https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 02:56:42 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039470 Sun, 25 Jan 2015 12:10:45 +0000 Anagram 2039470@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@shopaholic: taking away snacks is a great idea, same with limiting milk between meals. I dont give a snack or milk at all between breakfast and lunch, so LO is usually really ready food food by lunch time. After her nap, she just gets water and 1 snack (even if she asks for more) until dinner. For a while, I was letting LO have milk plus as much snack as she wanted around 4 pm (she would eat fruit or a pouch, plus cheerios, plus some bread or something) and then she wouldn't eat dinner. Now she only gets water and 1 thing-- either 1 pouch, or one serving of fruit, or one piece of toast. And then she's begging for dinner by 6:15 or so.</p> <p>A typical day for us is the following: </p> <p>6:00 sippy of hemp milk<br /> 7:30 breakfast from home at daycare (eggs and sausage or oatmeal)<br /> water as needed<br /> 11:45- lunch (usually leftover dinner from night before)<br /> Water and milk offered at lunch-- she usually only drinks 2 oz or so.<br /> 3:00 snack and water<br /> 6:30 pm dinner<br /> milk before bed at 7:30 </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039357 Sun, 25 Jan 2015 08:22:27 +0000 jetsa 2039357@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@avivoca: ha what is with these kids! I attempt to be neutral too but all junk kills me lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039249 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 23:27:22 +0000 avivoca 2039249@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@jetsa: She will eat vegetables for daycare. I've been giving her a pouch or yogurt when she refuses a meal or only eats the carby foods. The pouches have veggies in them. She won't eat them if they are straight vegetables, but will if there is some fruit. I'm also working on being neutral about eating. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039217 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 22:24:18 +0000 shopaholic 2039217@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: Feeding K is usually my number one stress each day. She doesn't squirrel away the food - usually just flat out refusal, mouth clamped, head flops, and pushing or throwing the food away. Before, when I could spoon feed, meals could take upwards of 2 hours. I sort of just gradually did what @LML: outlined. I noticed she'd eat better (or at least with less outward refusal and throwing, etc.) if I just left her on her own to eat and acted neutral. If she doesn't eat her food, I'll try to take it away, say "all done?" etc. and she usually will protest and take at least another bite or two. Still, she eats very very slowly. And if I even try to push any food on her, even stuff she likes, she becomes more defiant and feeds off any signs of stress I show. So, like with most things, I just try to ignore it. I have just taken away food even if she doesn't eat and try the "let her be hungry" thing. She's skipped 3-4 meals in a row. Not until I really take away snacks has she improved on eating meals. Even though she's almost 2, I've recently gone back to carrying pouches with me for emergency snacks. If she's skipped meals but actually hungry, she'll down a pouch or two. Not sure if all this helps, but I can relate on how stressful having a terrible eater can be. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039206 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 22:10:57 +0000 jetsa 2039206@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: we do this essentially but give a pouch for some reason being in pouch form must make vegetables better.</p> <p>@avivoca: have you tried puréeing vegetables? This is how daycare gets j to eat veggies. I could never figure it out until she shared that secret. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2039069 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 18:19:14 +0000 looch 2039069@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LML: yep....when there are oral motor issues, it's a totally different bag. </p> <p>But, I do think a lot of it is about control as well. Kids don't control that much, really none if you think about it, so they do flex their muscles and try to see what they can get away with. It's tough to make the call if they're hungry or not...I swear I can not hear my son's stomach grumble! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038801 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 12:27:09 +0000 Anagram 2038801@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: glad I'm not the only one! This morning she took 4 bites of oatmeal and started saying 'All done!', but after I gave her a book to look through and started asking her to point out letters, she finished the whole bowl and had some blueberries (with me feeding the rest of it). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038798 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 12:25:35 +0000 hilsy85 2038798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: we always read a book at the table. That is the only way he stays in his chair long enough to eat a meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038785 Sat, 24 Jan 2015 12:14:06 +0000 Anagram 2038785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: I always spon/fork feed after she stops self feeding. Sometimes I even give her a book or something and then she eats more. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038441 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 23:00:07 +0000 LML 2038441@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My daughter used to be a nightmare about eating, but one thing that worked for us (at the suggestion of her speech therapist) is to stop making it a power struggle. That meant the following:</p> <p>(1) No more begging her to take bites. We are supposed to appear neutral about whether she eats or not.</p> <p>(2) No more scolding her for spitting out food. I just clean it up and make no comment whatsoever. That makes it less "fun" to spit it out.</p> <p>(3) If she doesn't want to eat, I just say, "Oh, are you all done? Ok, all done!" and make a big show of putting her food away. When I do that, she usually changes her tune and requests more food, so I get the plate down and say something like, "Oh, you're not all done? You want more? Ok!" and then give it to her. That usually works to get her to eat at least a few more bites.</p> <p>The idea is just to make a meal into a neutral thing, rather than a power struggle where the parent wants the child to eat and the child can "win" by refusing. When this idea was first proposed to me, I thought it would never work in a million years. But now my daughter (usually) eats great for meals. It used to be a full-on nuclear meltdown at every meal, so that is a big change. She's still reluctant to try new things, but I've found that she will eat more if she has some kind of control. Like if it is in a plastic bowl that she can hold herself and dip the spoon in or whatever. Or little packs of yogurt that she can hold herself. Or something she can dip into a sauce herself. I think the novelty keeps her interested. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038410 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 22:32:27 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2038410@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: I do spoon feed. But most of what he eats is by hand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038409 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 22:31:40 +0000 SeptMomma12 2038409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: I don't know if this is the right way to do it, but I tell him he can't have what he wants (usually hummus or cheese) until he has one bite of whatever "new" thing I've served him. It generally works though it's not often he likes it enough to keep eating beyond that one bite. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038343 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 21:08:38 +0000 Tanjowen 2038343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bluestriped bee: Yep, that's my strategy. That, and the veggie pouches. I at least feel I am getting some vegetables down my carb monster! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038319 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:48:49 +0000 avivoca 2038319@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>H eats tons of carbs and raisins. It's so frustrating because I grew up loving veggies and I can hardly get a vegetable to pass her lips. Tonight I nearly wept with joy when she ate ground beef in pasta sauce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038311 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:44:35 +0000 jaguar 2038311@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We don't have the same squirreling issues, but I CANNOT get vegetables into my kid. She'll eat corn, sweet potato &amp; potato, but won't touch any greens, or carrots, or salad greens. Driving me crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038309 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:40:23 +0000 BSB 2038309@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I was visiting a friend of mine, her toddler wouldn't eat dinner. After we ate, she threw spinach avacado and whatever fruit she has into a blender. Her daughter slerped it down. She said she feels better that her daughter at least ate something. I hope to use this strategy. I think it's a good idea. Maybe I'll add chia seeds and some protein powder. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038295 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:30:12 +0000 pinkb 2038295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD has turned into a terrible eater. At her 2 year check up we were told she was underweight (3rd percentile). We have had a bit of luck with upping her carb intake. It does not help us to feed her, she wont let us. But I would totally do it if it helped! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038282 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 20:18:11 +0000 hilsy85 2038282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For those of you who have a rule that they have to try a food, HOW do you enforce that?? I would love to do that with LO but I can't force the food into his mouth... :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038248 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 19:50:36 +0000 lemondrop 2038248@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We just recently got out of that phase just before he turned 3! We are SO excited about his change in appetite! </p> <p>Lots of positive reinforcement and cheering at the dinner table when he eats new things. We all eat together and he has to try what we are eating. We started offering dessert (usually a piece of chocolate) "If you try this, you'll get this!" And it's gradually getting better. Also talking to our pediatrician, she reminded us to count nutrition for the week, not for the day :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038122 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:58:47 +0000 HabesBabe 2038122@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Char survives on the typical toddler diet: carbs, carbs, and more carbs. She usually likes mini-pancakes, buttered toast, or cereal/oatmeal for breakfast, quesadillas or grilled cheeses for lunch, and mac and cheese or pizza for dinner. Or pho if I'm having it.</p> <p>She likes grapes and strawberries, bananas, avocados, cucumbers, and peas, but only sometimes, and never for more than 2 days in a row.</p> <p>I grew up eating EVERYTHING and didn't have a choice to be picky, so it drives me nuts that she is such a poor eater! and how with baby brother around, she wants us to FEED HER (she's 2 1/2 and had been self-feeding for awhile now) since we spoon feed him. It's a mess, but I'm hoping that she will outgrow it soon.</p> <p>I just need to stick to my guns about not being a short order cook for her, but no luck with that yet... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2038108 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 17:40:50 +0000 sunny 2038108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@2PeasinaPod: @Anagram: @Mrs Green Grass: Do you help your LOs by spoon feeding? Or do you only do independent eating? I really struggle with this since I know LO will eat if I spoon feed her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2037811 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:38:36 +0000 Mrs Green Grass 2037811@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is tiny too so every bite counts. What works best for us is courses. I give a food he likes but won't choose if another good is available first. Often it's broccoli. Sometimes the protein if it's not his fave, like chicken. Then I give him the food he likes best, pasta, toast, etc. Last I do yogurt and/or fruit.</p> <p>He may only take a couple of bites of each, but if it were all on his plate at the same time, he would only eat the food he likes best. (Sometimes he will spit out what's in his mouth so he can eat the new thing.)</p> <p>I always ask him if he wants something else before getting up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2037770 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:23:49 +0000 Anagram 2037770@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, I consider my LO a good eater (compared to her first 11 months of life) now, but she still does the food-squirreling thing and also eats verrrrrry slowwwwlllly and never likes new foods. I have to introduce a food literally a dozen times before she will willingly eat it.</p> <p>But overall, I still think she eats well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2037755 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 14:19:08 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2037755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just wanted to commiserate! My son is a terrible eater. I get one good meal in him a day and I call that a win. He almost never eats dinner, and right before bath, he's asking for a snack. I'm hoping that soon enough he'll learn that he goes to bed hungry if he doesn't eat his dinner!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/toddlers-who-are-terrible-eaters#post-2037701 Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:59:07 +0000 sunny 2037701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you have a toddler who doesn't eat well... how are you dealing with it?</p> <p>My 2.5 yr old LO will eat a few bites on her own, but after that she tends to hold food in her mouth and not swallow it. She does this instead of gripping her mouth closed the way some babies do. We eventually get her to swallow and I spoon feed the rest of her meal, but she repeats this food squirreling in her mouth the entire meal. It is exhausting! She eventually finishes her meals but meal times are so stressful and they take a full hour.</p> <p>One of these days I would love to just take away the rest of her food and send her to bed hungry, but she's such a tiny girl I feel really terrible doing that. Plus I'm not certain it would actually improve anything. Also, she's only 5th percentile in weight so she really doesn't have any chub on her! </p> <p>How do you deal with your toddlers who aren't good eaters? </p>