Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

I worked as a waitress in highschool and college. After seeing so many kids (even up to age 12) who would only eat pasta with butter, I vowed to not let this happen to my kids. DD has a few things she doesn't like and I don't push them, although we do reintroduce them every so often. She is usually a good eater. I am a firm believer that dinner needs to have at least a rough representation of the major food groups and this is what she gets every night. DD also eats dinner way before us and we do make her a different meal than what we're having the majority of the time. There are nights that she gobbles it all down and others that she's not interested. If she doesn't want to eat we don't force her BUT she is a good eater and a good weight so we don't worry.

What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

we usually give him a choice between two things then we pick his sides -

mac n cheese, hot dogs, chicken nugget, meatballs, pasta(he likes dry).pizza

then he'll get green beans, or applesauce, banana or apple

then yogurt or milk...

If he doesn't eat from what we give him, then you can wait til breakfast.

At preschool they give him bbq chicken, rice, meatloaf,salad, etc .. ocassionally he will stop eating there, and they made us bring in backup for him so he'll get applesauce or pediasure - depending on what he didn't eat.

Message edited 11/9/2012 9:59:46 AM.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

I only offer the one meal. If it's a main dish they may not like (steak) I make a veggie & side they like.


One thing my pediatrician said that stuck with me, "toddlers appetites slow down, it's normal. They eat when they are hungry and will be less hungry at dinner. Dont fall into the pit of feeding them mac & cheese, nuggets, mcdonalds. They will eat that even when they are not hungry. Then you will have the kid that ONLY eats those things."


Sometimes I make things I know they like. They take 2 bites and leave. I dont make a food a fight. I never make them eat more than they want. But they know there is nothing else coming, so they never ask for a substitute.

I was leaving it sitting and they would come back and nipple like a buffet. that became a bad habit too. So I stopped that. we eat dinner, then we are done.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

Thanks for the replies! I'm so jealous of all of your kids who eat everything and anything... He used to be like this so maybe it is a phase. I guess I have to just keep trying!!!

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

We feed our DS what he will eat, which is sometimes different than what we will eat. He actually eats more home cooked meals than me and my DH.

He's at the age now where we can give him two choices and he tells us what he prefers. (He's 3.)

I do not want him going to bed hungry though, so I at least try to give him something healthy if he doesn't want to eat a whole meal.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

I don't cater to DD. If she fights a meal, it's usually because she's not hungry. I'll leave it on the table for a bit and she either eats it when she gets hungry or she doesn't eat.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

I always had "you eat what I made" approach and still do. DD is 5 . She knows that is she doesn't eat what I make then she won't eat, not that it's ever happened

What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

For breakfast and lunch, she can have something "kid friendly" but for dinner, I only serve the one meal that I cook. If she doesn't eat it, I don't say a word b/c the ped said not to make a stink about food.

Message edited 11/9/2012 6:35:18 PM.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

I don't change dinner for them. If they don't like it they don't eat. I offer fruit or yogurt and that's all. Eventually they learn

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

We do not fight over it, and we do not make DC sit at the table until they eat. They are free to go, but no snack later. When we clear the table, I keep their food out if they didn't eat. If they come to me later saying they are hungry, they have their dinner to eat if they want. Most of the time (like this very moment actually) DC1 is eating the dinner that they were not hungry for before bc said DC wants a snack. That is all, no fighting. Regardless, I do not ever make them eat things they truly do not like. I only do this with stuff I know they have no problem eating and are just being difficult. If there is a new food, however, they do have to taste it. Just one tiny bite.

Message edited 11/9/2012 7:40:04 PM.

What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

DS is only 13 months and usually a good eater but if he ever turns down what we make for dinner we always have yogurt, fruit and peas/carrots/corn, which he will always eat.

What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

i struggle with this one. DD was a preemie and was only 3lbs 8oz when she was born and came home at 4lbs 10oz. after the first week she was home the NICU wasnt satisfied with her weight gain (although my PED was OK with it) and I had to make sure to always keep a hat and layers of clothes on her so she wouldn't lose calories keeping her body warm (it was mid June).

it sort of scarred me and now I always get nervous that she isn't eating enough. she isn't stick thin but she doesn't have a ton of meat on her either so i still get nervous since she is still on the lower end of the weight spectrum for her age and height. so i tend to make her different things than we are eating cause i know she will eat. if she doesn't want it i usually try one other option. then if she doesn't want that we move on to fruit (she eats fruit with every meal). luckily she's a pretty good eater so its not always a problem (yet) but I also don't want to start a habit of catering to her. i know i have to let go of the preemie insecurity but i feel like she's still so young it's more important to me that she gets calories and nutrition than it is to prove a point.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

If my kids don't want to eat dinner they don't eat. If they are hungry they will eat.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

With my kids who are 5 and 3 since they stared on table foods they were always served what we ate. I make one dinner and that is it. Most times they eat it sometimes they don't. If they do not eat they cannot have dessert. I never offer alternatives. They have to at least try it.

My kids are amazing eaters as a result. The love salmon, artichokes, beans, curries etc. a really wonderful variety of food. But it was hard work to get there.

I am so thankful to have kids that are not chicken nugget addicts. I love that we can go to restaurants without kids menus and they can always find something they like.

Of course, I do make some exceptions. My DD does not like cheese so I won't make her eat anything with cheese. So, if they have expressed a continual aversion to something they do not have to eat that. Also, sometimes I will make a very "adult" type meal that I do not think they will like spicy Thai shrimp curry or something so I make them something else. But sometimes they surprise me by requesting to taste what we are having in that instance.

Also, I never require that they clean their plate, just that they eat enough of it.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

DS will eat what I cook; even at 8, I still ask that he at least tries something before deciding he doesnt like it. I must say he is an EXCELLENT eater and has eaten everything from sushi to phesant. I dont plan on catering to our next child either.

Re: What do you do if your toddler refuses to eat the dinner you've prepared?

iIf DH and I want a salad or something totally unkid friendly we will make him something different. Otherwise he eats what we eat. If he doesn't then he doesn't. He isn't going to starve. If he makes a reasonable attempt at eating then I will let him have dessert or something else later on. But, later, not right away.

IMO making different meals is exhausting and sets up bad habits. Excluding kids with sensory issues or really serious picky eating.