8

I recently made a rule at my house that my 2 year old had to eat her food before getting her juice/milk at each meal. She was always filling her tummy with liquids. I would suggest trying this with your daughter, since she is such a big milk drinker. Put her meal, including a very small amount to start with of fruit or veggie in front of her, and let her know she can have her milk when she's done. She will test you and it will take a few days, but I bet she will get over this food-power-trip she's on soon. Mine did. NOw she knows not to even ask for her juice or milk till she's done with her little meal ( I don't stress her out by giving her tons, just one pancake or a small helping of rice and brocolli, whatever the rest of us are having). When she's done she announces, "Mommy, I ate all my __________, now can I have my milk?"

Answer 9

when I was the same age i refused to eat anything but chocolate. My mum went to see the doctor and he said that it was perfectly normal and in an inadvertant way I was getting dairy which was fine and that I would soon get sick of it. I did, I was always a fussy eater, never ate vegetable but my parents never forced me. You don't want your child to associate food with the two of you arguing, this could cause all sorts of food related issues. I was 30 before I started eating peas, slowly but surely as I get older I am becoming more adventurous. PS I have always been healty and very rarely suffer from colds.

Answer 10

Your daughter is using food to control you. Lots of children do this. What you need to do is keep putting healthy foods on her plate. Let her go hungry if she refuses her meals. No snacks. No foods that she will eat. When she's hungry, she will eat. It's human instinct and hunger will take over eventually. This may take a couple of days, but stick with it. If you don't do this now, she'll start to take control of other situations in her life, remember that you're the adult and you have to be in control. You really need to stick with it though, don't give in, that's how she's winning at the moment, and you need to make sure everyone else involved in her care (childminders, grandparents, etc) support you in this too. Everyone needs to know what your plan is and stick to it, no giving in, no treats, no snacks, just her meals and if she doesn't eat them, off to bed on an empty stomach. I've been through this with my daughter and stuck to it and 'won', my friend's been through it too and gave in and now has lots of problems with her child. It'll be a rough few days, but well worth the effort. Good luck, you're going to need it.