My 17 month old doesn't want to eat meals but snacks. I made her lunch and she spit it at me, but will eat

Question

fruits. She is a snacker. Is this normal? What can I do?

Answer 1

as a father of 4 i had the same problem, with food, it got me down a lot but i got some great advice from my doctor.sound a bit strange but it works.

he said that kids will play at playing you, best advice is take the snacks away, they will give you grief for a while but eventually they will give in. don't shout at her just keep placing the food at the table. if its not eaten within a given time then take it away.

at 17 month three meals a day is fine and wont hurt, try him/her with a wide variety of tastes and try to make it exiting, if the child does spit it out it may be that he/she actually doesnt like it, but dont get sucked in to making lots of differant meals and keep away from repeating or giving the same stuff over and over as they will quickly become bored of it and stop eating it.

remember don't give in your the boss.

eventually the child will get hungry and eat, its natural and instinct kicks in and the child will eat.

it was the same with our 5 month old who refused to accept a change of baby formula, just keep at it.

it sounds cruel but its not.

my children now sit at the table and clear their plates every meal time, they dont snack and i only allow them a biscuit or crisps if they have been good, so its seen as a treat and not a snack.

they also dont eat sweets, they havent a clue what they are and if someone gives them sweets then i dont say a word i just reach down and replace them with a small box of raisens or something of that nature.

try it it works, and because they have a balanced diet they are more well behaved have greater attention spans and look great.

i know ime a bloke but i promise you it will work

good luck

Answer 2

Eating 5-6 times a day is very healthy. Everyone should eat like that. Children do great on snack size meals 6x each day. They are burning off their food so fast they need some more every few hours. The major times like breakfast, lunch and dinner should be sitting at the table with you, but why not give her a treat outside, or watching a show. The spiting would be unacceptable to me, and she would go into time out each and every time. You are the boss, you can stop that. Im sure you dont want her to be doing this when she is older. Stay strong, being a mom is not very easy. Good luck

Answer 3

Apples are great for teething, especially if she doesn't choke easily. Or put them in a fresh fruit feeder. My daughter (just a little older) loves grapes, oranges, and watermelon. Cereal is always a good choice for snacks or breakfast. Dry cheerios have made for many a quiet car ride in our family. A 17 month old won't be too good with sandwiches unless you cut them into like 8 pieces. Pasta is a good choice for lunches. Mac and cheese, spaghetti, etc. If you want something healthier, there are Birdseye Chef's Favorite pasta dishes with vegetables. They're meant as side dishes, but my daughter and I often share one for lunch.

Answer 4

VERY normal. Toddlers would snack all day long, if left to theri own devices.

I'd try this: Rather than 3 big meals, like grownups, have several small ones. Still have her sit for them-keep the meal routines up.

Say at breakfdast she has a banana and watered down juice.

At 10, a cereal bar and some chopped apple and her milk.

At noon: turkey, cheese, and some Pirate's Booty. Juice.

At 2, a thing of YoBaby

At 3, some soft carrots and peas. Milk

At "dinner" some of what every else is having. Milk

Best of luck!
DN

Answer 5

You will only continue the cycle if you let her fill up at snack times but not at meals. It sounds to me like she is getting too much at snack time and then is not hungry at meal time (children only eat when they are hungry at this age, they don't eat just because it tastes good or because it is "time" to eat). Try cutting her snacks out entirely for a few days, maybe even a week. DO NOT make her whatever she wants for meals because then you will just start a new issue. Make the same meal for her that you are having (cut up and smaller portions of course) and serve it at mealtime. Sit and eat with her. Tell her "no, do not spit", etc., firmly but do not yell or react loudly as this will just egg her on. Once the snacks are eliminated, she will be hungry at the appropriate times and is more likely to eat what you offer. Picky children are created by their parents 99% of the time, so again, DO NOT start serving her mac & cheese every day because that's all she will eat. Offer a well-balanced meal, one with fruit, veggies, meat and a grain as well as milk. A typical meal could be, for example, a few slices of peaches cut into chunks, a few green beans cut into chunks and pieces of meat, cheese and bread. For yourself, have peaches, green beans, and a ham & cheese sandwich. Her seeing you eating the same things will also be encouraging. Be firm, if there are problems with food this early, imagine when she's 13! Don't force her to eat but do not allow her to snack between meals. Kids eat when they are hungry. When she appears to be back on schedule with mealtimes, consider adding just a small snack after a nap (just ONE SNACK per day). A handful of cheerios or a small piece of fruit is plenty.

Answer 6

My daughter (18 mos) has turned into a little grazer as well, and that is fine, they are at a point in thre growth where they are slowing down.

Grazing is only bad if they are grazing on bad or empty calories.

As long as its 6 small meals - fruit and toast in mornings, maybe yogurt and cheese in the afternoon, veggies and chicken in the evenings she will get a bit of everything she needs all day long and be fueled for her activities. Remeber kids do not neccessarily have to get all food groups in - in one day - there diets should be analyzed over the course of a week (cause toddlers are such picky eaters with such tiny tummies)

As long as you are offering her healthy choices and something gets in her tummy I wouldn't worry too much - make sure you offer her new foods as well as her favorites so she has a chance to get use to new food and maybe they will become favorites too.

Good luck

Answer 7

the above are all good. But i would stop the snack's 1-1 1/2 hrs before meal's. being they burn energy so fast. This will help at meal times.

Answer 8

Some kids (adults, too) are grazers - they eat small meals throughout the day vs. three full meals. Just make sure she's eating healthy and she'll be fine!

Answer 9

Yeah, what kind of meals are you making??? They are not big enough to be that hungry!! Feed her fruits and vegetables. That is what she wants and a good healthy way to eat.

Answer 10

Also try the Gerber's Graduates lil' entrees. They are really good for them and mine loves almost all the kinds. The one with mashed potatoes are the best. You can even mix in the veggie with the potatoes. That what I do with my little one.

Good luck to you!