How do I get my 2yr old to eat better? He's a very picky eater.?

Question

I'm concerned about him getting the proper vitamins and mineral. He eats the same foods and it's very hard to get him to try anything new. He's getting taller but he not getting bigger. Do you have any tricks that have worked for you?

Answer 1

I have three children and they all have very different taste. I don't give them a option the will have to eat some fruits and veggie. Not like I'm giving them Brussels sprouts. To make sure he is getting proper nutrition use whole grain breads, cereal, and noodles. also if he love a certain fruit of veggie just always keep it in the house. My oldest didn't learn all the right eating habits from a young age. maybe cause I was young and was not aware of the importance. I had to do a lot of diet reshaping on her. Water down juices. make them drink ice water add lemon and add some natural sweetener to make it taste better. These are just some things that I have done. We can't be perfect as parents but ever little bit helps.
I hope you have many happy and healthy years!!!!
Shantelle

Answer 2

This is just a thought...but is there anything going on at home that could put your doggie under stress? My brother has a boston, and she reacts SO strongly to what's going on with the humans around her. It could be that she's reacting to the external forces around her. Make sure you keep her in a safe and loving environment (which is sounds like you do) and stick with ONE brand of food. You might think you're doing her a service by trying out different foods, but chances are you're just confusing her even more. Science Diet is a great brand, nice and healthy. That's what I would stick with. Keep doing what you're doing, leaving her food out for 20 minutes. If you're really serious, keep a log about how much she's eating and when. Do this for a while, and if she's not improving, take her and the journal to a vet to see if it could be something physical going on with her. Good luck!

Answer 3

If he is not underweight. Don't worry about it. Its' typical and you will get a million different answers from here and from doctors.

Do what works for you. As long as he's not underweight or loosing weight, you have a healthy two-year old. Just give him what he will eat.

Wwe've been battling this since teething - about 16 months old to now - and even still - my son is 2 1/2, very thin, but tall. We opted for the Ensure shakes (they have Pediasure, but we just get the Ensures and the generics) and he gets one or two a day. Now that he eats more than he used to, we give him Ovaltine in his milk instead of the shakes - my 17 mo old is now doing the same, so she is drinking the shakes.

I tried EVERYTHING and nothing worked for long. My boy eats what he wants and that's it. Now I can work with him a bit more because he's older and understands he will sit at that table until he takes a few bites. But sometimes, I cannot get him to eat more.

That's just how it is.

Answer 4

I know you may be concerned about him but they usually grow out of picky habits, and i have found that no matter how you disguise certain foods they always eat around them anyway, as for the vitamins it depends what type of foods he is eating, i heard a story of a child who would only eat beans on toast, the doctor said that's a good food there are worse things that he could of chosen to eat. But if you do want to disguise food how about making it into a puree and mixing with other food types.

Answer 5

I wouldn't be too concerned. My son is 2 and some days it is a miracle if he will even eat dinner. Just try giving him some vitamins. I give my son the liquid kind and I just slip them in his juice. Also, they won't grow as fast as they did at this age so don't keep that in mind. My son is also getting taller but not bigger. I think kids that age are just picky and like everything else they will grow out of it.

Answer 6

First off, make sure he's eating healthyis food- pbj, fruitsveggies etc. Cut out or cut way back on the sugary food. I was a very picky eater too. try some of those entrees for toddlersyou can find them with the baby food usualy. by the graduates.

Answer 7

Let him eat what he wants to eat. Believe it or not, he only needs about a teaspoon of food a day to survive. I'm sure, no matter how limited his diet is, that he's getting enough food.

Even doctors recommend letting kids eat what they want to eat. If all he wants is chicken nuggets for 5 days straight, let him have them. He knows what he needs and when he needs it. Forcing him to try new foods will only make this problem worse.

Keep introducing new foods a little at a time. Eventually he'll branch out on his food preferences.

ETA:

Don't reward eating either. This can cause him to eat to YOUR liking instead of HIS liking. He might start to think that he has to eat until you praise him, which means he might be under-eating or over-eating depending on when you give him the praise.

Answer 8

Between the age of 2 & 3 my son grew about 4 inches, but did not put on any pounds, doc said that was fine. If he's got his heart set on certain foods, find healthier ways to prepare them--peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread instead of white, all white meat chicken nuggets that are baked not fried, an apple dipped in low-fat caramel dip.

Answer 9

Give him a treat (but not candy or sweet food - that's probably what spoiled his appetite in the first place) such as a sticker when he takes one bite of something new and remember to brag on him all day about how he got this sticker on his shirt for trying a different food.

Answer 10

My 2 year ol is the same way so i got a recipe book with fun ideas for kids like a octopus hot dog and other things like that, another thing you can try is Nurtra Pals they are ful of nurtrents and other healthy things for kids. They are found with the other baby foods but they are for toddlers.He loves them!!