Strategies for dealing with the no eating phase

[NaturallyPeachey]

DS (19 mos) has always loved eating up until about a week and a half ago. He would always be good for a nice healthy breakfast and then sort of slowed down through out the day. Now he won't even eat breakfast and hardly eats anything else through out the day. If I put a plate of french fries in front of him as was the case over the weekend when we went out for a holiday celebration with friends, he chowed down. We don't eat like that at home and we rarely go out to eat plus I don't want to give in - obviously if I could eat fries all day long I would too :-)

How do I make sure he's getting healthy fats and balanced nutrition?
Are there any snacks I can try that he might munch on while playing?
What do you do during meal times when they refuse to touch a single thing (I offer him mostly what we eat with a few exceptions)?

I feel bad for letting him go to bed with out eating a thing for dinner but I don't want to start a habit of him not eating dinner and then getting a snack afterwards.

Also, we are gluten and dairy free so he doesn't get things like cheese, milk, etc.

Thanks!

[treegardner]

He is not going to starve himself. My son doesn't eat a lot either, but we are still breastfeeding. Just keep offering healthy choices. Maybe switch up how you present the food.

[Ruthla]

If he's not hungry, then he's not hungry. Kids go through phases where they have higher caloric needs and lower caloric needs. During growth spurts, they eat more. During growth plateaus, they eat less. It's how their bodies are designed.

You job is to OFFER a variety of healthy foods throughout the day. His job is to eat whatever his body actually needs at the time.

As long as he's not filling up on junk food (once in a while, like at a holiday party, is fine) then he'll naturally eat what he needs- enough protein, enough fats, etc. The nutrition balances out over the course of a week, maybe two weeks, even if it looks unbalanced each day.

[marispel]

Could he have an ear infection or teething? My DS recently went through this where he didn't want to eat & finally figured out he had an ear infection???

[Llyra]

I mostly just put out food, at regular times, and let them do the rest. They go through stages where they eat nearly nothing, and it's never seemed to hurt them any. I remember thinking that DD1 must metabolize oxygen, since she grew so well on what really seemed like NOTHING.

Keep the junk out of the house, and offer good food at regular times. If he doesn't eat, say nothing. If he does eat, say nothing, too. Just leave it up to him, and he'll do fine.

[MariesMama]

When my DD was living on air a couple months ago, I would just sit her down for three meals a day (nothing eaten) and then put a tray of snacks in the living room at snack time. I was VERY worried, but then all of a sudden, she grew an inch and a half and stayed the same weight.

I didn't cater to what I knew she would eat (nuggets and fries every day) but just offered a variety of healthy foods. She's fine. It's freaky though.

[JBaxter]

YOu can hide alot in a smoothie! Jack decided he was only going to throw his food to the dog lately. He will will drink a smoothie made with yogurt, applesauce banana, pumpkin, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and raw milk. I toss a handfull of spinach leaves in for good measure.

On days he doesnt want to eat we make those

[NaturallyPeachey]

I knew we'd hit this stage eventually. No one could believe me when I told them he ate whatever was put in front of him and then bam - he's just not hungry anymore! He is big for his age too - bigger than most two year olds so he grew fast but his dad is 6'6" and I'm 5'10" so we didn't think twice.

Thanks for the smoothie idea. I'll have to try that. I bet he would love them. I might also start not making snack time a priority because I do feel like he fills up during that time and then doesn't eat his meal - especially at dinner time. I just can't imagine how he has the energy to keep going on applesauce!

[tatsu15]

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I would make a fruit smoothie that she can drink and sneak a boiled egg yolk in there or some red lentils and blend it all up till smooth consistency. I sometimes add parsley or cilantro.

I don't use exact measurements but here is a sample:

Some frozen wild blueberries
Half a banana
Some rice milk
Boiled egg yolk (do you eat eggs?) not sure
and blend it up

I mix and match with the other stuff too like the lentils and kid friendly herbs. But for the most part she'll drink it especially when she gets thirsty after running around.

[jadedqueen123]

Another mom of a child who insists on just feeding it all to the dogs. Thankfully she still nurses so I don't stress to much.

[walking burp cloth]

Smoothies are good. My ds eats a tiny bit every hour or so. It is a bit annoying, but over the course of a few days, he is balanced.

[Violet2]

DD eats only a few things now and so I mostly just go with the flow.

Yogurt or cottage cheese for bfast and lunch.

Fruit.

Baked beans.

Rinse and repeat. It gets a little dull.

I do offer other stuff but she rarely eats it. Today she had some chili but it was awfully close to baked beans so I don't know if it counts.

She refused the pork chops at dinner. Asked for salad, but just chewed and spit it out and then was mad when I evicted her from the high chair since she wasn't eating. DH eventually fed her something else (yogurt or cheese I think) and then she ate cookies.

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[Drummer's Wife]

Is he nursing? I just ask b/c at that age, my 3rd baby was barely eating much at all - but since he was nursing so frequently, I really didn't worry about his food intake.

Anyhow, toddlers definitely eat in spurts - they may seem to chow down a lot for weeks and then suddenly have days where you swear they only ate a couple crackers and had a handful of grapes.

I agree with supplying healthy foods and letting your LO take what he needs.

[mnm4242]

We're in the same boat.

My daugther is 19 mos old too and she is intollerant/allergic to dairy so she doesn't get milk or cheese either.

Our pediatrician is beginning to get concerned because she hasn't gained weight in 3 months. But she has grown in heighth and she was chubby so i feel like she is just losing some of the chub. Plus she runs around all day long like crazy (never sits still) and she is not as interested in eating like she was when she was a baby.

Anyways, I would definitely suggest trying to change up the presentation to make the food more attractive /fun for your LO. Kids at this age are very visual when it comes to food. I got some ideas from the "super baby food" book which is a great book btw.

Also, toddlers tend to eat more if they are offered several small meals throughout the day instead of 3 big meals. I would have healthy snacks available throughout the day. I made her a soup today and am freezing it in small portions so I can give it to her in the day (without having to prepare it).

Good luck!