My kid will.not.eat

[ElizabethBennet]

She used to be a great eater but the past few months the lost of things she will eat has gotten smaller. I'm lucky if I can get more than a few berries in her for breakfast. She is now refusing eggs, yogurt, smoothies, pb toast, and oatmeal.

Lunch she'll eat a hotdog or a pb sandwich and maybe a piece of fruit an either peas or broccoli.

Dinner I give her what we eat and try to make sure it's at least a couple of things that she likes but again, it's about two bites and she's done. She doesn't get many snacks.

I'm not really worried about the amount but I am worried she isn't getting all the nutrients she needs.

Help.

[speckledfrog]

HOw old?

[ElizabethBennet]

2.5.

[ErinExpat]

What liquids does she drink?

Is she drinking water throughout the day? How about juice or milk? Could she be filling up on fluids?

[Deleted]

L is younger than yours, but she's the same way. Lately, she eats about 5 things. I've stopped worrying about it. She seems healthy, she's not losing weight, she's sleeping well... so, whatever. I'm done fighting it. Here's your waffle, your PB&J and your mac n' cheese, have a great day. lol

[Deleted]

Oh, and as for the nutrients- does she like those little freeze-dried yogurt things? Or smoothies? Those hide a lot of vitamins.

[eb777888]

Yeah, my kid used to eat anything. I was so smug, lol. Now, he'll only eat a few things but it's getting better as he gets older (so it was great in the beginning, then sucked when he hit 3, and is now getting better at 4.5, following me? lol.) It's still not great, but he ate a turkey sandwich the other day and I about died. That was huge. I'm thinking he'll get more open and less picky as he continues to get older and I keep offering.

Just keep introducing stuff. I've also started him on kids vitamins since his diet is nowhere near where it used to be.

[ElizabethBennet]

Jul 7, 2013 10:31:36 GMT -5 ErinExpat said:

What liquids does she drink?

Is she drinking water throughout the day? How about juice or milk? Could she be filling up on fluids?

We may need to cut down the milk. But aside from breakfast she gets her milk after meal times and hours before the next meal. She is probably getting around 20oz of 2% milk a day and the rest of the time she gets water. She only gets juice if we eat out.

[ElizabethBennet]

Jul 7, 2013 10:32:55 GMT -5 @jezebel said:

Oh, and as for the nutrients- does she like those little freeze-dried yogurt things? Or smoothies? Those hide a lot of vitamins.

I try not to worry about it and in refuse to make meal times a battle. She's in the 94th percentile for height and like 82nd for weight so she's definitely not small.

I haven't seen those yogurt things, what's the brand? I tried a smoothie this morning and she wouldn't even try it :/

[ElizabethBennet]

Jul 7, 2013 10:33:54 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Yeah, my kids used to eat anything. I was so smug, lol. Now, he'll only eat a few things but it's getting better as he gets older (so it was great in the beginning, then sucked when he hit 3, and is now getting better at 4.5, following me? lol.) It's still not great, but he ate a turkey sandwich the other day and I about died. That was huge. I'm thinking he'll get more open and less picky as he continues to get older and I keep offering.

Just keep introducing stuff. I've also started him on kids vitamins since his diet is nowhere near where it used to be.

I'm hoping she'll grow out of it. I was really smug lol. We have started giving her vitamins.

[ElizabethBennet]

I'll cut her milk back. This is probably going to result in WW3 in my house though lol.

[sawyerthedestroyer]

I had to cut down on the milk to get him to eat more, but he has gotten increasingly picky as he's gotten older. I just keep offering different things and he'll eat when he's hungry.

[eb777888]

Jul 7, 2013 10:43:17 GMT -5 luckydog said:

Jul 7, 2013 10:35:30 GMT -5 ElizabethBennet said:

We may need to cut down the milk. But aside from breakfast she gets her milk after meal times and hours before the next meal. She is probably getting around 20oz of 2% milk a day and the rest of the time she gets water. She only gets juice if we eat out.

This much milk is like 500 calories, and dr google says that's half the calorie intake of a two yo per day. So based on what she actually eats, this makes sense. On the plus side, her bones are super strong! I don't have kids but I remember my brother drinking all.the.milk.ever and I don't remember seeing him eat much and never saying he was hungry.

It's 300 calories for 20oz of 2% milk. 

[angelaa73]

oh, the white diet age.

milk, banana, rice, yogurt and string cheese

don't worry. she won't die

[eb777888]

Jul 7, 2013 10:58:27 GMT -5 lilmissladybug said:

It's most likely a stage and way too much milk. I would only offer milk at meals and water or watered down juice between.

DD went through a mac & cheese only stage. Then a pancake only stage. DS went through a PBJ stage. Some days it was breakfast lunch and dinner. I just kept offering small amounts of veggies/fruits and whatever else we were eating. Eventually mine grew out of it. It's very frustrating but I never tried to make a big deal of it because then you get the power struggle.

Damn, isn't this the truth.

I also make the healthiest versions of the foods he will eat. His turkey sandwiches are on orrowheat double fiber bread, lean turkey and low fat provolone cheese. That's 8 grams of fiber and at least 20 grams of protein right there. He also loves chicken nuggets so I do the lightly breaded one's perdue makes, it's all white meat. You get my point.

[PeonyParty]

My daughter is the same age and goes through the same thing. It ebbs and flows, she won't eat much for a week or two and then for about a week she eats like a teenage boy.
She does try to fill up on fluids, and since reducing how much we give her, we have gotten better results.

[sonrisa]

I'm of the "she won't starve herself" school of thought. I'll offer a few things I think she'll eat, strive for a balance of fruits, veggies, protein and calcium. If she doesn't eat at a given meal or just has a few bites, she'll be fine. Next meal I offer other healthy options. Usually it all works out over the day or two. I don't push things that are likely to fail, but I also don't just feed her cheese and crackers. I save those things for after she's had some veggies. Food isn't a struggle, but some meals end up small.

[lilybug]

A is 20 mos, and has just recently started refusing things he used to love. It's definitely a power thing for him, testing the limits. I'm not fighting him - just keep offering everything.I would cut back a little on the milk, try and make the healthy snacks fun (A likes eating out of something new - blueberries in his train's cargo car, cheddar bunnies in an ice cube tray, etc). And wait it out.

[speckledfrog]

From what I've read, it is super common from ages 2-6 to get really selective about food.

Even though W is younger, I find this website helpful. At the very least, it helps me from freaking out about feeding.

www.raisehealthyeaters.com/

[thatgirl2478]

My DD is almost 2.5 - and going through virtually the same thing. Offer her things she likes & that are healthy - maybe try to have a grazing station? Cheese cubes, grapes, dry cereal of some variety, carrots, all are good things to much on.

My DD is sporadic in her eating - some days she wants next to nothing and other days it's like I NEVER FEED HER. LOL - I just try to roll with it - though it is super frustrating for you guys.

[jenna]

E is 2 1/2, and eats the same way. One day he'll chow down on turkey, cheese, and whole wheat bread. The next day, he refuses it all.

I have to admit I get excited when he actually eats his scrambled eggs.

I don't push it, though. And I try not to let him eat the same food all day.

[Deleted]

Jul 7, 2013 10:37:18 GMT -5 ElizabethBennet said:

Jul 7, 2013 10:32:55 GMT -5 @jezebel said:

Oh, and as for the nutrients- does she like those little freeze-dried yogurt things? Or smoothies? Those hide a lot of vitamins.

I try not to worry about it and in refuse to make meal times a battle. She's in the 94th percentile for height and like 82nd for weight so she's definitely not small.

I haven't seen those yogurt things, what's the brand? I tried a smoothie this morning and she wouldn't even try it :/

Sorry, went to brunch.  These things:  www.amazon.com/Organic-Yogurt-Toddlers-1-Ounce-Pouches/dp/B0030VBSBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373229319&sr=8-1&keywords=yogurt+bites

[Deleted]

Jul 7, 2013 10:45:02 GMT -5 ElizabethBennet said:

I'll cut her milk back. This is probably going to result in WW3 in my house though lol.

We just did this.

WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

He is eating again. And gets milk after breakfast and with dinner. Only water in between. Amazing.