My 18 Month Old Doesn't Want to Eat Her Dinner!

Lisa - posted on 10/04/2010

After reading the responses, no one will probably like my answer but if my kids don't like what I made for dinner, they are allowed to have peanut butter and jelly or toast with peanut butter or they can have a salad (which is their favorite). Kids have very peculiar tastes. My kids ate anything when they were little and then it seems that they hit about 18 months and their food tastes changed dramatically.If it's something I know they won't like, I'll make them pancakes or cereal for dinner. Sometimes kids don't like the variety, they like foods that are familiar to them. I talked to my doctor about it when my daughter was younger and he said as long as they eat something healthy, don't stress too much over it. He told his oldest son (who is now 35) would only eat PB&J from age 2 to 4 and that as an adult, he has a wide variety of food preferences.

My preference is to not have battles over food at every meal. I grew up a chubby kid and battled with my weight all through high school and my 20s. I work with my kids to make healthy food choices but don't want to force them to eat something. I want them to enjoy their foods, trust their bodies to know when they are hungry or full and to enjoy the food that they do eat.

Kim - posted on 10/04/2010

My daughter goes through phases when she just doesn't want to sit to eat. She will eat her meal but only if she can be walking around with it. When she is in her phases I try to make food for the whole family (there is 6 of us) that is more finger foods. I'll make grilled cheese and soup. She'll sit at the table for a few minutes to eat her soup, but when she is tired of sitting she'll get up and walk around with a piece of grilled cheese. I never make my kids different meals. I learned from my mom's mistake. She used to cater to me and I am the PICKIEST eater you'll ever meet. Most of the time I make everyone else food and I'll just eat something small bc I don't even like the food I prepared. For instance, I don't eat soup or grilled cheese.

Charlie - posted on 10/03/2010

I prepare the one meal for everyone if my son isnt hungry i do not force him , i leave his meal and when he does decide he is hungry he only has the option of what was offered originally or nothing he ALWAYS opts for the food .

Also some kids just arent hungry at all especially if they are grazers so dont worry about it if they are getting enough during the day .

Stifler's - posted on 10/03/2010

My parents are like that. I used to be all upset that Logan wouldn't drink a bottle and Mum would be like oh don't be stupid just feed him when he wakes up at night and let him eat food during the day. Yeah sure I'm going to keep night feeding him until he's 3 to get him to drink a bottle pfffft.

Sherri - posted on 10/03/2010

Let her go hungry. The rule in my house is I am not a restaurant. I make one meal if they eat it great, if not it remains on the table if they wish to eat it later. I clear it at bedtime and then they wait till breakfast to eat again. If you don't eat your dinner you get nothing and I mean nothing till morning.

Nikki - posted on 10/03/2010

My son is 15 months and he goes through phases last week if it wasnt bread cheese or pasta he refused to eat it and would throw it on the floor, so we took it away the first couple days i gave in but then realized this is ridiculous he cant just eat that and im not going to continue making seperate meals, he wouldnt even taste what i gave him and it was most of his favorites, so we tried feeding him an hour later and he ate. Then on Friday we ordered Swiss Chalet and he ate everything we gave him, never seen him eat so well, saturday we had porkchops veggies and potatoes and tonight we had tacos all three nights he cleaned his plate. I think it all depends on their mood and how hungry they are and once they realize your not going to give in and thats all there is they will eat. My son didnt even know what he was refusing, he never even tasted the food. I also dont let him snack now close to dinner..... My MIL's are the worst everytime we go to each of their houses they give him cookies before dinner and everytime I lose it, I have asked nicely and now gotten mad yet I always find him with a cookie in hand then come dinner he wont eat, because he wants more cookies and they are like oh why isnt he eating?? or hmm maybe he wants more cookies.... you have to be kidding me!! Sorry just had to throw that rant in there

Amanda - posted on 10/03/2010

My daughter is the same as Jodi's, her food has to be completely the same. Also if she wont eat off her plate, I will offer her food off mine (but I put it on her plate). I refuse to make another meal for any child in my home no matter what age.

Jodi - posted on 10/03/2010

Is she eating what everyone else in the family is eating? Or are you preparing hers differently, cutting it differently, etc. I found my daughter was quite fussy if we fed her different foods because she wanted to be the same as everyone else. So I ended up waiting to cut her food up until we were at the table, so she could SEE that she had exactly the same as everyone else, right down to a little bit of sauce (and pretending to add some salt and pepper, LOL).

Stifler's - posted on 10/03/2010

I agree she needs to learn to eat the food you give her in the first place. My brother is freaking 9 and still refuses to eat what everyone else eats because mum has let him get away with it and made him special food whenever he refused to eat.

Iridescent - posted on 10/03/2010

Let her get hungry, and offer it again before bed. It takes an average of 18 trials with a new food for the child to accept it. Also try to give a variety so she's not going hungry all the time - 1 thing you know she likes, 1 new food, 1 that isn't new but she's not readily accepting yet, and for seconds of the one she likes, she must at least try them all.