5yo wont eat!

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

My 5yo is still nursing about once a day, however he just got over a very long case of tonsillits along with a possible case of EBV virus. He is very skinny from being so sick. He has purple rings under his eyes. I am trying to force him to eat...but it's such a struggle. I've never been strick on eating...but when you see your child has lost so much weight...I feel like i have to make him. He would rather watch TV or play video games than eat! I've tried to make a rule that he must eat breakfast first at the kitchen table then do school work..then he can play video games and or watch TV, play etc....
He will either not be hungry and litterally not eat till 1-2 pm in the afternoon, or he'll eat one bite and say he's full. Which I know he's not full.
I'm spinning my wheels.
Any suggestions?

[One_Girl]

My dd does this when she is sick and has had to go to the doctor because she got lethargic. She had no sugar in her urine and wasn't able to stay awake at all and the doctor told me to feed her whatever she would eat with a focus on things with quick sugar right at first. I let her nibble on whatever she will eat when she is sick and I don't care if it is done in front of tv or in a bedroom, I clean up right afterwards. I find that if she has things she likes right at first she is more open to eating other things later. When she gets into a cycle of eating though she doesn't get out of it for the usual healthy food she likes a lot. It was hard for me to give her just food she likes, but it was harder for me to see her listless, not moving much, and unresponsive. It was a truly scary thing that I never want to go through with her again. Kids need energy from what they eat to help fight off the sickness so not eating really isn't good in the long run. Once she is feeling better we are right back to normal.

[peaceful_mama]

I've read quite a bit on the whole food subject, and basically everything I have read has boiled down to simply this: YOU control what foods are available and when they are available to him, HE controls which foods he eats from what you have made available and how much he eats.

I would avoid making this into a power struggle in any way possible.

I've heard a lot on here about smoothies...I started making them for my kids and I have a very hard time envisioning them EVER turning one down. I've used all kinds of fruits and usually a banana just for the sweet factor. Some moms on here even put spinach or avocado. I put flaxseeds cause I have a TON of them.

my basic recipe--milk, frozen berries/fruit, and a banana.
calories, protein, and fat.

extra points probably for a fun cup and a straw--most kids seem to think straws are pretty cool for some reason.

Mine also like a bit of limited choice in food--like "Do you want some of this (whatever I just made) or this spaghetti we had last night?" I don't ALWAYS do that, but they like it.

[Mamato3wild ponnie]

Smoothies....i wish i could get him to drink a smoothie...I'd have to get creative...he doesnt like grainy things in his smoothies! Geez..
Your right about what foods we buy....i've got to stop buying junk foods and start keeping more healthy food in the house...for all of us!
Any suggestions about ingredients for a smooth smoothy?