My Son Is Almost 2 and Not a Good Eater

Hi K., Eating is always a challenge huh? We use a great system called SNAC. The cards talk about how foods help the kids bodies in a way they totally get. There are also some easy ways to introduce new foods to the kids. I hope this helps. Good luck.
-Another Oside Mom, C.

Hi K. - I like the Deceptively Delicious ideas in Jessica Seinfeld's books. Although it's hard because you just want your child to eat, tough love on this subject eventually works. Give him the food you want him to eat without the stuff HE only wants to eat. He may get mad, but he's not going to starve. He will end up eating it and the more he tastes it, the more he will grow a taste for it. In addition, to give yourself the peace of mind that regardless what he eats he's getting plenty of fruit and vegetable nutrition to sustain him and help his body function properly, I suggest you try Juice Plus gummies. There's enough natural sweetness to make him consider them a treat, and they are made from 17 fruits, vegetables and grains with their nutrients in their natural combination (not man made concoctions like most vitamins). I've got three boys who have been eating them for four years and they rarely get sick, and haven't taken anti-biotics. My boys (and myself) also like the Juice Plus Complete nutritional powder which we mix into fruit smoothies, or just mix with milk or water for a "healthy" chocolate milk. For more info, listen to Dr. Sears talk about the research proving Juice Plus strengthens immune system and helps keep people healthy at the 800 number ###-###-####. I can't put websites on here, but if you want to learn more about it just reply with your email and I'll forward you the info. Good luck with your picky eater!

Don't let him! -be a little junk food eater that is.
You are the one buying the food. Just don't buy it! Trust me it is that simple.

If he is mentally healthy he will not starve to death. Once he gets hungry he will eat what is available. It may take a day or so maybe two where his is on strike ( -it will be harder once he is older ) but eventually he will eat what you give him.

Get away from snacking, only serve food at specific times of the day, make them always healthy (you can serve crackers but make them whole wheat and add fruit, you decided on the portion and stick with it. example: 7 crackers and half an apple cut up and water. Thats it for 10:00 snack - there will be more food at noon.)

Get away from highly salty, oily and very sweet foods even fruit ( grapes are super sweet ) to get his palate adjusted to subtle flavors.

Serve him veggies with every lunch and dinner. Don't over salt or over butter. Be persistent and keep offering healty choices. Encourage him to try the foods on his plate. If he does, praise him! Inform him that his body is going to be so happy he took a bite of that broccoli. Whatever you do, don't give in and shove chips or french fries on his plate just because he refuses to eat the mashed potatos.

Most parents think that when they give their picky child chips and french fries " the kid ate at least something " well fact is he would have been better off not eating anything at all.

Bad habits are formed now, and they will last a lifetime. It is your job to teach him good hygiene, work and social skills. Don't stop at teaching him how to eat right and keep his body healhy and strong!

He is only 2. It is not to late.

lol

good luck!
sincerely:
-C.

ps just to let you know I have 4 kids and all of them went thru a really suborn phase where they only wanted junk foods. Eventually they all come around.

My son, is like that too.
I find that he is a "grazer." He does not eat a ton, per sitting, each time, like his sister who has a hearty appetite.
My son, eats until he is full. Then that is it. And each day it can vary. Like an adult.

I find, he will eat "better" if we sit out on the patio. Or, if I put things on a 'small' dinner plate, instead of a regular adult sized plate. My son gets put off by "seeing" tons of food on a big plate, it overwhelms him, and he'll immediately say he can't eat it all. Which I dont' expect him to.
Then, he likes homemade soups... and i mince everything up in it real small, cook it down real well, and I give him a straw to "eat" it with. So its funner. He likes that and he will eat it all up.
Then he likes sauces... with anything. So that's fine.

Next, remember that a "serving size" for a Toddler is in terms of TABLESPOONS or teaspoons. Not a serving/portion size like we adults are used to eye-balling.
If I serve my son, in these amounts, then he's more prone to eating it. But my son, is again, not a "big" eater.... like his sister. I have just learned what his eating "style" is.
Or my son will eat if something is on skewers. But I make the chunks small, his size.

Or, try getting that Jerry Seifeld's wife's book. Its about pureeing things/veggies into foods, and even cupcakes. Its real good and tastes good.

Mostly though, a child goes through eating phases and taste changes. So, for me, I don't push it. Sure, introduce things, new things... but don't bring attention to it. Just put it there, on the table. Let him explore it.
My son, again, will try something often times, if there is some kind of sauce with it, or salad dressing to "dip" into. He likes to dip things. So that's fine.
And too, I find it can be all about the size of the food pieces... my son won't eat something if its too "big"... so I cut it up smaller, even though he can chew and break the pieces apart.

Not all kids eat BIG or lots, per sitting. Just like adults... some eat like a bird, some eat HUGE and fast, some eat slow and little. Then, the main thing is, that they know when they are "full" so that they don't eat for emotional reasons. If my kids genuinely say they are "full" even though there are things left on their plate, no biggie. They know their tummies.

Tastes and eating will ebb and flow.

Just some ideas,
all the best,
Susan

Try getting him involved in the process. Take him shopping or to a farmers market on an "adventure", pick out a fruit or veggie and think of something to make together. The more choice he has in what he's putting in his body the more he'll have a piece of the food that goes in his body. Try starting with smoothies and popsicles. Let him put things in the blender, help poor the liquid and turn it on. I bet he'll be into whatever you put into this healthy recipe.- www.weelicious.com

My daughter is 2 and has had a pretty good history of eating well except there have been periods of time when she didn't eat any of the usual healthy stuff. But no matter what, she will always eat my meatloaf. I use 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef and put in tons of veggies...fresh chopped spinach, zucchanni, carrots and then the usual "meatloaf" ingredients and she can't stop eating it. Loves to dip it in ketchup, of course. It's a good way to hide the veggies. Trader Joe's has healthy alternatives to snack foods too. Good luck!

great advice so far... I would also add that he is now old enough to start on a good children's multi-vitamin NOT flinstones or gummies, lol!!

I work for a Health & Wellness Co. and would be happy to give you a great recommendation if you're interested =)

My son has issues too. We recently tried changing venues for dinner and we eat all together... the same foods. That way he sees mommy and daddy eating the same thing and he gives it a shot too. We also eat outside on occasion and he really likes that too... plus the dogs get to do the cleanup!! yay no kitchen floor to mop or carpet to scrub after dinner!

my son goes through phases..so what i do when he's being picky is i don't let him snack on crackers and stuff..then before he eats his meal i make sure he gets his veggies first..also sauces work well ..they love to dip things..i have been putting honey on his blueberry waffles and he gobbles it up..also melt cheese on veggies..cream of mushroom soup on veggies..also try spinach linguine w/ white clam sauce..my friend's daughter is super picky..i told her to try that and now he daughter eats that a lot..u have to slurp up the noodle in front of your son so he can have fun w/ it.

don't let him fill up on liquids before eating either..
try cheese ravoli w/ some olive oil, salt and parmesan cheese cut up..

good luck...i know it's hard!!

Get this book: "Super Baby Food"

It has a lot of "snack" recipes for good food. It starts out mostly for babies but has great ideas for toddlers, too.

At two, some children slow down for a while. Don't worry about it.

Do worry about what you provide to him. Stop giving him junk food. When he gets that, he's not hungry for the good stuff.

What we do:

(1) have 5, sit-down meals. The regular 3 plus 2 "health snack" meals in between.
(2) serve meals in courses. the stuff they like comes AFTER the stuff they don't.
(3) everyone has to have a "no-thank-you bite" of everything. A single mouthful of anything at the table, just to taste.
(4) No one has to eat anything else, other than the no thank you bite. But if you choose not to eat, that's all there is. Our kids are warned: if you don't eat, there won't be anything later. If they don't eat, then they don't.

Know that no one will die missing one meal, and a kid will not starve himself. If he doesn't eat at this meal, he'll eat at the next, provided there aren't any foods inbetween that he can fill himself on.

So much good luck to you!

Don't let him snacks. Strict to 3 meals a day. It will pay back. He will not let himself starving. It's also one way to displicine. He knows you will give him snacks anyway, so, he won't eat regular food.

Wow, picky eaters, that is such a common topic. Before you read this, please know that I am a Family Success Coach and you might not like what I have to say.

I will share with you what I know:
I know that if you know it is “bad for you” and you bring it into your house anyway, that is your choice.
I know that children learn what they live.
I know that children will model their parents EXACTLY, food habits, morals, exercise habits, etc.
I know that the children as young as 8 have been diagnosed with ADULT DISEASES that are attributed to their poor eating habits.
I know that this is the first time in history that our children have a shorter life expectancy than we do, because of disease and poor nutrition.
I know that most children get most of their fruits and veggies from fruit juice and French fries (which by the way are NOT the right way).
I know that you are the parent and YOU get to decide what your child eats. You decide what comes into the house, YOU decide what will be prepared and how AND YOU decide the healthy future (or not) of your family.
I know that food is not food any more, everything is processed, sprayed or modified.
I know that NOT all pizza, fries, cracker, noodles, rice, bread etc is bad.

My family eats very “clean” which means little to no preservatives, additives and a pesticides and herbicides with very little effort. It takes a bit of planning – menu planning and shopping ahead of time WHICH IS TOATLLY WORTH IT - but we make our own pizza (20 minutes from recipe to oven), we make our own bread (bread maker), we “prepare dinner” we don’t open a box and trust that the multi billion dollar company that packaged it had our best nutritional interests at heart.

We started with Isagenix to get us on the right path. (www.HaveItAllUSA.com) I made decision of health for my family…it took about a year for most of the transition, it did not come over night. But it was totally worth it. My children now make better choices, THEY REFUSE to eat at fast food restaurants, THEY CHOOSE not to drink soda, THEY SAY NO to potato chips and other candy when playing with friends. I started it, I introduced it bit by bit, but THEY KEPT IT UP. I can help you and your family if you want. All you have to do is ask. But if you came to Mamasource to hear that you are right, that most kids are picky, that many kids don’t eat well, then I am not the right person for you. But if you are done “venting” about what is wrong and you are ready to “change” it, let me know.

You get to decide what is important. You get to be the parent. Be one. Take a stand for your family now and you and they will reap the benefits of your stand in the future.

B.
Family Success Coach