21 Month Old Just Doesn't Care for Meat

My daughter is 26 months and will only eat Chick Fil A chicken nuggets. (No other chicken nuggets will work..just Chick Fil A).

She is slowly learning that grilled chicked isn't so bad either, but we can't get her to try it. It just has to be in front of her when she's in a mood to try something new. If we ask her to try it, she refuses.

I also put ground buffalo in her Mac and Cheese and she will now eat that as long as the pieces are very very very tiny (i.e., too small for her to pick out).

My son loves the Dickey's BBQ sliced Turkey. I order 1/4 pound of sliced turkey and cut it up...it is very tender.

Also, there is a cute recipe that I saw in a cookbook. You put a hot dog (use turkey dogs or chicken dogs) on a popcycle stick and then wrap breadstick dough around it like a spiral. Put it in the oven and bake until it is lightly golden brown. Yes it is a corndog, but the spiral look makes it look fun. Also, maybe she will like it more if she can watch or help you make it.

J.~

My little girl is the same(also 2). She hates any kind of meat and eggs. It is all about the carbs for her. She does like beans though and manages to get protein in that way.

N.

I have a 27 month old that was the exact same way. We found that the only meats he would eat were meatloaf (with ketchup of course), and ham. The meat loaf we make doesn't have a lot in it, pretty kid friendly. Email me if you would like the recipe. It was worse, but he is getting better as he gets older. Not sure if it the texture or what that he doesn't like. We just kept giving it to him, and eventually he is starting to try more things.

Good luck.

Glad I am not the only one. My 2 year old won't touch meat either - or eggs or cheese or peanut butter. Thank goodness he can get his protein from milk and baked beans :) We can sometimes get him to eat some beef ravioli so long as it has tons of sauce. Sometimes he'll eat rotisserie chicken. He seems to like Boston Market's chicken meals. Go figure, there isn't one near us! Good luck.

will she eat eggs? my daughter doesnt really care for meat either, but i get her to eat eggs, beans & peanut butter.

silly question because surely you have tried it, but what about mac with hamburger/hamburger helper? That stuff is irresistible to kids (and my hubby for that matter). If your daughter won't eat that, maybe she just will not like meat and decide to be a vegetarian. Or maybe it's just a phase. Either way, make sure you are giving other proteins for her though!

I remember those days! My son didn't really start to eat meat until he was probably 4, he's almost 5 now. My BFF has a son the same age as mine and her son didn't eat meat at that age either (unless you consider chicken nuggets meat).

One thing that I found that would get some meat in him was to cut it into VERY small bites. He still isn't a fan of chewing (don't ask me why) so like when we had roast the other night, I cut it smaller than a mom of a toddler would but he ate it. If my hubby fixes his plate, he doesn't do that and Tren still won't eat his meat.

We just supplemented his lack of protien intake by making sure he got it from beans, peanutbutter, etc.

I did always put it on his plate and make him try one or two bites, and in time he decided it was ok.

Personally, I think it's a texture issue. Meat is so different from anything else they eat or have eaten.

Good Luck but don't loose heart or patience.

My son used to eat everything you set before him, but at about 17 months old, it all stopped. He won't TOUCH meat (if he knows it's there). I asked my pediatrician about it and she says it's normal for children to stop liking meat around this age (now 19 months old)and to just keep working with him but not to force him to do anything right now. I'm wondering if their gums aren't sore? He has 4 little molars that are just poking out now, but if I serve it shredded in soupy foods, he'll eat the meat (but that's nearly the only way to do it). For example, King Ranch casserole, chicken-sausage gumbo (cut up for him), homemade chicken noodle soup, chicken and rice cooked in the crockpot (I do 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can cream of chicken, 1 undrained can of rotels, a handful or 2 of spinach, shred his chicken, and serve over brown rice), or a super-easy fettucini dinner (I cook the chicken with a little seasoning, then pour 1 jar of Classico alfredo sauce, 1 or 2 handfuls of spinach, 1/2 a can of drained rotels, and a couple handfuls of fresh sliced mushrooms, shred his chicken, and serve over fettucini). Occasionally he'll eat MINCED hotdogs inside the rice a roni with brocolli. What he LOVES are those stupid little banquet chicken and brocolli potpies for 79 cents! I throw a little cheese on it and he licks his bowl! Otherwise, I generally feed him a lot of red (or white) beans and rice, burritos that are mostly refried beans and cheese but I sneak in a little beef, spinach, and tomato. He does loves the chicken soup, but I give him most of his share of broth in a sippy cup and then he can have just a little in his bowl of veggies (which he loves), egg noodles, and chicken. Feeding 1 pediasure a day helps set my mind at ease on days when he is just not in the mood to eat, while other days I swear he eats more than me. The rest of the time, it's yogurt, fruit, lots of organic milk, and as many veggies as I can get in. Oh yeah---I stopped making my special meatballs and went to meatsauce for spaghetti. He loves it and the meat is ground and hidden in the "pretty" sauce and parmesan, so he eats it all. If you want recipes for the casserole or soup, just ask.

Try sneaking in VERY soft meats. My eleven year old wouldn't eat for a long time and when he found the way to verbalize it the problem was it was too chewy. And still if the meat is chewy he doesn't want it. Cook stuff in the slow cooker for a few hours or try meatloaves and meatballs and stuff like that, sneak those meats into pasta, rice or beans and see if she'll eat that way. Maybe you just have the makings for a vegetarian.

Many Blessings!!