Today's Life

How Can I Get My Toddler To Eat Healthy Food?

My daughter is 18months and she barely eats anything I give her. I try to cook healthy dishes for her, to feed her fruit and meat and wholegrains but mostly all she will eat it chips, sausage rolls, yogurt and biscuits. How can I force her top eat a wider range of foods? I gave her a sandwich just before with wholemeal bread, ham, tomato and cucumber and she pulled it apart and threw it on the floor. This is making me feel like a bad mother, please help!

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A:       Around 18 months, toddlers have a decreased appetite; it is normal for a toddler to become picky eaters. They are struggling for autonomy, which is why they refuse food and sometimes have ritualistic behaviors like having the same dish, same spoon, etc.
Toddlers prefer finger foods so try vegetables that he or she can pick up, crackers, macaroni, etc. They tend to refuse casseroles, salads or mixed dishes. Introduce different foods gradually.
Do not bribe the child to eat or tell him or her to “clean your place.” Serve smaller portions; if sufficient amounts are not eaten during mealtimes, eliminate snacks.
Also recognize that refusing to eat is a way to attract attention.
have you tried discussing this issue with your pediatric?

A:                 General is correct…if you only offer her healthy foods and nothing else she will eat healthy foods. She will not starve herself. I promise you

A:                   

try putting fruit and seeds and nuts into the yogurt. then slowly face in more things into other dishes she eats. good luck. and remember that their tastes change but dont push or she will push back.

A:               Be a mother and put your foot down.
Anybody who starts feeding a kid of that age that crap needs a lesson in life.
Yogurt is the only thing that is good.
Try introducing fruit and instead of giving her such a variety ham, tomato, bread cucumber all at once givive it to her one by one. See what she eats and likes.
Try the link below.
It is no use making things too complicated to begin with
Been there, done that, my sympathies.

A:            Just make him eat it. I have a little sister, and I tell her she must eat the food given to her because there’s no other food (but there is). It always works. Don’t give in to her because she’ll keep on taking advantage of you if you do.

A:                Hi, your situation sounds just like mine! My 19 month old is very picky and seems very sensitive to different textures (for example, she will eat baby food fruit but gags on the actual apple or banana or just refuses it.) Anyway, I think it is quite normal for their age, and you just have to be patient and keep offering the healthy food. Make sure she is really hungry before meal time, in other words reduce snacking on chips and things. I still buy the Toddler soups and stews and she likes those very much, have you tried those? Basically I don’t think you can ever force her to eat the wider range, but offer good stuff and try not to let the bad stuff be available. Best of luck to you (and me)!

A:             Carrot and some greens. You can mash it up or cut it into very small pieces, and mix with porridge. Change the ‘presentation’ of your dishes, to make it looks attractive. Maybe you can let her have some appetizer before her meals.

A:                grate veges and mix together with little milk, a egg and flour to make pancake, or just add grated veges into spag bog, stews, casseroles,etc, they cant pick at it and tend to eat it more, most kids that age go through a picky stage, she will grow out of it just keep persevering

A:             she’ll eat wahtever you give her if she gets hungry enough – stick to your guns or you will end up with a spoiled brat.

A:                 Provide the healthy food, but give her a bottle of ketchup to go with it.