How do you deal with your 2 year old picky eater?

Marychaille · January 2009

Ok, so I'm watching Super Nanny and it has me thinking about my 2.5 year olds eating habits. We totally cater to him every night. He refuses anything green except celery (which he dips in ranch, chews on, and spits the majority back out) and cucumber. His meals consist of:

Breakfast: pancakes or crambled eggs and toast

Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich (he won't eat jelly) or chicken nuggets and cucumbers

Dinner: pasta, hot dogs (sometimes), chicken nuggets, etc.

I offer him what we are eating and he has a melt down. The pedi said if he doesn't want to eat what we are eating, then he goes to bed hungry. She said it won't last more than a couple days and he'll learn that what we are eating is all he will get. I tried that, it lasted 1 dinner time, and I gave in before his bed time with a snack! How do you deal with this? PLEASE! Any advice would be great! He won't eat any fruit, not even applesauce. He did great with baby food though. As soon as he was on table food, it went downhill quickly!

#6 · January 2009

If you dont stop this now it will only get worse and he wont try new foods as an adult either.

My sister is still a picky eater at 28yr old because my mom did what you are doing. She would make 4 different things for dinner. One thing she had planned to make and then 3 other things if we wanted.

I make dinner...they have to try at least 1 bite of everything before they can get up. If not then they just go hungry. I put their plate in the fridge and when they later say they are hungry I pull their plate out and warm it up. That is what I offer when they want something after dinner. (if they didnt eat) If they try it and really dont like it I dont make them eat it. if they are just saying that to not have to eat then they get nothing. I refuse to be a short order cook. Tonight I worked very hard on dinner and if they dont eat that is it. Im not cooking a second dinner.

He will not starve. He has learned that he doesnt have to eat what you fix. If he doesnt he knows you will fix him something he does like. Give it a few more tries. It can be really hard when the "im hungry" and "my belly needs to eat" comments start. But stay strong. Offer him his plate from dinner again. No one is saying starve your child...just dont be a short order cook. If he doesnt want dinner dont force him to eat it. But later when he is hungry dont make him something new then either. (It will only teach him to wait until after dinner to "be hungry") He will catch on that he is only being offered what you cook for dinner...even after dinner.

Good Luck.

DandelionMom · January 2009

We don't do food battles at our house. ?I make sure there is something each kid will like and then that's what I offer. ?They can choose what they want and how much they want. ?No pressure, no stress. ?Eventually they try things on their own and I do my best to be nonchalant about their food choices.

Even with the extreme food issues (allergies and celiac disease) my girls have grown out of this picky phase without battles or going to bed hungry. ?

bls27 · January 2009

I'll meet my DD in the middle. It's hard because my DH works second shift so I only really cook for us as a family a few times a week so I find myself catering to her more than I would like. But, on the nights that we do eat as a family, I will make her a combo plate. I will put a few things on there that she hasn't had before but make sure there is at least one thing that she eat. The other day I put on her plate pork and stuffing (that I knew she wouldn't eat- and she didn't) but I also made sure she had some mixed veggies on there that she likes. That way I am introducing new foods but still making sure she eats. In your case, I would definitely try to sneak some veggies and fruit back in his diet. Maybe try buying Deceptively Delicious or The Sneaky Chef?

Halo79RN · January 2009

I cook one dinner every night and it's not chicken nuggets every night. I try to make sure there's one thing that dd definitely will eat... piece of fruit or veggie or salad (she LOVES salads). then if she doesn't eat, she doesn't eat. she has to try everything on her plate (not eat it all) in order to get a treat after (not offered every night... but if she asks after leaving the table, if she didn't at least try everything, nope.. if she actually eats most everything, I do offer). Breakfast is her "main meal" of the day. she's probably starving by that point. lol. so I do cook breakfast most mornings... eggs bacon pancakes sausage biscuits and gravy, etc. Lunch is more catered to their likes b/c I don't eat a ton at lunch. dd likes soup and grilled cheese and PB&J, peas...

the thing is.. if he doesn't eat the dinner you've fixed... you cannot give in and give him a treat later. then he knows he can run all over you.. skip the peas, momma will give me cheerios later. no no no. gotta get tough now.

good luck

Marychaille · January 2009

Thanks girls! I just needed some extra encouragment! My husband and I usually eat balanced meals (meat, veggie, starch) so he see us eating that way. I just have to buckle down on him. This is dinner, eat it or not.

Want a personalized experience?

How do you deal with your 2 year old picky eater?

Re: How do you deal with your 2 year old picky eater?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards