My Son Doesnt Eat!

Dear K., Children do go through these stages. He is most likely learning something new. Trust me, he will not starve. I too grew up in a family that thought you had to EAT to be healthy. Give him time, he will eat when he is hungry. Continue to offer him food, maybe some new choices and he will come around. If he is the only one, try to get together with other children for lunch and he may eat with them. You are doing a great job! Grandma Mary (mom of 5)

Offer only healthy meals, the same meals you make for the rest of the family. Nuggets and biscuits aren't okay for a 2 year old. If he doesn't eat from the healthy selection, have him sit at the table for a sufficient and polite period of time and then excuse him. He will eat when he is hungry. Don't give him treats like chocolate unelss he eats his main meal, but don't bribe him either.

Make sure you aren't letting him fill up on milk or other liquids. Offer him just a a few ounces of water with his meal. Try to giv ehim run around and exercise right before a meal. And if there is one meal he is more likely to eat at, like breakfast, load in the protein and vitamins there. My 2 year old doesn't eat more than a few bites of dinner, that's just her. So I lead up the veggies at lunch.

Not all kids are big eaters and even those that are slow down around 3. You will notice more periods of average eating interspursed by "growth spurts" lasting weeks where he iwill probably eat a ton.

Right now this sounds behavioral. He has trained you to only give him the junkier foods he really likes and he doesn't have any consequence for not eating. If you are concerned there is a health problem, take him to the pediatrician and have his weight checked.

Children eat when they're hungry. Picky eating is very common among children. However, you can't always give in to what he wants to eat. You give him what you want and know he should eat. If he doesn't eat it--do NOT give him more options--ESPECIALLY junk food.

I will give my experience from last evening--my daughters love turkey. The family requested turkey yesterday. However, the one who harped the most was the one who sat there refusing to eat last evening. She got up and went and grabbed a cereal bowl and the milk. Her dad took that from her and told her she was to eat what was put infront of her or she would go hungry. Finally, around 8:30, she decided she was going to eat her supper and ate every single bite.

I guess the whole 'not eating' is another way for kids to try to run the show. He will eat for you. Just don't give up and don't give in.

K.,
There are picky eaters and children that don't eat. My son had sensory problems that affected his eating - he could only eat foods of a certain color and texture. After going from the 95th to 10th percentaline in weight as a toddler, it was obvious that this was more than picky eating. This is a little bit of a soapbox moment to those moms that want to blame "picky" eating on what is being offered. I have an open pantry of every sweet snack you can imagine hoping that my son would at least try something different. He will equally refuse junk food over healthy food if it does not fit his image of acceptable. Now, when his cousins or friends come over, I have to lock everything up because they will go on junk food frenzies. In any case, as the mom, you need to figure out if there is something physically wrong with him or if he is just being picky. If he is losing weight, lacking energy, obviously hungry but still refusing food, etc... you should talk to your pediatrician. Good luck,
C.

Make your meals. Put them on the table. Make sure there is at least one thing he likes in the meal -- noodles is always easy and good -- I'd stay away from the chocolate except for a special treat once in a great while.
Do NOT give him snacks or juice between meals -- just water.
If he is hungry, he will eat.
I know it seems as if he lives on air, but he will eat when he gets hungry.
LBC

Start limiting the sweets and junk food that you haev available in the house. Noodles nuggets and chips is NOT a healthy diet for any age...way too many empty calories. What type of foods does the rest of the family eat at meal time? Are you eating a well rounded diet or is your son simply mirroring what he sees you eating everyday?
Get him involved in the meal preparation, a child at this age loves helping with measuring, mixing, and other things in the kitchen with Mom and Dad. Offer lots of fresh fruits and vegetables during the day for him to eat whenever he wants to. A child at this age is going to be a lot happier if his glucose levels stay at a more consistant level. One thing that he might enjoy would be hummus and baked chips ( not potato chips...but naked tortilla type chips), it is nutricious and fun.
Take him to the store and let him help you pick out fresh fruit and vegetables that he would like to try. Our grandson who is 34 months old LOVES grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, brocolli,baby carrots. He also loves yogurt,nuts, and his drink of choice, believe it or not is WATER!!!
But you have to mirror the choices that you want him to make...you can't be feasting on fried chicken nuggets, french fries and chocolate cake and expect him to be excited about broiled chicken breast and steamed veggies!!!

Kids tend to get picky at that age. Then it's a matter of deciding on your parenting goals and sticking to them. Kids need to learn to do what their parents tell them to do. I gave my daughter less and less to see if she was simply not hungry - and it wasn't that - it was her wanting to have her way no matter what the issue. That is a really important life long thing to work on - not being a hyper controlling parent, but teaching them that they need to submit their will to another for their own good even when they do not understand why. So, we have to pick our battles, go in with a battle plan, and have the courage to follow through. Otherwise, they just learn to be little tyrants.

Give him what you give him, that is it. Don't wheedle, worry, cajole, bribe - then he is in control - and kids really want their parents to be the parent, not the friend or cajoler.

He will eat when he is hungry and develop a taste for what you give him. There is a big difference between requiring him to eat cooked spinach and a raw carrot - most kids love the latter and hate the former.

You can do it!

Hi K.,
I can so relate! My son is 3 also. He does pretty well with fruits and veggies but its hard to get him to eat protein foods like even chicken nuggets and he has developed a sweet tooth. He would live on munchkins if I let him. I know when they don't like to eat we sometimes will give them what just to get them to eat something. Is there a way you can sneak some veggies in with the nuggets and noodles and some fruit with the biscuits? Overall though, as long as he is gaining enough weight I would try not to worry. I was so worried my son wasn't eating enough but when I took him for his annual checkup he gained just enough weight. I would say just keep offering him a variety or like someone else suggested take him to the supermarket and let him piack out food. Also, is he on a multivitamin? Good luck!

This probably isn't the issue (particularly because he likes chocolate) but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway just in case.

Maybe check to see if he has tooth decay..my son who is three is a very picky eater and it turned out his front teeth were decaying and probably sensitive to a lot of foods (especially hot/cold).

His dentist indicated they had probably been decaying for a long time, but it was difficult for me to tell just by looking. The only reason I found out really, I think, was that I noticed his teeth in the front seemed to be getting smaller, so took him to the dentist to check. I didn't expect it because my son didn't say anything or cry when eating, and we brush his teeth frequently.

My son is fussy about food as it is..much like many of the other moms here described, and he didn't say that his teeth hurt so I can't be positive, but I do think that the fussy eating issue was compounded greatly by his teeth being sensitive.

The first 2 years of a baby's life they grow incredibly fast, then around 3 they slow down. As a result they dont need as much food, they dont burn calories enough to be hungry. Then we moms beg them to eat and they learn..AHA I can control mama by not eating. Look at all the attention I get. PLUS I get my biscuits and chocolate and dont have to eat the yucky chicken stuff. Take away ALL snacks and treats and junk food. For breakfast give him a small portion in a small dish/bowl. 1 egg is plenty at this age or a fistful of cereal, his fist not yours. Let him and the food sit for about 15 minutes and DO NOT talk about food, about how yummy it is or anything else. After 15 minutes remove the dish, wash him up and tell him to go play. Do NOT mention food. If he says he is hungry, say you are sorry, but breakfast is over..thats all.dont argue or promise or give in!!! Lunch give him half a sandwich or some vegetable soup or leftovers. Again a small amount and again DO NOT talk about his food AT ALL!! 15 minutes,whisk away food, clean and send him on his way. Supper same thing, small amounts of good food, but the same food you are eating, nothing special. When you are done eating so is he. He WILL eat when he realizes that he can no longer get his snacks. He will NOT starve.

My kids all did the same thing. I think their taste buds become more sensitive for a while. They all went back to eating real food again eventually.
Noodles, nuggets and chips are not so bad if you make the nuggets yourself with real chicken and as chips you mean french fries.
Biscuits and chocolate? Yum! Try nutella, its chocolate hazelnut and maybe a half wheat biscuit. Also try to sneak a little peanut butter in there.
If you have time to make biscuits with him, that would be fun and you can sneak all kinds of healthy things in there. Like oatmeal in the blender instead of flour and flax meal instead of half the fat. He may have fun experimenting with mixing in chedddar cheese or chocolate chips! Dont worry he'll eat again just try to sneak something healthy in everyday. And I hope he is drinking a lot. Esp milk.