My 2 1/2 Year Old Will Not Eat Most Food

I also have been worried about giving my son a complex about food...I grew up in a "clean your plate or you can't leave the table" household and I feel like it has contibuted to issues I have with food..so I really wanted to avoid that with my son, but I, like you, also didn't want to make him a seperate meal all the time. I read or heard someone once say "As a parent, it is your job to provide your child with nutritious food and it is their job to decide if and how much of it they will eat." So, I generally make up a plate for my son of the same stuff we are eating and if he eats it fine, if he doesn't eat it, that's fine too. Even so, we don't tolerate bad table manners (throwing food) and we make him him sit with us for a reasonable time even if he isn't eating. I do admit though that sometimes I will make him a separate dinner if we are eating something I know he won't eat...or I modify what we are eating for his palate...for example, if I am making something like a spicy stir fry with chicken, I'll pull out some chicken and veggies for him before I add the spicy sauce.

So far this seems to be working for us and though I do worry sometimes if he's getting enough, he's growing like he should. I do give him a children's multivitamin every day to help fill in the gaps.

Good luck!

Hi,
One suggestion I heard years ago from another mom was that if one of her 3 daughter didn't care for her dinner, there was alweays yogurt in the frig. You could have an easy nutritious backup meal your daughter likes if dinner is not to her liking. Yogurt, peanut butter sandwich, favorite canned soup , cheese and crackers might be possibilites.

Or you could serve the regular meal with one or two of the foods she likes. I agree our kitchen is not the local cafe.Children can be encouraged to eat many types of food, but not forced.

Good luck!

If she will eat anything as long as its on pizza, that sounds okay to me. Bring on the pizza crust!
Our daughter, also 2.5 years old is a really good eater. But sometimes refuses to eat what she has eaten many times before. We just let her fuss...& then try again. This usally works, and if she doesnt want to eat she doesnt have to. She ( they) will eat when they are hungry. Our pediatrician also says not to be suprised that one day she will eat chicken & Brocc. & the next push it away. Its more a control issus than anything I think, its really the only thing at this age they can sort of control & they know it.
Good Luck!

Hi R., I understand what you're going through. My son ate everything and anything as an infant and I made all his first foods including a fabulous super baby porridge. However at 2.5 yrs he suddenly refused the porridge. He also began to refuse meals on the spot. I personally went for his weakness - macaroni cheese and just pureed everything and anything and put it in there and for a few weeks that was pretty much all he had for supper (finger foods for lunch). I always offer him a small bowl/plate of what I am eating too. After a few weeks I think he got bored and is back to being pretty adventurous and food friendly. Maybe if you went that route with the pizza base and gave her what she wants in addition to offering a tiny amount of your meal you'd all win (well - you do still have to make something different but at least you know she is eating well). I hope that helps.