How do you get a toddler to eat?

Question

My son is almost 15 months old and since his teeth are coming in rather quickly, he has been refusing to eat anything else other than bananas, cereal, yogurt or crackers. He will have one good night a week where he will eat somehting like chicken tenders or fish sticks, or PB and J. Then all the sudden the next day he wont eat anything. I am sooo frustrated bc I feel he isnt getting enough proteins. Please help.

Answer 1

Toddlers do that, all of them. I have 20 month old twins, and sometimes it seems like they eat NOTHING all day. Then another day, they'll eat just fine. I babysit a 28 month old, and she does the same thing. They eat when they're hungry. The only thing I can tell you is to make sure what he DOES eat is healthy.

You shouldn't try to force him to eat though. He knows what his body needs.

Answer 2

When he's hungry he'll eat, and dont worry he is getting enough to eat. That happens when babies teeth. However if he won't eat a lot, try to stick with the yogurt. YoBaby makes some with fruit and cereal in it, my daughter loves it, and 1 yogurt has 25% of the daily portein needed. So it's a much better choice if he won't eat a lot.

Answer 3

Oh, I experience the same thing with my 18 month old. Whenever we go to the doctor, I ask. My doctor told me that kids do it the right way; adults do it wrong. Kids eat when and if they are hungry, while adults eat when it is time, regardless of being hungry. She also told me that as long as she is growing and gaining weight, there isn't an issue.

What we have found to work for us:
-a plate of cut up fruit set out where she can get to it when she is hungry.
-whatever works, keep going. Sometimes, a hot dog is the thing she would like for breakfast. We give it to her.
-combinations. With that yogurt, mix in some fruit or cereal. With the fruit, try cottage cheese. With crackers, offer some hot dog cut up or some cheese.
-lots of milk, and chocolate milk at times. It offers extra calories, and it will give them something in the form of nutrients.

Basically, whatevere is the trend, continue it. Maybe if he likes peanutbutter and jelly, give him some on a slice of toast or english muffin. Eggs are also a wonderful thing in the way of protein, and when scrambled, it is soft and easy to eat with fingers or utensils. The taste might also be a winner. And maybe some oatmeal. We always have instant oatmeal in the packets on hand. Her favorite flavor is apple cinnamon, but brown sugar is a popular one as well.

Just hang in there. He isn't going to starve himself to death. It is against human nature, and kids are not understanding enough to go against it. He will eat when he is hungry. Just continue to offer him lots of different foods, and offer some of the favorites as well. Maybe with those crackers, offer some hot dog. Mix it up. He will be fine.

Good luck!!

Answer 4

As a parent your job is the what, your kids are responsible for the how much and when. And you should not try to force this issue.

Also I want to add that using fake foods such as pediasure and to a degree vitamins is NOT a good answer. Our bodies are very good at telling us what we need and there is more to meat than the protein and iron. And there is more to bananas than potassium, but if you have a lot of vitamins in your diet from unnatural sources you may not eat as much or the right balance of foods and you will miss out on vital phytonutrients and trace minerals, fiber, etc that meal replacements and vitamins don't have.

Also your son is probably still drinking a tonne of milk/formula/or breastmilk. Milk is full of protein:

http://parenting.ivillage.com/baby/bnutrition/0,,3w6l,00.html
A toddler needs about 16 grams of protein a day. Two cups of milk plus an ounce of meat or equivalent will provide her with adequate protein.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0816/is_n4_v16/ai_18094513
Drinking two 8 ounce glasses a day gives average two year olds all the protein they need. Since yogurt is made from milk, it provides an equal amount of protein. This is not true of all foods made from milk (such as ice cream), so it is best to check the nutrition label.

Parents who want to know exactly how much protein their child needs can review the recommendations of The National Academy of Sciences. These apply to most children.

The following foods provide 8 grams of protein:

8 oz. of milk or yogurt, 1 oz. of cheese 1 oz. chicken, beef or fish, 1/2 cup red beans, 2 tablespoons peanut butter.

Many concerned parents find that when they compare their child's daily protein intake with the recommended amounts, they discover their children are taking in enough of this valuable nutrient. Those that find a problem are vise to double check figures before changing their cooking or eating style. Math mistakes are more common than protein deficiencies!


http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Pre-Sma/Preschoolers-and-Toddlers-Diet-of.html
Age (years) . . . . Grams of protein
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Daily . . . . .Per Kg of Body Weight
1–3 . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . .1.2

Answer 5

At this age, about the only thing they will eat, is something they can carry in their hands and move with. Please don't worry, this is common for most children this age. Believe it or not, they will eat when they get hungry. The best thing that you can do is provide nutritious foods that he can carry with him. You might also give him Pediasure drinks in his sippy cup to carry around. These drinks have a lot of vitamins and minerals in them. Also give him fruits and vegetables that are small (nothing he can get chocked on) and put them in a bowl where he plays. He will probably come and get a piece every time he sees it. If it is any consolation, he will outgrow this stage. Believe me! I have raised three boys that are now grown men. All three are over 6 foot tall and weigh close to 200 lbs.

Answer 6

Relax he will be fine. Teeth coming in are like a toothache to you. Yogurt has protein and he eats cereals and bananas too. His food choices are giving him a nice balance so relax on that point He will not starve himself. Give him what he wants to eat, he has chosen himself a nice soft diet for his poor sore gums. Help him out

Answer 7

Toddlers can be very picky. I am a grandma and talk to other grandmas and have heard stories of children who wouldn't eat for a WEEK! Anyway yogurt and peanut butter have lots of protein. My daughter lived on cheese and zucchini until she was a teenager. Now she's dealing with her own fussy eaters. Most Dr's say "they'll eat when they're hungry"--good luck. Jen

Answer 8

I have a 17 month old and the trick to knowing whether you are giving him a well balanced meal is to think of the rainbow and try to incorporate the color of the rainbow in his diet everyday. Like banana (yellow) carrots (orange) peas (green) ect. You are not going to get through the whole rainbow everyday but at least try. As far as protein goes if he is not getting enough meat in his diet try substituting meat with giving him baby vitamins. This way you dont get too worried when he chooses not to eat at all. They have a fluid form that you can put a few drops in his sippie cup with his juice and he wont even taste it. Works for me. It gets better. Dont give up. Good luck !!!

Answer 9

You don't! The important thing is to look at the entire month of your toddler's dietary history. The balance will be more apparent. Don't stress too hard, he'll grow out of it. Kids go through those phases. The only rule we have in our house is that you try everything once with an open mind (every time we have it). If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it. But you do at least have to try it.

Answer 10

It could be the digestion.....kids before two shouldn't have ANYTHING nut based to include peanut butter. Have you had your child checked for allergies? This could be the reason that he doesn't want to eat.

How's his bowel movements? Wit that much yogurt and bananas, you'd think that he would be pent up! Try offering scrambled eggs, mushy rice krispies, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, diced carrots.....heck there's even Gerber Graduates meals for toddlers if you don't want to cut up foods into bite size peices. Your child needs more variety!