https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 25 Oct 2026 10:04:32 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1283254 Mon, 16 Dec 2013 00:20:04 +0000 Kimberlybee 1283254@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BabyBoecksMom: That's a great idea! I will keep this in mind for later on. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1283130 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 21:53:17 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 1283130@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We always save her dinner until she goes to bed. Whenever she says she's done, we tell her that if she wants something later, she'll only get her dinner to eat. If she does ask for food later, we remind her that she can only have what she left on her plate. Sticking with that took a week or so, but she eventually learned. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1283042 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 21:09:25 +0000 mediagirl 1283042@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We're sticklers for mealtime. If she says all done and hands us her bowl or plate, she's done for the night. She has figured out that even if she asks for more food after dinner, she doesn't get it. At this age, there's no reasoning so it's all or nothing for us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1282881 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 19:18:16 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1282881@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is just often not hungry at dinner (but eats good breakfast and lunches) or she doesn't care for a sit down meal. </p> <p>I read that it's ok to let them snack as long as it's healthy things. Offer some frozen peas, diced tomatoes with xhess, extra. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1282860 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 19:04:31 +0000 Mrsjets 1282860@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dinner is the meal 18 month old DS eats the worst at. I try to make extra lunch and offer that if dinner doesn't get eaten but I often give him a veg/fruit/quinoa pouch afterwards. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1282719 Sun, 15 Dec 2013 16:19:31 +0000 MsMamaBear 1282719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have this problem and probably why she's so skinny! I leave her plate around so she can go back and eat something. That seems to work. It'll probably be a piece of chicken, fruit or a roll, but it's something.LOL! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266521 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 06:55:31 +0000 MamaBehr 1266521@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is something that I'm going through with my 22 month old. He use to be the BEST eater, he would try anything you put in front of him, but he is starting to get super picky. I have decided that I would rather have him eat, then go hungry (though I'm probably alone on this). DD is 3.5 years old, and she was way worse, she wouldn't eat anything besides mac n' cheese! Now, though, I can tell her that she has to try 3 bites of everything on her plate and then if she still hates it we can think of something else for her to eat. DS does not get that concept yet, but it works great for DD and she has discovered she likes some food she initially turned her nose up to. I agree, I am not a short order cook, and I will not make four separate meals, but I feel like 22 months is too young to say "if you don't eat this you will go hungry" because he doesn't get the concept of the future and he is starting to flex his independent muscles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266475 Sat, 07 Dec 2013 02:50:00 +0000 StbHisMrs 1266475@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've been fighing this tooth and nail for a while now. She'd rather snack, I try to offer a protein, veggie, and carb at dinner, she'll usually take 1 bite of each then say she's done. She wakes up in the middle of the night hungry. At 26 months Inwas hoping this would be over. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266414 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:43:04 +0000 littlepenguin 1266414@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What I plan to do is give LO options to eat for dinner. I'm not a short order cook, so it would be more like: you can choose from what we are having, left overs from last night, or this smorgasbord of veggies, protein, carb etc. Or maybe you compromise and have her try what you're eating regardless of if you make her a dinner alternative. </p> <p>Some parents want to stand firm, on what I make the family eats, and it can work. I just think when I or my husband cook it's usually what we are in the mood to eat or enjoy eating. I'd like my children to have somewhat of a choice in what they eat. To be clear, I'm not suggesting feeding your kid McDonald's or chicken nuggets every night, but just an alternative healthy meal that doesn't require much effort to prepare or is already prepared. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266400 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:30:01 +0000 Weagle 1266400@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sandy: Ditto to pretty much everything you said. </p> <p>My LO won't eat very strongly seasoned things, and she doesn't eat soup at all. Actually, she doesn't really like foods in which she can't clearly see all the ingredients except for pb&amp;j. Casseroles and other sandwiches are out. I was always a picky water growing up and my parents took the approach of always having at least one item they knew I liked. I never went hungry, but I eventually started eating the other foods too. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266394 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:22:11 +0000 sandy 1266394@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My LO is a pretty good eater but I think she would probably reject tortilla soup...she doesn't like strongly seasoned food...especially soup and especially soup that is tomato based. At 24 months she is tolerating spices better but at 18 months she definitely preferred clear broth soups, mildly seasoned meats, etc. </p> <p>Our pediatrician says to offer a variety at meals and include at least one item you know they like. I offer a protein, a veggie, a fruit and a carb...and always include 1-2 things I know she likes...and sometimes that means she loves new stuff and other times she's not a fan after taking a few bites. Our pediatrician says it's important to keep offering bc it takes them awhile to get used to new foods sometimes...and I've found that to definitely be true. She refuses brussel sprouts for months and at 24 months she will eat them...I think part of it is their palate develops and they get used to seeing different foods...it really helps her seeing us enjoy eating something </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266371 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 23:03:03 +0000 BeachMama 1266371@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Danizaur - Dinner is often a struggle. She doesn't eat much unless it's pasta or bread. Usually she doesn't say she's still hungry though. We offered her the soup again and she refused. I ended up saying dinner's done, playing for a bit, then bedtime.</p> <p>At other times whens she's refused dinner, I've taken her out of her chair and had her play for a while, then I'll offer something else later in hopes that she doesn't associate it with getting something else for dinner.</p> <p>@Cascademom - the opposite of the staggered thing has been working better for us. If we give her something we know she'll eat first (bread) then usually that will progress into her eating more of the rest of the meal. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266322 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:26:40 +0000 brownie 1266322@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We let our son try eating dinner again right before bed. Otherwise he doesn't get anything else. Sometimes I will over a fruit or vegetable as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266308 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:10:58 +0000 cascademom 1266308@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We keep his dinner plate around after he says he's done. It helps a bit with him. We were also talking about doing a staggered eating thing with him where he'll get foods he usually refuses at the beginning, then stagger favorites later. My DH even sneaks in some food when it looks like he's going to not eat it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266306 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:09:35 +0000 artsyfartsy 1266306@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is this an every night kind of thing or just tonight? If so what foods does she usually prefer/reject? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/wwyd-dd-hardly-ate-her-dinner-but-then-says-shes-hungry#post-1266299 Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:05:57 +0000 BeachMama 1266299@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dinner has been a struggle with DD (18 months). She's getting better at eating some of it, or trying a bite or two, but often will only eat the bread or other carbs (pasta, potatoes). Tonight we gave her tortilla soup. She had a few bites of soup, then ate a whole bunch of tortilla before saying she was done and handing us back the soup (which is an improvement from throwing it on the ground). When we took her out of her chair she indicated she was hungry, but when offered the soup she says No.</p> <p>WWYD? I'm torn because I don't want her to think she can refuse dinner and get something else. But it also kinda hurts my heart to say no when she's saying she's hungry. </p>