https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 06 May 2026 09:08:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899620 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 17:18:50 +0000 Kimberlybee 1899620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are doing this already and DD is 17 months. She is given the same thing we eat unless it's too spicy. If she doesn't eat it or only takes a few bites, I let her play so we can finish our meal. I will offer it again before bedtime and she is always given a thermos filled of 8oz milk before bed too. She seems happy, not crying, and gaining weight so I am not too concerned of a few days here and there of light eating. However, if she's sick I think I will make exceptions and offer her favorite foods. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899616 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 17:01:42 +0000 birdofafeather 1899616@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I did it the other day at 21 months. She's been sick so her appetite has been weird but I made a sure fire meal and she still refused. My MIl wanted to give her snacks but I refused. She asked for food right before bedtime so I offered her (cold) dinner plate and she still refused. So she went to bed without eating and slept thru the night so I guess she was fine! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899604 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 16:40:59 +0000 Jess1483 1899604@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I do it sometimes, but my 22.5 month old isn't yet 20 pounds, so eating food is more important than being firm for now still. I usually end the meal, then 30 minutes later will offer a sure-fire filling food. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899342 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 13:10:06 +0000 LuLu Mom 1899342@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>at 24 months, she eats what we eat. If she doesn't we make sure she knows "no snacks." But I will keep her dinner in the fridge if she gets hungry later (and heat it up.) She thinks she can skip dinner and then have a cookie/fruit snacks/ect. and it's not going to happen. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899289 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:44:45 +0000 cmomma17 1899289@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are doing it now at 17 months. But for dinner only. Dinner is dinner. He eats tons of food all day long, and he just recently started being picky about things I know he would like if he tried them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899279 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:40:25 +0000 mrsjyw 1899279@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did this pretty much from the get go after purees! At 22 months, he definitely doesn't get his own meals! We've never had any weight gain/growth issues so we know that if he's hungry, he'll eat. He's rarely ever refused food altogether though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899276 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:40:18 +0000 looch 1899276@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>So, I had this very same discussion with our ped at our 3 year visit, but the situation had been going since my son turned 18 months...turns out he has an oral motor issue that keeps him from chewing properly. So, in our case, withholding food is the exact wrong thing to do. I had thought it was just pickiness/control, but turns out it wasn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899272 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:38:47 +0000 mediagirl 1899272@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have done this pretty much from the start. That being said, our lo has always been in the middle of growth scales and healthy. If she doesn't eat what's in front of her, she doesn't get another option and she doesn't get dessert. </p> <p>Oh, how she wanted a cookie last night after eating one bite of steak, one green bean and a bowl of applesauce.... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899264 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:37:37 +0000 blackbird 1899264@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>A few months ago? When I noticed she started being particular and having preferences. If she's hungry enough, she will eat. Sometimes i may give her a yogurt and she always has milk, but she's not starving and I'm not making extra meals for her. Sometimes I re-offer after bath time and she eats. But twice, she's skipped dinners. She has days she eats a lot for dinner and days she hardly eats; i just assume she had lots at daycare that day. I don't really worry about it, honestly. If she was hungry, i know she'd walk over to the fridge and whine for food </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899253 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:29:43 +0000 dolphin 1899253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DD is 21 months and if she doesn't eat her dinner than that's that. I don't make her anything else but she will always get a cup of milk and some fruit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899240 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:18:19 +0000 mrs. tictactoe 1899240@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have always kind of had this policy, but I always make sure to have at least one part of the meal something he almost always will eat. I also often result to using katsup so he can dip chicken or whatever because that will help him eat. Also, he eats better for lunch than dinner, with me or not. I know a lot of kids this age don't eat much for dinner, so take that into consideration, too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899239 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:18:11 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 1899239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Around 18 months they start consuming calories over the course of the week (vs the day), so it's normal if they don't always want to eat. One thing I do is limit snacking because a big snack at 4 pm means they will barely touch dinner! Also, with my kids I have noticed that LO1 will hardly touch breakfast but then has a big lunch and a medium dinner. LO2 by contrast likes a big breakfast and no real lunch but then a decent dinner. All that to say, if they eat they eat and if they don't I try not to stress. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899226 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:12:54 +0000 tinyperson 1899226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're going to start doing this soon at 22 months. She's been sick so she's gotten used to whatever, wherever :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899223 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:09:11 +0000 plantains 1899223@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are kind of in the same situation and have decided that from now on we will employ that tactic. She is 28 months old. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899221 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:08:17 +0000 Adira 1899221@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't do this exactly, but I don't really offer Xander alternatives (he's 19 months). If he doesn't eat what he's given, then I let him down to play, but if he indicates he's still hungry, he just gets the same thing offered to him again. I don't want him to think I'm going to get him something special just because he refused what I made him (and I am sure to include things I know he likes). Usually he really just wants crackers and I tell him he can't have any unless he eats the majority of his dinner. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-age-did-you-start-eat-what-youre-served-or-dont-eat-at-all-with-your-lo#post-1899212 Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:05:14 +0000 littlebug 1899212@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Meal time has been a struggle the past few months, and Hubs and I are getting fed.up. with D's antics. But I want him to eat, so I often find myself caving in and giving him yogurt or a banana...anything tht I know he'll accept. Which, of course, is one of those things I swore I'd NEVER do as a parent before I actually became a parent. But I'm over it. I'm quite certain he never does this at daycare (he often eats seconds of lunch at daycare!), so I think a lot of it is just knowing that he can manipulate us (namely, me). </p> <p>He's 21 months. That seems young to be sending him to bed without eating anything from 4pm on. What age did you start holding your ground at meals? </p>