How can I get my toddler to eat more?

Suggestions how to get a 2 year old to eat regular food? All he ever wants is graham crackers and other snack food. Can’t ever get him to take a bite of real food.

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Help a mama out and respond anonymously on our forum. How can I get my toddler to eat more?

My daughter did this. Her pediatrician told me not to give her any snacks. She was to only eat at meals. If she wanted a snack to give her a glass of milk or some water. It didn’t take long for her to start eating her meals. And when she was eating her meals she didn’t want to snack all the time. Once we got that established if she was still hungry she could have a healthy snack like fruit or veggies

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Dip. My kids are much more willing to eat anything if they can dip it.

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Put it on a plate and start eating he will eat it because it’s "your food " my kids mostly eat off my plate for some reason they rarely eat the same food on their plate kids are funny.

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Stop giving him the snack food. Offer real meals several times a day, eventually they get curious and will try it.

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Stop giving him the snack food he will get really hungry n end up eating real food …. One of my twins r like this and I try n offer something I know he will eat he only wants a hand full of real food items but :woman_shrugging:t2: he ate eggs and rice for a week straight :joy: but I knew it was better then snacks at least

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Start with similar texture foods like dont try to force kale on him til you get him eating basics. Try applesauce or mashed sweet potatoes or stick some of the snack food on top of the real food. You eat a bite then encourage him by saying how yummy it is. Some of this may just be a phase too toddlers are finicky eaters. Also consider making muffins or cookies with healthy ingredients like fruits or veggies he will get there

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Don’t give in to what he wants. He won’t starve himself. When he’s hungry enough, he’ll eat what you give him. I know this from experience. When my oldest was about 3 maybe 4, I made stir-fry. I made it with everything he likes. He picked out every single veggie. ALL of them, including the ones he really likes, carrots, broccoli, baby corn, all the good stuff. So I saved them for him. He asked for a bed time snack, I gave him his veggies, he pushed them away and went to bed without a snack. I saved them breakfast, even warmed them up, he pushed them away and left the table, lunch time came same thing. It was about 1230-1245 he came to me and said “mum, if I eat those veggies, can I have some real food after” all angry too lol, I said “of course, you could have avoided this whole thing if you ate them with your dinner”. He ate them, I gave him exactly what he wanted after that. Since then, 10 years ago, he will try everything at least once, doesn’t waste if he takes it.

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leave out a small portion of fresh cut fruit and veggies as a snack. that way they’re getting nutrients and not junk and even if they don’t eat meals well they’re still getting what they need.

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I always include something i know my kids like with new stuff. So if youd normal give 5 Graham crackers give 3 and small pieces of two new things. And be consistent with what you’re introducing try not to overwhelm.

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SMOOTHIES. You can add all the stuff they don’t like with a bit of sweetener like honey or vanilla or chocolate or Yogurt. Really great way to ensure they’re getting essential vitamins and nutrients.

Kids like snacking, teenagers eat meals. Try to keep that in mind :blush: I ate like a “bird” when I was a tot (as my mom would say) and now I eat pretty much everything and lots of it :stuck_out_tongue: don’t stress :heart:

always tell my kids they need to at least try it first and offer them a variety of snacks not just the same thing over and over again… 

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Don’t offer snack foods. Offer only want you want them to eat. Most kids this age are on to much on a go go mood that they don’t want to stop and eat. Just pick all day. You could also put a plate of “snack” food that you want then to eat on the table and let them pick at it through the day. Find way to make it fun or a milx of things they like. One of mine had to have ranch to eat anything. He liked to dip all his food. Lol

If you’re going to give snacks, make it real food like veggies or fruits, not junk food

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Don’t give him the snack food eventually he will be so hungry he will eat “real” food

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My Dr told me that they will eat when they r hungry.if I was worried then give them pedisure

Stop giving him what you don’t want him to eat and when he gets hungry he’ll eat real food

They go through stages of eating. He’ll eat when he wants too. You can’t force him to eat if he doesn’t want too.

I make food i know my child Will eat. Take away grahm crackers and snacks and he Will come around. They wont starve themselves

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He’s probably snacking too much which is a hard habit to break but I’d try breaking the snacking cycle and he will eventually get hungry and want real food.

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Give him choices. Dont ask yes or no questions about food…would you like fruit with dip or eggs with toast kind of thing…let him help you make it. Eat together. Water to drink with food…no soda or milk as they fill them up…then after hes eaten his choice he can have his chosen snack as part of his meal.
No snacks between meals and dont overwhelm him with big platefulls
Eating is one of the few things they can control at that age. Stay calm. Dont show you’re worried or frustrated . Be consistent on the no snacks till after food. No matter how bad you feel he will not starve

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I stopped snacks because if this issue. Now they eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. If they eat their food they get a small treat after of their choice. Normally it’s something healthy because that’s what I keep in the house. If they don’t eat I keep the food out for an extended period of time and then after they Wai until the next meal. They do have water alllll day as well.

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My 2 year old is the same way. His pediatrician says he will grow out of it.

Simple…don’t offer anything else,they will get hungry and they will eat…

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3 year olds can be tricky , try to cut back on snacks , but peanut butter is good for him , fruit cups are good for him , not fruit snacks , get like cheese sticks , or yogurt for snacks at least they have some nutritional value, veggies come with time , make him at least try, something when you have it .

Hide certain food out of sight or don’t buy it…

My son does similar, his slowly trying new things… His almost 3. I have No issues ever with him eating nuggets and chips. (I now do this once a week)

I had to put him on formula (2 cups a day) for half his nutrients as he become anemic from being so picky - his levels are up now which is good.
He likes pies aswell.
Loves cheese. Vegemite or Nutella on toast.

(So we Still have his favourites. But the other nights do different meals. Eventually he picks at it when his hungry.
Like I cooked a roast pork he ate cauliflower- a little bit of pork. broccoli an gravy (he was the first one at the table & last to leave). - I’m one that gets a tad excited to see my son eat different food lol.

Limit snacks.
I say would u like a strawberry, or a yoghurt l, cheese & crackers etc and then he will usually pick it something I have said as there’s no other option.

  • if he asks for some chips - I say sorry there’s none. Distract so he forgets chips - then try with a healthy snack. But do a few healthy options he would usually take but add something else healthy. So ur encouraging something else.

Every so often give a tiny snack size chips “ look what mum found”.

Try to encourage fruit time. With urself. Add something different.

My son only eats plain pasta so I add a bit mixed together with pasta sauce just so he has the 2 options.

My partner will also have bits and pieces out the fridge, - fritz - roast chicken. (I Also encourage him to offer him some to as I find lately his been noticing what he eats and wants to try it.

Put butter and peas in his with no sauce, alot of kids find spaghetti sauce bitter.

Hide veggies in things he will eat…carrots, peas, squash, spinach, sweet potatoes or beans hidden in sauces or baked muffins or pancakes :slightly_smiling_face:

When I was young you ate was what was put in front of you

i had to cut off all junk. not even fruit snacks (from jar) ! she wouldn’t eat anything!! it was horrible. since i cut off all snacks and crap she eats all her meals. 3 meals a day plus 1 snack of fruit of yogurt

Cut out snacks during the day and if he’s eat things he likes(pb and j) and nuggets and ff at least he’s eating.

Stop giving him junk food or snacks , do not even buy it, if he sees it he will ask for it , give him what you cook if he refuses , just wait , he will eat eventually when he gets hungry .
Also , try to cut the drinks a little bit as well .
Get him some kids multivitamins too

Leave it on a plate/in a bowl if he’s hungry he will eat it

Quit buying junk. That way at least what he eats is healthy