at what age does it become appropriate to say.....

"this is what you're getting for breakfast/lunch/dinner, and nothing else." ?

my girls are pretty picky, but for hte most part ivana will give in and eat whatever. usually. but marina is so very stubborn. if she doesn't want it, she doesn't want it and that's that. tonight she wouldn't eat her dinner, no matter what i tried, and i ended up giving her a crepe with blueberries (cuz she loves them) and she gobbled it right up, so she was obviously hungry.

are they too young for me to say, "this is what you are getting to eat, and that's it" ?

 

I started the "this is what you get and that's it" around 20ish months. :good: We never had issues with breakfast and lunch... but dinner was always like you described. <_< So when I started doing this, they (mainly my son) didn't eat the first night... then the second but by the third he got that he wasn't getting anything else and he started eating. There are days he really just isn't going to eat a bite, but he still sleeps good that night. :good:

 

thank you! okay, so it's still too soon for them. i tell them, "this is all you're getting! " but then i end up giving something else cuz i truly feel like they wouldn't understand yet, and i don't want them to go to bed hungry. yet. lol
and yeah, breakfast and lunch aren't a big problem, it's dinner, ALWAYS dinner. why is that?

 

Danielle,

HI! We hadn't spoken in a while. I will email you later about that. I too had that same problem just a couple of weeks ago. A great friend (and fellow TS'er) told me to read wholesometoddlerfood.com and after that I was so relieved to see that this is normal at this age. Then I just stuck to my routine I was already doing and they seemed to have improved and are now eating so well. GL to you!

 

Great question! We too have pretty much the same issue. However-it can be ANY meal! Today-I did oatmeal for bkfst. Anthony dumped it on his tray, Nicholas gobbled it up. I also had some cheerios and fruit. But last night for DINNER...I gave them chx piccata and noodles. Didn't touch it. So-I made scrambled eggs-gobbled it up. I do not like picky eaters(yes-I am one myself!) and I do not want my kids to be picky. Generally, I don't make more than one meal, but I also try to give them a few options and hope the eat at least something!

I think the worst part about having kids is the food! What to make, what to make! LOL!

And thanks to the person who posted about that website-I'm going to check it out!

 

That has always been the rule here. The only time they get an exception is if I take a bite and think "this ain't happening," normally the result of DH going to heavy on the spices. Obviously when they were smaller we served them things we thought they would eat, but that was always the same thing we were eating. Some nights William and Brandon eat, some nights they don't. Nathan eats just about anything. If he doesn't, well then that will be an exception night.

 

My girls were terrible eaters when they were that age. They were in speech therapy for feeding problems I always gave in and still do. I always told my self I would never be a short order cook and some nights I am. But it stems from feeling bad they were always underweight and never wanted to eat. So I guess that is why I always did it.

 

it's getting better around here now that they have more words...and can ask for certain things.

We still mostly stick to things they like, but there are night where they reject our "experiment" and we make a hotdog (a couple, if slightly non-nutritious staple).

We also do a before bed snack and that helps top them off. We are working on cutting down on the snacks, but Jake seems to need it (and he's quite under weight).

I was a very picky eater and maybe my mom over indulged me, but for now I don't mind.

Miriam

 

I do think that they are too young to say "You get what I serve and that's it". They are still learning about food and how to express themselves. It's so frustrating, between trying to decide what to make, the mess and the waste! It can really drive you crazy!

My DD is underweight so I do make extra things just so she'll eat something. If she is being stubborn and throwing everything all ove the floor, I might take her out of her high chair for 15-20 minutes and try again. I also give a regualr snack before bed (yogurt, usually). Then I don't feel like she's going to bed with and empty stomach.

 

Mealtimes scare the he** out of me. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks...they all petrify me. The only one I enjoy is the little before bed snack we do because Jack refuses to eat anything all day but he will eat a bag of cheese cubes before bed. Sorry, I am no help!

 

QUOTE(ddancerd1 @ Feb 15 2009, 09:38 PM) [snapback]1191178[/snapback]
, it's dinner, ALWAYS dinner. why is that?


I have no idea and wondered this myself. ardon: I think that maybe they eat well during the day and just aren't as hungry?? I know my pediatrician said that if they have one full meal a day {even if it's including breakfast, lunch and dinner} then they are good. It is frustrating, I know but as long as they are growing and all, I guess we need to take it down a notch. :lol:

 

That has always been a rule in our house, we eat what is on our plates. There may be a night when I make something that I know my boys won't eat so I will make them a hot dog or pb&j, Molly is pretty adventurous so I don't really have to worry about her.

 

honestly yes, i think it's a little young. at least for my girls. just finally they are understanding exactly what I mean by this...and I also can negotiate with them...take two more bites of veggies andyou can have more ketchup (their latest obsession...)

 

I always sit down to feed them with two things-one thing I know they will eat and something new. This way they try new things and I learn what they like and dont and also they always eat the thing I served I knew they would like. If they eat both then great! If not, at least I know they arent hungry. Does that make sense?
With Sophie-I still kind of do the same thing. She eats what we eat for dinner but I will give her a few side items I know she WILL eat. If she doesnt eat I DO NOT make her anything else and she gets no snacks later. If she cries about being really hungry (because she didnt eat) I give her a plain peice of bread...is that mean? lol
Also, Sophie was always a bad eater-she ate like a little mouse! I was always worried and our pedi always reminded me that it was normal for toddlers to eat one good meal a day and pick at the rest of the meals...I try to remember that before I attempt force feeding. lol

 

I've done that from day one.....

 

I started only feeding them what we were having for dinner around 20 months too. However, I still will offer them a vegetable I know they'll eat and they always get some sort of fruit as well for dessert. But they only get the fruit if they've at least tried the main dish and ate a little of it.
Child of Mine is a great book that discusses feeding/food issues. I've seen alot of other ppl on here recommend it before.

 

Thank you for posting this!

Sometimes I know I gave my girls something they like but they act like they dont like it,or throw it on the floor, whatever. And I will keep giving them stuff until they eat something. Stubborn little MULES!

 

I hate that struggle. I guess about two I will say that but I always make sure there is something I know they like on their plate.

 

I can put foods I know that my kids will eat (have eaten many times before) on their plates, and some days they will just shove it away in "disgust". I just have to remind myself like so many others have said, as long as they are getting a couple good meals in them, they will be okay. I think my biggest issue is that dinner is where the most time and effort goes into making so when they refuse to eat it, it is just more frustrating.

 

I won't make a million things. If they won't eat, I'll give them slices of cheese and some fruit. I won't make anything else but I'll offer what's in the fridge. Sometimes they will eat 3 different fruits!

 

What is it with these kidlets turning their nose up to perfectly good things that they loved two days ago?

Now it's grilled cheese sandwiches. They refuse to eat them this week. But I do the same thing as many PP, if they don't eat what's on their tray, I give them fruit. I was going to give them the fruit anyway (I save it for last).