Can someone help me with some ideas for a picky 2 year old?

Katie - posted on 08/19/2012

I've gotten my step daughter (she's 12) to eat by having her cook with me. Of course i don't let her stand over the stove and stir things. But she helps me get things put together. By the time the meal is done she's actually excited to eat it because she knows that she helped make it.

Shanna - posted on 08/07/2012

My son is very picky too and just last night i was cutting up a little meat for his plate(which Is the hardest thing to get him to eat) and I didn't really pay any attention to the fact that i was cutting them into shapes, which is something he is learning about and pretty familiar with. Well He yells out square....rectangle....and he's all excited, so I went right along with him and tried to encourage his interest. It worked like a charm...he ate all his meat and wanted more. Then when it came to the corn(which I usually dont have a problem getting him to eat; howver this time I had over cooked it and it was mushy!) I simply identified it a "Little yellow squares"...and gulp...down the hatch went the corn !!!!!!!!! Also I would suggest letters and numbers or using cookie cutters for shapes or u can just cut the food into smaller shapes yourself if u want. Around this age is when a lot of kids are learning letters of the alphabet, numbers, colors and shapes.....so try to make meals fun and interesting to them....whatever is most appealing to them. Good Luck....I really think I've hit the jackpot here this time.

Amanda - posted on 12/19/2009

in my limited experience (4kids) no child will ever starve themselves , unless they are very ill , so if you only give them your idea of a healthy food then that's all there is. but it sounds like some little person is stubborn and trying to play the manipulation game to me. Which ever way you can live with in regards to the food choices you supply 'just stick to your guns' he wont starve himself. by the same token he wont dehydrate himself either. it is a power game for the child, i say power to you for you are boss. xoxo :)

Sherri - posted on 12/18/2009

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it. He really has a pretty good variety going there for being in the picky stage. And you can always puree veggies to hide in the red sauce. My first daughter went thru a stage of only wanting mashed potatoes and gravy. My middle daughter wouldn't eat any kind of potato, not even french fries when she was little but was pretty good with everything else. My youngest daughter wouldn't eat meat of any kind until she was 3, but went thru months of only wanting to eat fried eggs, and maybe toast. They grow out of it. Just keep offering tiny amounts of new things without any pressure or comment even & they will eventually try it.

Martha - posted on 12/18/2009

try some veggies and let him dip them in ketchup that used to helpo with my oldest when she was little or maybe some different kinds of meat it sounds gross but it worked

Ashley - posted on 12/18/2009

my 2 year old is the same also, i always cook andgive him what i make and after dinner if he hasnt ate...i always have something quick in hand that i know he will eat and i keep trying and he's starting to eat a few things he didnt eat before slowly but surely.

Savanna - posted on 12/18/2009

Have you ever made Shepards pie? It is hamburger (cooked) on the bottom of an 9x13 pan then put a can of tomato sauce over that then green beans and then (cooked) mashed potatos and sprinkle cheese over it. Cook on 375* for like 20 min. My son just turned 4 and that is all I could get him to eat for a while and he still doesnt know that he is eating veggies!! :)

Kristen - posted on 12/18/2009

Sophie and I have started "cooking" together. Pretty much she gets to pour the macaroni in the pot before the water gets too hot and then we put a food she loves in it...hot dogs. I'll also give her a new vegetable to eat with a "dipping sauce" that she's familiar with--because she will eat anything that she can dip in ranch or bbq sauce. Yuck, but hey...she eats it!

She's eaten spinach, peas and pretty much any other veggie with ranch and bbq sauce lol. The only thing she really doesn't like is carrots. i have to chop them up really fine in meatloaf for her to eat them.

She loves to make pudding and i hide stuff in that (bananas ect) and jello (fruit). She does better if she can make it herself...but even when she helped make Lima Beans...she wouldn't eat them.

Caroline - posted on 12/17/2009

The joys of toddlers. All children do the same. Have you tried getting him to help prepare the food? E.g. grab the butter, or potatoes etc. this can sometimes encourage them to eat as they 'helped' to cook it. Another thing I used to use for son, was to make a picture with the food, or who could eat the fastest. Another trick to try is say when you are finished there's a big surprise waiting. This could be a tickle time, special cuddle, what ever? Hope these help some.

Susan - posted on 12/17/2009

My 2 year old is the same way. However my Bestfriend lil boy will eat ANYTHING she gives him pretty much. Her trick was only allowing him to eat 3 times a day with 2 snacks. If her son didn't eat some of those meals she just put it away and tried again at the next meal. It worked for her and i'm attempting to do the same starting today. SoOo Good Luck hope this helps.