Parents of 21 month old’s…..

Question

I have a 21 month old boy who has always done very well with eating his fruits and veggies. He LOVES fruit and does okay with veggies considering most kids hate them.

Lately he’s been really picky with what he’s been eating. Last night we had chicken, mashed potatoes, mushrooms and green beans. He ate only the mashed potatoes and that’s it. He also had nothing to snack on after daycare so I really thought he’d be hungry. I know kids will eat when hungry enough, but is this a stage or is he just being a little boogar?

At 21 months are they old enough to understand “At least one bite”? I’d have to say no but I’m going to ask anyways.

What do you do when your child suddenly starts picking at the foods you have always served for dinner? How do you go about this?

Also, it’s not only with dinner, it’s breakfast too. He used to chow on a banana and cheerios or some sort of fruit in the mornings, lately he’s not eating much at all. And daycare says he eats all his lunch that I pack for him so he IS eating something.

Suggestions?

Answer 1

I think it's pretty normal for kids that age to have 'picky days'.  I have 22 month old twins and they're normally pretty good eaters, not really picky at all but they have days where they don't want to eat anything.  I figure as long as they're eating something then they're ok.  Forcing them to eat just stresses all of us out so I just try to get them to have a little bit.  If they eat very little at one meal they'll usually make up for it at the next one.

I've also heard that it's not uncommon for kids this age to eat less around this age because they're not growing as fast as they were when they were younger.  Just about everyone I know who has a toddler has complained about their kid not wanting to eat or being picky.

Answer 2

He is going through the first of MANY stages that involve food. There are going to be moments when you start to wonder how on earth is he surviving. Your pediatrician will be able to tell you more about this.

Answer 3

I had the same issue but our Pediatrician said that as long as he is gaining or maintaining weight...no need for concern.  All kids go through this and their taste buds change A LOT!  Just try introducing new things that he hasn't had or hasn't had in a while.  Remember, their stomachs are only as big as their fist....they don't need much food!  Is he drinking so much milk that he is filling himself up on that?