Getting 2 year old to eat

Aliza posted January 7, 2021

Parents I need help. My 2.5 year old son used to be a greater eater. Now all I can get down him is processed foods like crackers, fruit bars, chicken nuggets. He will no longer eat any of his favorite foods like tofu and noodles. I tried to get some pediasure down him and he spit it out. What are some nutritious foods I can get him to eat? I’m worried he is not getting enough nutrients.

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Nikki posted January 7, 2021

Hi Aliza,
Processed foods are extremely dangerous for us as adults to consume yet alone the children. Please google the dangers of feeding your child processed foods and meats. Try putting nutritional foods into a smoothie for him and disguise it with either bananas, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries 🍓, or apples 🍎 to make it taste good. You’ll be surprised how many veggies you can sneak into a child’s smoothie.😂

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Deborah posted January 11, 2021

Stop giving the child process foods. Believe it or not when the child is hungry they will eat. Offer fresh fruits and vegetables daily the child in will eat whatever you eating.

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Joycelyn posted January 13, 2021

When I took my childcare class they said when we have a child that does not eat whatever that child is comfortable eating and will eat it well they may have it for all 3 meals

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Vasudha posted January 15, 2021

Hi Aliza,

I can understand how stressful you might feel. There can be many reasons for a child to be picky with meals. To start try to observe your child closely for few days and identify what time does he get hungry and if he shows signals of hunger. Also do you have a scheduled time when meals are served ? How is the setting for meals( you eat in family style setup) ? Who cooks the meals ? How often you cook and does your child get to help you? And how are snacks bought, prepared and place in the house?

Preparing meals together encourages child to build interest in meals. Eating together helps children learn from the adults which further helps build healthy eating habits. Avoid buying processed food instead look for quick recipes that your child can make with you for example marinate chicken and make quesadilla or tacos or burgers with whole grain bun and cheese. Same goes for snacks like peanuts butter and apples or carrot-celery sticks are great to munch. There are many age appropriate books that you can read to your child that will talk about the importance of healthy eating habits. Hope this helps, I can keep going on but will leave you with this for now. Good luck 🙂

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Victoria posted January 19, 2021

This is really difficult. I can understand your frustration, I feel like getting kids to eat a wholesome meal is the most gratifying part of being a mother (and grandmother). I would suggest you don’t buy the processed foods and only make healthy foods available. Also, don’t panic or rush. It takes time to change habits so patience is key. Give your child delicious healthy options and allow them time to learn to love the foods you give them.

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Michele posted January 27, 2021

Hi offering a variety of different types of finger foods is always best there’s always substitutes for calcium or proteins I always try to sneak in vegetables when I making either quesadillas or fried rice be creative

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Natasha posted February 12, 2021

Its hard not to give in when you know your child is hungry and won’t eat what’s on the plate. But by give other foods during meals can help them to be more picky. Stay strong. If they don’t eat much during one meal it will help them to eat more the next meal. That what our doctor told us and our daughter is a lot doing better.

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Aliza posted February 12, 2021

Thanks you to all the moms (and grandmas!) for your wonderful advise! So nice to have a community to get others opinions.

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Kristan posted July 7, 2021

I have toddler powder formula (similar to pediasure). And I make fruit smoothies with a scoop of that and she can’t taste it and has so much good stuff in it. I’m sure you could sneak it into oatmeal or cereal and things like that. You could probably slowly start to sneak greens into the smoothies too.

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