How can I get my 2 year old to eat healthy food?

Question

My son only wants milk bottles, bread, cereal, rice, yogurt, or sweets(chips, cookies, candy). He won't eat ANY fruits, vegetables, or meats. When he was an infant, he ate all of those jarred foods- every single flavor. Now I plead with and beg him to eat with no results. I have tried so many things- really creative things. Nada.
I am really upset.
He isn't even taking formula anymore- just regular milk.
I mean, you'd think he was a cow! All he wants is milk and grains....
not even juice.
HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

he's drinking milk because it fills him up.
give him water with meals.
he's eating snacks instead of healthy foods because you are letting him have them

with my 3yr old, i was making a separate meal for him and for us. he wouldn't eat the dinners i made for the family, until i realized that i would say "try it & if you don't like it, i'll make you some nuggets" MY BAD!

now, i serve dinner and say "this is dinner, if you don't want it, don't eat it. but there is nothing else tonight" in my mind i will give him a cup of milk before bed if he hasn't eaten anything, but i don't make him other foods.. or give him snacks. he takes a while, and he resists every night, but he does eat his dinner. the first bite is the hardest

Answer 2

A two-year-old should NOT be on formula. Regular milk is exactly what he should be having. There's also nothing wrong with some of the other foods he's eating. Cereal and bread are usually vitamin-fortified, and yogurt is an excellent source of protein and calcium. The only things that are really a problem are the sweets and chips. Just don't give them to him. Most toddlers go through a stage of just eating "white" foods, like your son. Just keep offering him fruits and veggies, and encouraging him to take a bite. Eventually he'll develop a taste for them. And in the meantime, be sure he's getting a multivitamin every day.

Answer 3

There is a good book that has receipes for toddler snacks that have grains but hides the veggies inside.
Do not give him any more sweets, even if he gets mad. If he won't eat then let him be hungry for a while and he might change his mind. Also, dilute the fruit juice you give him.

Answer 4

First start by not buying the junk.

Next try by getting the more appealing fruits, like berries, pinapple, etc.

Also if he'll eat something like oatmeal, mix stuff in to get him to start developing tastes for it, without him knowing. Dried fruits, low sugar pb, etc. Its much easier to develop a taste for junk, so you have to be sneakier on the healthy stuff.

Also watch the sugar in cereal and the high fructose corn syrup in the yogurt, that can be just as bad as junk food.

You can also substitute things like whole wheat flour and flax seed in banana bread to make it healthier - then you get your fruits in too!

Answer 5

Make the food fun. You can get a kid to do almost everything if it is fun. also give him what he likes and hide fruit and veggies in small little chunks inside it. Thats how I got my daughter to eat. After I told her what was in it and she loved it.

Answer 6

Maybe it is time to get really strict....only put good foods his plate for a while... he wont starve himself....he'll have to eat... you are the parent... don't give in!! and you shouldn't have to beg your own child! put your foot down!!!
or how about telling him certain things that are healthy are treats! maybe try freezing juice into pops or frozen fruit is fun too...

Answer 7

you tell him no playing until he eats and set him at the table in front of his food until he is done......if you dont get a handle on him now then you never will.....c'mon you are the parent not him.....you have to make them listen they dont just do it....if they know that they are going to get away with something then they will certainly try to