Advice for a VERY, VERY fussy almost 2 yr old

Please help! How do I get my almost 2yr old DD to eat!
Breakfast is usually the only easy meal of the day for us, as she is happy to eat fruit, cereal, yoghurt etc. Lunch, well it's hit and miss as to whether she will eat a sandwich, usually just eats whats inside. And dinner is a nightmare, she won't eat vegies of any kind, except potato (and only baked potato, no mash), no salad (except cheese), no sausages or rissoles, only will eat steak, chops etc.
I have no idea what to feed her or how to hide vegies etc, because if she doesn't like the look of it, she won't even try it.
I know people say it's just a phase and she will grow out of it, but she has always been like this. Any advice would be greatly appreciated smile

Stacie

Hi StaceG

I am in exactly the same situation as yourself! My two year old daughter eats a large breakfast, lunch is also a hit and miss and dinner also a nightmare! My daughter won't eat any meats or any type of vegie.
When she didn't eat the first dinner i made i would make something else and still didn't work! Honestly i don't have time to do this as i also have a 6month old and my husband works late.

My only advice is my doctor told me that although we think our toddlers need more food they actually don't and as long as they are not sick then they dont need to eat three meals a day. I have just started to repeat the foods she does eat and give them to her everyday and with one of her meals i add something new each day, sometimes she will try it sometimes she won't. It is so hard when they are fussy and sorry i am not much help, just wanted to let you know you are not alone! My daughter wont eat any vegies either so i went and got the junior fruit and veg juice which is in the baby section and she drinks these, even though it isn't the ideal situation at least she is getting a small amount of vegie in some way.
I also find that when I go and sit down near her with something i am eating she will try my food, but if i give her the same thing she won't even go near it!

I try hiding the vegies all the time and i cut them tiny but she will not eat them she picks them out or spits them out! You said your daughter won't eat mashed potatoe so this would be hard for you too!

Gosh - I have the same issue with almost EXACT same diet, and my son is getting worse as he gets older! As soon as he see's colour in his food he'll pick it out or just not even try it - although - on the odd occasion he will try things (lettuce leaf, carrot, etc,) but just spit it straight out!

He has everything for bfast, loves dairy & Sausage! Has cereal, with fruit, toast - lunch will norm pick out inside of sandwich and dinners are left full plated unless it is sausage or dry pasta, or pizza!

I'm beside myself how to get veges into him!

My 19mth old daughter is the same...and I agree with just about everything said. Anyone have any great ideas about how to stop her chucking the leftovers on the floor?
I love the pikelet recipie, do they freeze?
My husband looked after our daughter while I was in hospital having our son (for four weeks) and when I came home he was so concerned about the amount she ate. she had grown several cms in that time. She must be getting enough!

Hi, I have a similar problem with my son. It started when he was 2, and now that he is 3 he is gotten worse. What I discovered after trial and error is 3 things. 1, he wont starve and he is developing really well even though he almost doesnt eat. 2 He'll eat ANYTHING in the shape of a cake, so I make him spinach and cheese muffins, or fish cakes or mini quiche in puff pastry and he eats those no problem. 3 If your kid is something like mine, then he/she will eat pizza. So just do it home made, mix some flour with butter (with your hands) until it has the consistency of breadcrumps. Then add some milk and make a sticky dough. Roll it , put some tomato over it and extremelly small chopped veggies (I put broccoli and carrot) and a little bit of smoked chiken cover with grated cheese. 20 minutes in the oven at 200 and you are done. The whole thing doesnt take more than 30 minutes in total.
The best thing is to relax about the issue (I know is not easy), I give him a big breaksfast, and dinner at 4 only, so that he will be hungry then. If in between he eats some bread or drinks some milk im happy with it. From 5 till 7 ( when he goes to bed) he usually ask foe ice cream (I give him very cold yogurth instead) or milk, hope it helps, and if somebody has got some tips please put them, cause I would love for him to improve his eating habbits or for me not to be doing still separate meals for him but I thing is a slow a long process. smile

Thankyou to everyone for your suggestions and it's comforting to know that there are other kids like my DD! I will try the pikelet recipe, although she won't eat normal pikelets, but I'm willing to give anything a go. The pizza idea is good too.

hippomum wrote:
My friends are sick of hearing this but pikelets are my saviour. Mix up a batch of pikelets but replace the milk with a cup of pureed veggies - I use a mix of cooked pumpkin, carrot and red lentils. Add a pinch of sugar and cinnamon too. DS is a vegiephobe but he loves these and its better than no veggies at all.

great recipe:) will try these out thanks!

I also experience this problem and it has been nearly 1 year now so I have stopped stressing over it. Our latest hit is zucchini slices with a bit of ham on them, this is the only meat she eats now. I have wasted so much time cooking things that get thrown on the floor so I don't bother, she won't eat sausages either.

I do make plain pikelets for snacks on the go to save buying biscuits so I will give the pureed vege idea a go too, although when I tried it about 6mths ago she wouldn't eat them, I think the thing to remember is to go back and try old ideas as sometimes she decides that's alright to eat now.
Last night's dinner was a vegemite sandwich after a plate full of bright coloured veges,pasta all went to waste.It is hard especially when a cold comes on she barely eats and is so thin her weight worries me, but she is healthy and full of energy!!