Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Jared HARDLY eats anything. He only prefers to snack on crackers, goldfish, etc... and drink milk. I cut him off at a certain time but when it's time for dinner...he doesn't want to eat. He runs away from me.
What is going on?

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

This is my life. It's a PITA. Miranda has never been a great eater and is pretty small so I just figure that's her eating style. She's a grazer. If I get one good meal in her a day I'm happy.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

I know for Logan a lot of him not eating has to do witht the fact that he never wants to stop playing. He will sit for 5 minutes and then wants to get down to go and play. Dinner is never fun for us

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

the past few days Aly is like that too...except not eating her snacks either.

I think she's teething or is concious that her daddy is not here.

If she shows interest in a certain food, that's what I give her.

Lately if I ask what she wants, I get : "cheese"
last night it was "puffs" and "more puffs" and "peas"....
and she ate my rice & beans and her peas, not her chicken & sweet potato fries

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Maya just turned two and suddenly has become a horrible eater. It's very frustrating but totally normal. Just put good food choices out there for him and if he's hungry, he will eat.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Same here, NOah is a fantastic eater at nursery, but at home, will only eat bits of things. I gave him fish sticks the other day, with ketchup on them, and he ate 3 of them...another time, if I give that to him, he won't eat a bite of it.

But he does lots of poos and he is a chubster...so I don't let it get to me.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

DD's diet from the age of 2-3:

breakfast: pop-tart OR trix yogurt and milk.

lunch: m-f, whatever preschool fed her
sat-sun, chicken nuggets and fries (baked in the oven) and milk

dinner: chicken nuggets and fries (baked) OR a mountain of "caterpillars" (tri-color rotini pasta) and milk

snacks: trix yogurt, lemons (peel and all), pistachios, goldfish and grapes (if i got lucky)

the pediatritian said: feed her what she wants, when she wants. when her body starts to need/crave other nutrients, she will ask for other foods. it was true, she didn't literally eat ONLY chicken nuggets, at least 2 days a week she would ask for veggies and fruit specifically. she is the picture of health...so the nuggets didn't kill her.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

yes bryan hardly eats any dinner but requests snacks every 15 minutes. Sometimes I give in some times I hold firm to the no snacks. I just feel like he needs something even if its not a meal just a snack. He is not a small boy so im not worried about him wasting away or anything Its just fustrating cause I know he needs some nutrients.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Nate has his days where he'll eat so well and then others where is barely eats anything. As soon as he gets home from daycare he asks for milk (sometimes a 2nd cup). If he didn't eat much dinner I usually give it to him. He almost never denies PB&J.

I started giving him Ensure for Kids type drink when he refuses to eat a meal. It's a little heavier than milk and he's getting more vitamins. He really likes it.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

DS is only 15 months but his diet consists of fruit, waffles, yogurt,mac and cheese and pizza. He will not eat anything else. He will munch on animal crackers and regular crackers but he is so pickey. If the color or smell is not familiar to him he turns his head. I try not to be concerned because he is nearly 26lbs so he looks healthy and is growing nicely and you would never think he is pickey. I just wish he had a more varied diet.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Have you tried mini rice cakes? Even though they appear to be snacks, they are still good.

Cheese is a big one in my house. The girls love it, also, cold cuts.

My youngest daughter eats anything you put in front of her. My 3 year old is a tough one. She likes what she likes and snubs lots and too is all about snacks. Her nickname is Snacks.

They go through stages.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Every child goes through this stage. It usually happens between the ages of 2 and 3.

They'll eat nothing and only graze. I used to get worried, but if he's hungry, he'll eat. I just let my 2 year old eat what she wants (within reason, she doesn't eat potato chips all day).

They grow out of it, don't worry.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Jacob is a bad eater too.. always has been. No veggies at all, thankfully he does like fruit so i try to give that to him as much as possible. Otherwise its PBJ, mac and cheese, pizza, noodle soup, pizza, pasta with sauce, pizza.. and oh yeah, pizza. I dont stress about it anymore. He is kinda thin, only weighing 22 lbs, but the ped said he gained a pound from his last visit, so he is thriving. Whatever. I am tired of making mealtime a battle, so if he doesnt eat what i give him, he doesnt eat.

I hope he grows out of this, although I am a very picky eater but he wouldnt know that yet. Could it be inherited? Well it is what it is.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Tonight I made Noah spaghetti with meatballs...he ate 1 piece of spaghetti, laughed at me schlurping up the spaghetti, had one piece of meatball after he stuck it inside of a roll of tape, then he ate a big bowl of blueberries and a banana.

So Noah is now on the fruit only diet.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Stef, Bella has days where I don't know how she isn't hungry...
then there are days where I have to stop before she explodes.

Sometimes it's three pieces of cheese and peaches.

then she hates cheese

then she hates peaches

they all have phases...as long as she is staying hydrated, I figure she'll tell me when she is hungry. Plus I was worrying like you alot before her last dr appointment and she gained almost 2 lbs in 2 months...I've stopped worrying so much.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

After the third thing I made her tonight, I gave her a PBJ Waffle... her favorite. ANd she still didn't eat it. I give up.

Re: Is anyone else's toddler not eating right?

Brianna eats Cheerios,pancakes (plain) yo baby yogurt, mac n cheese turkey hot dogs chicken nuggets and pasta!! Thats it oh snacks waffers and animal crackers.... She LOVES fruit at least I have one thing on my side...
My sisters kids will go days without eatinfg and Ped said they will eat when they want.. Dont push it that is how we get overweight children...