Getting 2 YO to eat veg

Lotus-eater

I can't answer everyone, just too many posts now. But be assured I value every viewpoint and read and digest them all.

Almost all of the things mentioned we have tried before, I might have a word with the health visitor again and see what she says.

ValOrient

One thing to try is to serve all food at the table, but when it comes to veggies or anything he doesn't like, say Oh, you can't have those because you aren't big enough'. If he thinks he is missing out then he might want to try some. Or you could try eating foods but not offering him any; he might ask what it is but just tell him the name and leave it up to him to ask to try it.

The most important thing is to stop stressing, he WILL change his eating habits eventually, it might take years but as long as he is healthy and not underweight then I wouldn't worry too much.

Lotus-eater

ValOrient wrote: »

One thing to try is to serve all food at the table, but when it comes to veggies or anything he doesn't like, say Oh, you can't have those because you aren't big enough'. If he thinks he is missing out then he might want to try some. Or you could try eating foods but not offering him any; he might ask what it is but just tell him the name and leave it up to him to ask to try it.

Yeah, that sounds quite a good idea on paper, unfortunately he's a bit too sharp for that.
He'll want some till he sees what they are. I have tried.

LaineyR

There are a couple of leaflets which you can get from your HV which might be useful "help my child won't eat" and "help my child still won't eat". They are written in association with the British Dietetic Association and are great.

http://www.ndr-uk.org/pdf/BDAPaediatricGroup/HMCWE_Nov%2009.pdf.
Can't find a link that works for the second one..

Your HV might also be able to refer you to a dietician, they are great at taking the stress out of it all.

Lotus-eater

In that link there was another mention of vitamin drops for under fives, I've never heard of that before.
Does everyone else give their under 5's vitamins?

Thanks for the link it's very interesting.

LaineyR

Check with your HV team, the new advice is for all under 5's to have a Vitamin D supplement, because of the cases of rickets. If a little one isn't eating well a multivitamin supplement is usually good.

SkintGypsy

So we smother them in sunscreen and then give them vitamins cos they are lacking in Vit D?

Cat501

SkintGypsy wrote: »

So we smother them in sunscreen and then give them vitamins cos they are lacking in Vit D?

Why not? Better than ending up with skin cancer.

I remember vitamin drops when I was young, can clearly remember the taste even if I can't describe it!

OP as loads of people have said, don't worry too much, your child does have a a varied diet. Is it your first child? I worried myself sick about my first and her tiny appetite, by the third I was more chilled - DS is 14 now and only knowingly ate a vegetable when he was around 9 - carrot. It still bugs me a little (ok quite a lot!) that he point blank refuses to try any others when the rest of us can happily eat a plateful of veg, but hey ho - he's healthy, fit....Whatever vitamin or mineral you can think of, there's always an alternative source x

SqueekyMouse

I think it was January of this year when parents were advised to give all under 5s vitamin drops containing at least vitamins A, C and D.

I remember the story on BBC Breakfast

I give them to my 1 year old, the dose is 7 drops which we mix with a little water and give it by syringe - she doesn't object to the taste, but I'm sure you'd be able to add it to food or drink if you were sure the whole dose would be consumed (so don't add it to any veg!!!)

Make-it-3

LotusEater, you say you have tried everything, how about now trying nothing?

I started out doing baby led weaning with my LO, and I'm a big advocate of it because I think the philosophy behind it is spot on.

My 17 month old is by no means one of those eat everything children, but the key is to be totally relaxed and trust that kids instinctively know what their bodies need. Look at the bigger picture, not what they eat at any given meal, or even over a day, but over the course of a week or longer. We all have phases or food cravings, why not kids?

I think what you have described he will eat is is a range of foods from different food groups. So maybe you need to accept he is eating a balance, for him

To help there are a few things I live by:

Always eat together and ensure there is a least something you know they will eat on the menu.

Relax, just eat your own food and let them eat theirs, or not as the case may be. Don't encourage, offer bribes or show any kind of pleasure or displeasure at what they are doing. If you offer healthy deserts let them eat them first if they want.

Don't resort to offering junk even if the list of things they will eat is very small.

Let them eat the portion size they want.

Keep experimenting, food comes and goes with seasons, try to include something new in your own meals on a weekly basis. Most of us aren't adventurous enough ourselves. This week I bought kiwi fruit for the first time (my LO also eats very little fruit and veg) thought she wouldn't be interested, but she loves them.

She also won't touch any red food, I agree maybe an instinctual protection thing about avoiding poisons, I offer her strawberries she bats them away, she then sees me chop and mix them into yoghurt and she's happy to eat them. We all have our own little foibles - I can't bear cabbage but will happily chow on coleslaw.

Lastly, after this essay, may I recommend a book called "My Child Won't Eat" by Carlos Gonzalez (I think it has just been reprinted) its not about tricks to get your child to eat but about understanding what their dietary needs really are and how not to make meals a battle zone.