Help! My Toddler Won't Eat
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Feeding a toddler can sometimes be one of the most challenging tasks for parents and caregivers. Just when you think you've figured out their preferences, they throw you a curveball and refuse to eat anything at all, or they will only eat their favorite snack foods or may only drink milk.
Struggling to help a toddler learn to like new foods can be a frustrating and worrying experience for many parents. From picky eating habits to outright mealtime battles, the journey of nourishing a young child can sometimes feel like you’re navigating a labyrinth of uncertainty.
If you find yourself exasperatedly asking, "Why won't my toddler eat?" you're certainly not alone. Many parents struggle with toddlers who don’t, won’t, or can’t seem to eat a balanced diet. They are, in fact, a large part of the caseload of clients I see in my private nutrition practice!
In this blog post, we'll delve into the many reasons why toddlers may refuse food, explore strategies to encourage healthy eating habits during this tricky phase, and offer some reassurance for parents facing this common challenge.
Why Is My Toddler Not Eating All of a Sudden?
Sudden changes in eating habits can be concerning for parents. If your toddler is not eating much all of a sudden, it’s important to first look at some of the common reasons why your child may have abruptly stopped eating or had a change in appetite. Below is a list of several factors that may contribute to this change, including:
Teething: Teething can cause discomfort and soreness in the gums, making it uncomfortable for toddlers to eat. During this time, they may show a decreased appetite or prefer softer foods that are easier on their gums.
Sickness: When toddlers are sick, they may lose their appetite due to symptoms such as congestion, sore throat, nausea, or general malaise. In such cases, their body's priority is to fight off the illness rather than focus on eating.
Developmental Leaps: Toddlers go through various developmental stages that can affect their eating habits. For example, increased mobility or newfound independence may lead to distractions during mealtime or a preference for self-feeding over being spoon-fed.
Food preferences: Like adults, toddlers have preferences when it comes to food. They may suddenly refuse foods they previously enjoyed or show a preference for certain textures, flavors, or colors.
Stress or anxiety: Changes in routine, such as starting daycare, moving to a new house, or the arrival of a new sibling, can cause anxiety or stress in toddlers, leading to a decrease in appetite.
Behavioral: Sometimes, toddlers refuse to eat as a way to assert their independence or seek attention. This behavior may occur if they perceive that mealtime is becoming a power struggle and a battleground for control.
Sensory Sensitivities: Some toddlers may have sensory sensitivities that affect their eating habits. When the child eats, they may be sensitive to certain textures, smells, or tastes, leading them to avoid certain foods.
Not hungry: Toddlers' appetites can vary from day to day based on factors such as growth spurts, physical activity, or fluctuations in metabolism. There may be days when they're simply not as hungry as usual.
Constipation: Sometimes, toddler constipation can reduce a child’s appetite. This can be due to eating too few high-fiber foods (including beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables) and/or too many dairy foods.
If your toddler's sudden refusal to eat persists for more than a few days or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms like constipation, fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, it's best to consult with your pediatrician to rule out any underlying medical issues and receive personalized advice and support.
Otherwise, do your best to continue offering a variety of familiar nutritious comfort foods, maintain a positive mealtime environment, and be patient as your toddler navigates this phase. Try to keep mealtime relaxed and enjoyable, and avoid pressuring them to eat.
My 2-year-old Won't Eat Anything but Snacks
As a pediatric registered dietitian, this a common scenario that I hear from parents all the time! It’s common for 2-year-olds to seem to survive solely on snacks, showing no interest in regular meals. While it's tempting to give in to constant snack demands, the best thing you can do is establish a healthy eating schedule and stick to it as best you can.
When your toddler seems to have an insatiable appetite for snacks but refuses to eat anything else, it can be frustrating and concerning. Here are some strategies to help address picky eating in toddlers:
1. Establish Routine and Stay Consistent: Set regular meal and snack times with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a couple of snacks in between meals to create structure and predictability for your toddler. Avoid grazing, especially before their last meal of the day, as this can spoil their appetite for balanced meals and healthy foods.
Consistency is key to establishing healthy eating habits, kids thrive on routine! When they ask for a snack outside of these established times, remind them when the next meal or snack will be and engage them in an activity as a distraction.
A loose schedule for toddlers meals may look something like this:
Breakfast 7-8 am
Snack ~10 am
Lunch 12- 1 pm
Snack ~3 pm
Dinner 5-6 pm
2. Offer Nutritious, Balanced Snacks: Try to build a balanced snack by including foods from at least two food groups and a balance of at least two macronutrients (i.e., healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates). Get creative with the presentation to make snacks appealing and fun using food picks* and fun shapes.
3. Be a Role Model: Children often mimic their parents' eating habits, so it’s always a good idea to model healthy eating behaviors yourself. Let your toddler see you enjoying a variety of nutritious foods. I know it can be challenging when you are juggling multiple schedules, but try to have family meals at least a few times per week.
4. Involve Your Toddler: Allow your toddler to help with choosing items at the grocery store, making snacks, and simple meal prep, such as washing fruits or assembling snack plates. Giving them a sense of ownership over their food choices can increase their willingness to try new things, especially when a toddler doesn’t want to eat them at first sight.
5. Avoid Using Snacks as Rewards: Try not to use snacks as rewards for good behavior, as this can create an unhealthy association between food and emotions. Instead, praise your toddler for trying new foods or for sitting at the table during mealtime.
6. Offer Choices: Allow your toddler to have some control over their snacks and meals by offering them choices within healthy options. For example, you could ask if they would like apple slices with peanut butter or carrot sticks with hummus for their snack. Try offering at least one “safe food” or food that you know they can and will eat at meal times.
7. Healthy Swaps: If your child doesn’t like anything that is not prepackaged, start by making a few healthier swaps if possible. Look for nutrient-dense bars such as Skout* or Larabars*, whole grain crackers and pretzels like Happy Herberts* and Simple Mills*, and omega 3-rich pouches like Mamma Chia*.
And remember – picky eating is common among toddlers and often just a phase. Keep offering a variety of foods, even if your toddler initially rejects them. It may take multiple exposures before they're willing to try something new.
My Toddler Won't Eat Anything and Is Losing Weight
It's not uncommon for 2-year-olds to go through phases where they refuse to eat or suddenly stop eating something that they used to love. However, if your toddler is consistently refusing food and skipping meals and starts losing weight, it's essential to seek medical advice, as toddlerhood is a phase of growth, and weight loss during this stage is a cause for concern.
Working with your pediatrician can help to rule out any underlying medical issues. Once medical concerns are addressed, it may be necessary to work with a pediatric dietitian or feeding specialist to start incorporating more foods and nutrients into your child’s diet.
My Toddler is Refusing to Eat Anything but Drinks Milk
Some toddlers become overly reliant on milk as their primary source of nutrition, leading to a limited diet. While milk provides important nutrients, it should not replace solid foods or meals entirely during toddlerhood.
A good rule of thumb is to limit milk intake (either cow’s milk or a high-quality plant milk alternative) for kids between ages 1-9 to about 16 ounces per day (2 cups). Otherwise, offer water often as a beverage and include other nutrient-dense solid foods as a part of meals and snacks.
If your child is regularly drinking more than the recommended amount of milk, reduce their intake, don’t add milk to meals, and try instead to offer milk after eating a meal to make sure they aren’t avoiding food because their belly is full of milk.
Encourage your child to gain more independence by transitioning from bottles to cups if you haven’t already done so. Gradually introduce new foods and flavors, and offer plenty of praise and encouragement for trying new things.
Remember - try your best to be patient yet persistent, and trust that your toddler will eventually develop healthier eating habits.
Does My Picky Eater Need a Vitamin?
Most kids don’t need multivitamins - even most picky eaters! Relying on multivitamins may create a false sense of security about diet quality and can lead to excessive intakes of certain vitamins and minerals, especially when kids are eating lots of fortified foods (like breakfast cereal).
That being said, while a balanced diet should always be the primary source of essential nutrients, targeted supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals can be beneficial in certain situations, such as addressing specific nutrient deficiencies caused by extreme picky eating, or when one or more food groups is excluded.
If your child has a deficiency, it is best to provide a targeted supplement that provides only the nutrients they are deficient in to prevent excessive intakes of other micronutrients. In cases like these, it is best to consult with your pediatrician or registered dietitian before offering any vitamin supplements to your child so they can assess your child's specific needs and provide personalized guidance.
For more tips on feeding picky eaters, check out my FREE guide to reducing picky eating or enroll in my online course, Solve Picky Eating, which includes 12 self-paced short video lessons, downloadable guides, and checklists to support you along your journey of navigating picky eating.
And if you're looking for personalized nutrition support, I am also available for a virtual one-on-one consultation. Thanks for reading!