Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

Hi girls!

I'm feeling overwhelmed lately. DS used to eat so well.
He ate all his veggies and now everything has changed.
I make Mac and cheese once a week for him.
Now that's all he wants! He won't eat much of his vegetables. He doesn't want much chicken these days.
I am running out of healthy and quick meals to prepare that he will eat!

It's become a struggle and very stressful.
He's not a skinny boy by any means. He is well nourished. He's 33 pounds and on the taller side of the spectrum.
He takes his vitamins every day..

I make sure to give him healthy snacks throughout the day,
Cheerios, yogurt, fruits, veggie straws and he likes cereal bars. I'm running out of snack options too.

Any helpful suggestions?

Thanks so much! Have a good day!

Message edited 9/18/2013 11:49:01 AM.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

welcome to toddler-hood

my son is the same except he never ate well. Gained NO weight from 2-3 but grew 3 inches! He is 3.5 and weighs 36/37lb at 41 inches tall.

As long as he eat something, anything, he is fine. Is it ideal? No but struggling and agonizing over/with it will only make things worse. Believe me, I've done both for quite some time.

Now at almost 3.5, he is starting to eat a bit more. He still does not ask to try new things (even my 8 month old reaches for what I am eating, my 3.5 year old NEVER has).

When he is hungry, he will eat. If it is the same thing over and over again - so be it. All that matters is calories. Does he take vitamins? Get vitamins in and roll with it

ETA you mentioned vitamins - good!

Message edited 9/18/2013 11:54:41 AM.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

My advice, stop making it a struggle. Give him dinner and he eats what he eats. You can't force him to eat and you don't want to get in the habit of being a short order cook.

Also, at this age, they are starting to find their independence and voice. He may be getting in the struggle with you over power and not food. So, once you give him the power which is to eat what he is given or not, and leave it...you may find he goes back to being a good eater.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

my DD did the smae thing she use to eat everything and anything now she only eats mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, pb&J, grilled cheese, eggs and pizza. (Breakfast foods she is fine with)
i stressed any my dr told me he doesnt care if she eats the same thing 7 days a week 3 times a day she will eventually grow out of it.

so for now i just give her what she wants.
however she must eat it if i know its something she will eat.

She is almost 3. I know ihave to start just giving her regular food and make it either she eats it or gets nothing but i am so bad at cooking actual meals and honestly dont feel like dealing with it right now. I will soon though

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

Ugh! Thanks girls. Yes, it does seem more of a power struggle these days. I made him a baked sweet potato and chicken last night and he pushed the plate away and said "No! mac and cheese" over and over and started yelling and whining.

I will have to take it easy on myself and stop trying to obsess over it. Like you two said, he will eat and if he doesn't at least he's eating something...

Thanks ladies. This toddler good is tough!
He's a good boy over all... He's just a strong willed boy... Ugh takes after me. Lol

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

My 4 yr old is like then & never was. Around 2, he became extremely picky. Now he will only eat pasta with butter, mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, pizza, boiled ham, cheese wedges, peas & carrots. He loves his fruit but that's all. Dr said not to worry, its a phase. It's not worth the struggle.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

I could've written the 2nd post, my son eats Mac n cheese but only shells, grilled cheese, pizza, pb&j, yogurt, goldfish and teddy grams. It's infuriating! I want him to eat the foot that my husband and I eat but it simply doesn't happen, and struggling w him is a no win situation so I just say when he's old enough to reason with we'll deal w it then. My husband was an awful, awful eater and his mother said he was 100% at every check up. Some kids eat well, some sleep well, some don't do either well so I pick my battles. Ill take the decent sleeper lol

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

If he likes yor Mac and cheese, start adding other things to it- chunks of chicken, broccoli, vegetable puréed, etc... Aside from that, eep offering him other healthy snacks nd foods. Ask him to have just one bite, but don't make t a fight. If he does, great. If he doesn't, no big deal. Eventually he will start to eat more of a variety when it's offered.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

I think it is completely normal. He is asserting his independence over a limited area that he can control. I am of the philosophy that a kid will eat when they are hungry. I am not a short order cook, so you will either eat what I make or it will be left for you until you decide you are hungry enough to eat. At that age I always made sure to at least offer one thing I know my kids ate and liked before. It can take over 20 tries for a child to be exposed to something to eat (and potentially enjoy it). They will not starve themselves. I make sure to offer healthy food/snacks. If they are hungry, they will eventually eat. Don't make it a power struggle. Just calmly explain that this is what mommy made for dinner and if you are hungry you can eat it but you still need to sit at the table with mommy and daddy to eat even if you are not hungry. Oh and my other rule, no toys at the table (including cell phones for mommy and daddy too.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

It is a power struggle.

My advice is get rid of the food you don't want your kid to eat: no cookies in house, no ice cream in freezer.

Next, cut out snacks during the day. No snacks means hungry kid that is more likely to eat what you make.

Next, make a meal that is realistic. Our kids like Brussels sprouts, but not broccoli. Spinach, but not lettuce. Cod, but not salmon. Cook a few sides and feel out what they like. Remember, it can change... So we do a few sides so that there is always something they can eat.

Then, stick to your guns. Dinner is whatever you make. Of course kids will demand Mac n cheese. Say no. Keep food for a few hours at their place setting and have them eat it when hungry. They may not get dinner one or two nights. Unless you have an underweight kid, this won't kill them.

I make lots of mistakes with my kids, eating is not one of them. They don't like French fries and hamburgers. They prefer a good apple to a cookie, and eat proteins, greens and fruits every day. Btw, they are 20 months and 3 years.

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

DS loves mac n cheese too - I make a big batch homemade and freeze half. I add veggies like peas or broccoli (small pieces) and i'll add chicken sausage or something like that also. Does your DC like pasta with sauce? I do the same with pasta and add stuff in. When it's all mixed together he will eat it. He has gotten pickier but still eats a variety of food - I 've just been trying not to stress what / how much he eats. I figure when he's hungry he will be forced to eat something!

Re: Appetite changes in my soon to be 2 year old.. Need advice

This is great advice! I find with my kids, the more processed foods they eat (ie. Mac n cheese, pizza, etc.) the more they reject healthier whole foods. I no longer give them Mac n cheese, chicken nuggets, etc. and gradually their palates changed. 2 -4 years is a hard stage--hang in there!