Change in toddler's appetite

[Halfasianmomma]

DD, 33 months, was always a big eater, especially of MEAT. Since she was a baby, she has loved eating a variety of goods, and I never had trouble with getting her to try new foods...until a month ago. She has now turned into a majorly fussy and difficult toddler. Everything results in a meltdown, including mama's insistence that she eats in the morning before leaving for daycare.

I used to think that the reluctance to eat was due to her just not being a morning person and needing more time to wake up, but now her food fussiness has extended to lunch AND dinner. Anytime we mention "It's time to eat", she immediately yells out "NO! I DON'T WANNA". I get that she's in her opposition phase, but I worry that she's not eating enough, especially in the mornings before going to daycare.

The daycare has new rules now that forbid bringing any other food than fruit in the morning; they also serve a sort of breakfast at 9h30, usually fruit or maybe cereal with milk. We generally get DD up at 6h10 and we need to leave the house at 7h10. She's in daycare by 7h45, which leaves her almost 2 hours with food (if she refuses to eat that is). I have started waking DD up a bit earlier to see if being more "awake" stimulates her appetite, but it doesn't work. I've also cut out all snacks that aren't veggies and fruits.

I'm not quite sure what to do at this point. Maybe I need to offer her a sort of "health shake" to drink in the car on the way to daycare...Or perhaps I should just let DD snack throughout the day to avoid constant confrontations about her eating. Maybe she's going through a phase of not being hungry...

Ideas anyone?

[TwoBites]

We went through that with our oldest from the time he was two, until just a couple of months ago, when we made up a game called "Two Bites" to try and encourage him to try new foods.  When we told him we were going to play an 'eating game' at dinner that night, he got excited and couldn't wait to play.  We played it and he ate.  On the third night, he was eating broccoli and cauliflower, and was excited to eat it.

I'm too new here to have a sig file or post any links (already was booted from one forum for posting a link to it) but once I've been here a while or can PM, I'll give you a link to the website.

-Dani

[eleonrauis]

My DS (now 37mos) started to get really picky a few months ago too.  I make smoothies with fruit and veggies (I use jarred baby food for convenience) and yogurt when I need to get a good breakfast in him.  He will go a few days where he hardly eats at all and then have a couple days where he eats like a horse.  There are a handful of things he will almost always eat and some others that he will occasionally eat.  For meals, we usually serve him a variety of things and make sure to include one of his "always" foods.