A good eater that won't eat anymore

I have an almost 2 year old. He used to be a great eater, lots of veggies and fruit. He comes from a great family and they eat very healthy all of the time. Suddenly he's stopped eating veggies and fruit. Not just at daycare, but at home too.

I noticed he was only eating things like bread, crackers, anything dairy and ignoring the rest of his plate. So, I started removing the carbs until some of the veggie/fruit was attempted.

Today he's being fed lasagna and veggies. I put the plate down and he broke into tears. I thought the seatbelt on the booster seat hurt him... but nope... he's just upset at his lunch.

So, who's run into this before? Should I be concerned about his eating habits? Should i give him the carbs first and hope he eventually get's back into the veggies? I'm not concerned about him starving as I know a kid will eat when they're hungry. But, he hasn't eaten anything here today.

mom has expressed her concerns to me and she knows I'm holding back on the carbs until he eats his healthy stuff, but I'm not so sure he's doing the same at home as he showed up with a peice of bread in his hand today.

Maybe he is just bored of the same fruits and veggies? Maybe prepare or present the veggies in a different way. Kids sometimes go through phases where they wont eat something that they used to love to eat.

Sounds like he is going through a phase ~ you and Mom might have to change the menu up a bit to keep him interested in veggies but, he is no different then any of us who change their likes and dislikes. I would ask Mom what he eats for sure and that way, you know he is eating something and Mom approves of what he is eating and keep her mind at ease too

Children have growth spurts and plateaus and you really notice them slow down and leave a plateful of food when for the past months or years they have eaten a full plate and asked for more. It's mostly noticeable in boys in my experience and it even happened at about age 3 to my little daycare boy who has always asked for 3rds.

I have a little boy who has just turned 2 and he seems to have hit that plateau and is refusing to eat any meat lately. I give him tiny portions and if he eats it all I give him a little more. As long as I tell the parents what I fed them every day and what they ate or left behind so the parents might expect the child to be extra hungry in the evening I feel I'm doing my part and a good job.

For whatever reason kids reach about this age and their entire eating pattern shifts and yes veggies seem to get the yuk status. I just continue feeding normally and ignore the protests and yes limit the starches. I also find they go through a food shouldn't touch stage about now too so casseroles they ate at 18 months are now yuk.

A lot will have to do with how the parents are handling it at home. If they are catering to him and making him separate meals then you will have continued protests at daycare when you don't.

I would mention to mom that you have noticed his reluctance to eat some of the foods he has always eaten and some entire food catagories such as veggies are getting the negative reaction and see what she says. If she says at home to ask how she is dealing with it and that will tell you a lot.

I have a 2 1/2 year old who is in this phase...used to eat everything and recently started to not like things. I mentioned to his parents one day that he no longer wants the sauce on his pasta and they said he's been eating plain pasta at home for months...not only that but they give him bread and peanut butter for dinner most nights because he doesn't like what is being served. That's when I realized where the problem was coming from. I know kids go through phases and tastes change etc, but if you cater to it it only gets worse. So, I continue to serve him the same foods, and the only concession I have made is that I put the sauce on the side (so the other kids don't notice that he isn't eating sauce and want the same)...otherwise he eats most everything I serve still....just won't eat most things at home because he knows he can get something better.

He seems to be specifically in an all dairy phase. Cheese, yogurt, milk... milk... milk... ect. Mom seems to have concerns with it, however, I'm from the belief that kids get what they need. As long as we're offering them a good assortment we're doing our jobs. This is also the same mom that took him off of cows milk so he just get's water and juice that's been super watered down! I feel bad for him, I know he finds it hard when the little ones get milk and he's stuck with water.

Since milk is his food currency right now too bad mom won't let you give him a small cup of milk IF he finishes the food on his plate and is still thirsty. His body is craving something from the dairy and it is feeling like it isn't getting enough.

Is there a chance she took him off the milk because all he wanted to do was drink and not eat. That too is a very common thing for kids and one of the reasons when I have a group like that I do give them water for lunch and milk with snacks is so that they can't just drink the milk and eat the starch to tide them over to the next yummy snack.

Right around the age of 2, kids are able to recognize by sight the foods that they do/don't like. So this is when the tragic faces and cries of "ickyyyy" tend to come out, LoL.
If mom/dad are really on the same page, it should pass or get better. He may be a little pickier than some, but at least start to eat more. If they make him something different when he complains; well, it will be a longer road.
I would still offer him a portion of everything we are serving. Our house rule is that you must eat everything (or at least give a reeeaallly good try) on your first plate, in order to have seconds of anything. On occasion I will bend the rules if kids are begging for more veggies, hahaha. I really start to enforce this around the age of 2, so I think he is old enough.
I have really tried to relax about food issues. I prepare good, healthy food that I know isn't too out there or exotic. I place it in front of the children, and then my job is done. I will encourage someone (I have been known to say "X more bites, please!"), but what can you do? You can't MAKE a kid eat. Trying to just creates food issues and control issues. So just keep doing what you are doing, maybe change up what you have been serving or how it's presented and don't feel too badly about it.
:)

Try changing up the presentation of the food. My guys look at the plate and won't eat it if I just dish it out...but...if fruit is cut up into shapes, sandwiches into hearts and veggies into 'veggie monsters' you'll be amazed how much more they will eat.

We make it a game to see who an eat all of their veggie monster...plus its a great learning experience. Which fruit is cut into a heart, which one is cut into a circle. Takes a little more time to organize but I find it worth it.

I find this is a typical age that changes come up in childrens eating habits. I think in addition to them being at an age of being more aware of different textures and visually recognizing foods they like and dislike like mom-in-alberta says, theres often huge changes in behaviour in other areas too. This is ,give or take, the time for terrible two's after all. Maybe the child isn't misbehaving in other areas and even the not eating isnt really bad behaviour ,but one thing 2 year olds tend to go through in different ways is a power struggle. At this age they are really coming into their own more and tend to protest and test the boundaries. I have found more often than not at age 2 they dont eat aswell. They dont necessairily display dislike to the food though. I dont often see kids put the food in their mouth and suddenly spit it out in disgust. Sometimes there can become a texture issue but otherwise I think its about them realizing they have the choice to eat or not so they suddenly test you to see what the consequences are. Maybe at home this child is able to do this and he can manipulate mum and/or dad and they will give in and give him crackers or other favourite foods as a substitute which would explain why at daycare when you dont give him an alternative he gets upset. This is just my opinion based on my experience. We all know how clever these little ones are. ;)

When I am faced with this situation. I tend to offer smaller portions so as not to overface the child and also to save me the daily waste. I dont make an alternative and I dont withhold other food like carbs as this can make the situation worse. Thats my personal opinion from having this done to me as a child and also having a fussy eater in my family. I find that consistancy is very inportant with this so if parents arent onboard it is very frustrating as it can seem like for quite some time I get nowhere. I try to have daily talks with parents either at drop off or pick up, which I know sometimes is almost impossible, but it means parents need to be accountable and voice what they have been doing at home to back you up. I know a parent can say they do everything right but most people can tell if they are lying or not. If you are both on the same page it should work itself out even though I know sometimes you wonder if the child is getting enough nutrients I just tend to agree with what others have said and the child WILL eat when they are hungry. Other alternatives are to make something that is a little different. If making food from scratch it can sometimes be a little easier to smuggle healthy food in to dishes. I am a fan of the sneaky chef as you can add allsorts to everyday dishes. My daughter who is now 11 hasnt eaten veggies since she was about 4 or 5 and she is perfectly healthy. I sneak stuff in all the time:) Shhhhh lol

I have a child who Ive cared for for 2 years now and literally just in the past month she is now eating a full size portion for her age, 3 yrs, and mum is very pleased with this but cant believe it took her so long and doesnt quite believe me when I tell her the food she eats. I have been to their house for lunch on a weekend with my kids and I have seen her feed her children microwaved left over mcdonalds from the day before and I have also collected this child from home one day and she was eating doritos for breakfast. Its not for me to lecture parents on what they feed their children but its no wonder when they are fussy eaters and it just proved to me that you really dont know what kind of eating habits are being drilled into these children. Good Luck with your fussy eater. Hopefully this phase will pass soon :)