1 yr old baby not eating food

Vegetables: encouraging kids to eat vegies

Why eating vegetables is important for children

Vegetables give your child energy, vitamins, anti-oxidants, fibre and water. They help protect your child against chronic diseases later in life, including heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

A healthy diet means eating plenty of vegetables, plus a wide variety of foods from the other main food groups.

The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend that children aged:

1-2 years should have 2-3 serves of vegetables each day
2-3 years should have 2½ serves of vegetables each day
4-8 years should have 4½ serves of vegetables each day.

If your child finds it hard to eat enough vegetables, it’s important to keep encouraging them. If you help your child develop healthy eating habits now, it sets up healthy habits for life.

Our tips below can help you get more vegetables into your family’s diet.

For more information you can read our articles on healthy food for babies and toddlers, healthy food for preschoolers and healthy food for school-age children.

1. Set a good example with vegetables

Your child learns about food choices from you, so the best way to encourage your child to eat vegetables is to let your child see you eating and enjoying them yourself.

Family meals are a good time to teach your child about healthy eating, including eating vegetables. Family foods like stir-fries, curries, roasts and pastas all taste great with more vegies. A bowl of salad on the side is a quick and tasty option too.

If your child sees you and their siblings filling plates with vegies to enjoy, your child will probably want to do the same.

2. Keep trying with vegetables

It’s normal for children to say they don’t like some vegetables when they first taste them. If your child doesn’t like a particular vegetable, try offering small amounts of the vegetable with another healthy food that your child likes. Also keep encouraging your child to try and taste vegetables.

Your child will probably change their mind about vegetables eventually. Some children need to try a new food up to 10 times before they accept it, and another 10 times before they decide they like it.

3. Use praise when your child tries vegetables

If you praise your child each time they eat or try vegetables, they’ll be more likely to eat vegetables again. Praise works best when you tell your child exactly what they did well – for example, ‘Peri, I love the way you tasted your pumpkin and broccoli!’

Try not to let praise become the focus of the meal, though. Your aim is to encourage your child to eat vegetables because your child likes them, not because your child wants praise and rewards from you.

Punishing your child for not eating vegetables can turn vegetables into a negative thing for your child. If your child refuses to eat their vegetables, try not to make a big deal about it – just try again another time. It’s best to take your child’s meal away after about 20 minutes or when everyone else has finished eating.

It’s not a good idea to use food as a bribe. For example, avoid saying things like, ‘If you eat your broccoli, you can have some ice-cream for dessert’. This can make your child more interested in treats than healthy foods. It also suggests that eating the healthy food is a chore. And it can encourage overeating.

4. Get your child involved in cooking with vegetables

If you get your child involved in planning and cooking family meals with vegetables, they’re more likely to want to eat the vegetables they’ve helped to prepare.

For example, you could let your child:

choose vegetables for dinner when you do the shopping
put chopped vegetables in the steamer or saucepan before you cook them
arrange sliced capsicum, tomato and mushroom on a pizza base
wash and toss salad leaves.

Older children can help with grating or chopping vegetables when you feel they can safely handle sharper kitchen tools.

Take children shopping with you when you can. Seeing a lot of different vegetables can make children more curious and interested to try them.

5. Offer vegetables as snacks

Vegetables make great snacks. If you stock up on vegetables for snacks and limit unhealthy snacks in your home, your child will be more likely to choose vegetables when they’re hungry.

Here are some vegetable snack ideas:

Keep a container of chopped vegetables, like cucumber, carrots or capsicum, in the fridge. A bowl of cherry tomatoes on the bench is another option.
Offer older children frozen baby peas, but note that these can be a choking hazard for younger children.
Serve vegetable sticks with dip, natural yoghurt, cheese or wholemeal pita bread.

6. Go for vegetable variety, taste and fun

Try to choose vegies of different shapes, colours, textures and tastes – the more variety there is, the more likely it is your child will find something that they’re interested in eating. If you serve new vegetables with food your child enjoys, the entire focus of the meal isn’t on new vegetables.

Remember that taste matters. For example, you could try roasting vegies with fresh herbs and lemon juice or use finely sliced broccoli in a stir-fry or on a pizza. This will probably appeal more to your child than large steamed pieces of vegetables.

You can have fun with vegetables too, especially with younger children. You might sometimes like to make a vegetable face for a snack plate – grated carrot for hair, cherry tomatoes for eyes, a bean for a nose and capsicum strips for a mouth.

Check out our recipes for toddlers, recipes for preschoolers and recipes for school-age children for more healthy snack and meal ideas.

7. Get vegetables into meals in other ways

In the short term, you can disguise vegetables in foods you know your child likes to eat. For example, you could include pureed or grated vegetables in pasta sauce or soups.

This won’t change your child’s behaviour and thinking about vegetables though, so it’s also important to regularly give your child vegetables in their original form. When you do this, your child has the chance to get familiar with and learn to like different tastes and textures.

If you’re worried about your child’s eating habits, make an appointment to see a GP, paediatrician or dietitian.

Picky Toddler Not Eating? Here's What's Normal and What's Not

Is your picky toddler not eating? It happens to all of us at one time or another. Here’s why it might be happening…and what you can do to make it better (or at least how to know what’s normal so you can relax).

Picky Eating in Toddlers

You get everyone to the table and bring out the food. Your toddler won’t eat, throws a fit, or fusses. No matter how hard you try, this is often the reality of feeding toddlers. The good news is that a toddler not eating is actually quite normal.

The bad news? It’s a difficult thing to know exactly why your toddler isn’t eating—and what exactly you should do about it.

But there are simple steps you can take to improve the situation.

Toddler Not Eating? Here’s What to Do

Family meals are a chance to be together at the end of a long day, to enjoy food, and to create daily rituals and routines. But when a toddler won’t eat, whether at the family table or not, it can throw off even the best of intentions. And it can make meal time a huge source of stress.

The reasons a toddler won’t eat are unique to each kiddo and situation, so I’m going to try to be as comprehensive as possible here.

Daily Toddler Nutrition

For a quick reference, you can download my Printable Toddler Nutrition Guide so you can refer to it for reassurance and information. Use it as a guide, not a hard-and-fast rule, since kids aren’t robots and will not eat like a chart. I share this first because portion sizes may actually be a lot smaller than you realize and often we are simply overestimating the amount that our kids need.

(Aim to serve healthy fat with most meals or snacks since little kids need it for proper brain development. )

Why does my toddler refuse to eat?

It’s very possible your toddler’s not eating because he simply isn’t as hungry as he was when he was a baby. Toddlers grow less rapidly than babies and may be less hungry and need less food than you expect. If you give them a larger portion size than they need, they may eat some and leave the rest—and it may visually look like they haven’t eaten anything even though they did.

And toddlers don’t always have the words to be able to effectively communicate that they aren’t hungry, so they may just refuse to eat. This may look like playing with food, throwing food, or flat-out refusing to have anything to do with food.

A normal toddler meal may be two bites of a food. Or it may be a whole plate. A normal toddler may like something immensely one week and not at all the following week.

This is to be expected and is 100% normal.

Or, it’s entirely possible that once they have it in their head that they don’t want something, they won’t eat it. Sometimes not wanting dinner is about power. Toddlers are in the developmental stage where it’s normal for them to test boundaries. They are learning what they can and cannot do and the effects their actions have—both at the table and away from it.

Talk with the rest of your family about how to create some structure around meals—when they happen, where they happen, who sits where, if music is playing, if phones are put away—to help your child know what to expect. Toddlers thrive on routine and attention.

Try:

Consider using only water between meals and snacks (to avoid filling bellies up with milk or juice if that’s a potential issue).
Serve very small portions to start to avoid wasting food or overwhelming the kids with large portions. Think a single piece of broccoli, one chicken nugget, or one small scoop of yogurt to start.
Create some mealtime structure so there are set expectations at the table. This could be as simple as always sitting down at the dining table or the kitchen counter.
Let it be ok if a child isn’t as hungry as you expect them to be. (The Division of Responsibility can be helpful here.)

How do I get my picky toddler to eat?

There are a few ways to rethink this issue. First, if you are in the habit of short-order-cooking the foods you know your toddler will eat, you may want to consider stopping. Explain to your kids that we’re having such-and-such tonight but that you will make their requested favorite food soon. Then follow through so they know they can trust you!

Then, make sure there are 1-2 foods on the table that the child usually likes, even if it’s something simple like fruit or cheese. Surround them with the food you want them to eat and let them decide what and how much of it to eat.

Using this Division of Responsibility in Feeding approach to meals can be a total GAME CHANGER, as it clearly delineates what the parent and child are each responsible for at the table, lessening pressure on everyone. It also gives the child a chance to stay in touch with their own hunger cues without prodding, pushing, or cajoling—which has the added benefit of helping to make mealtimes more enjoyable for you, too.

We want our kids to know their own hunger and fullness cues so they know how much to feed themselves as they grow into adolescents and adults when we aren’t around. And those cues can be hard to tap into if they are constantly overridden by external cues (like if we push them to eat a certain amount), however well-intentioned.

You can also try to involve them in doing something to help get ready for the meal to distract them from their concern about what’s for dinner. Try letting them help to set the table, help with simple meal prep (like washing veggies), or wash their hands. Hand washing is an excellent toddler-diversion tactic when they get upset about something.

If you are okay with cooking separate meals for your kids because it works better for you right now to know they will eat the food you make, then by all means, do that.

But if you’re wanting your child to eat family meals and eventually eat more of the same foods as the rest of the family, then try the tips I just shared above.

Remember: Even if you follow all feeding advice “perfectly”, your child may still eat differently than you expect. That is normal.

It is incredibly difficult to accurately estimate someone else’s hunger. I am a big proponent of moving from the goal of “getting the kids to eat” towards “how can I make mealtimes happier for all of us?”.

TIP: Almost every toddler is “picky” in one way or another at some point. Toddlers are quirky, it’s part of the fun! (And the challenge, of course.)

Why did my toddler stop eating?

If your child is playing with their food rather than eating it at the start of the meal, chances are they aren’t hungry enough to eat. Take a break and try again in 30 minutes if possible—or for the next snack or mealtime.

If your child just doesn’t seem hungry for any food or much food, consider how long it’s been since their last meal or snack, how much milk (or juice) they’re drinking throughout the day, how much they ate at their last meal or snack, and whether they are teething or tired or otherwise off.

It’s very possible a toddler won’t eat simply because they aren’t as hungry as you expect them to be.

Or they may be hungrier earlier in the day and taper off with their intake as the day goes on.

If your toddler won’t eat foods he once liked, try serving them in new ways—such as cutting carrots into sticks rather than rounds before cooking them, but also remind yourself that it’s normal for toddlers to go through phases of loving and not loving foods. They may be obsessed with blueberries one week and not want them again for two months.

It’s possible they simply need a break from having certain foods as frequently. That is OK. (And very relatable!)

Try:

Serve very small portions to start to keep your own expectations of how much they should be eating in check. Then, allow seconds (or thirds) according to the kiddo’s hunger.
Space out meals to 2-3 hours apart to allow time for hunger to build. And remember that their hunger may change during different phases of growth.
Remember that there are simply times when kids aren’t hungry or aren’t as hungry as we expect. That is not a sign of pickiness, just their way of telling us that they aren’t hungry at that moment.

What if a toddler won’t eat anything but snacks?

Often, if a toddler knows there is a snack ahead that includes traditional “snacky” foods, they won’t eat the meal you are serving. It can help to serve “regular” food at snack time, instead of relying on crackers and fruit snacks, and serve classic “snack” foods with meals. This can even out the appeal of all food intake opportunities.

In other words, think of snacks as mini meals and serve all types of foods at each eating opportunity.

Kids often relax when they have access to their favorite foods, so there’s nothing wrong with serving Goldfish crackers along with strawberries and a hard-cooked egg. Or a chocolate chip snack bar with a banana and carrot sticks. It’s all good!

When it comes to feeding, the best thing you can do is to give your child lots of low-pressure opportunities to see (and maybe) eat a range of foods—while still offering foods your kids you know your kids usually eat. It’s all about balance…for everyone involved.

It still counts as an exposure even if a child doesn’t eat a food. They can touch it, see it, learn what it’s called, and add to their food literacy—which can be helpful over time as they grow.

Try:

Buy more of the foods you want your kids to eat, but still include foods they love so they avoid feeling restricted.
Serve small mini meals at snack time instead of traditional “snack” foods and incorporate more traditional “snacks” into meals—like crackers alongside soup, for example.
Think of all eating opportunities as “mini meals” and serve all foods at all times to lessen the appeal of “snack” a little.
Stick with a routine for meals and snacks by having them at set times (roughly) and avoiding all day grazing.

Is it normal for my toddler to refuse to eat?

There will be times when your toddler simply doesn’t like a meal you make. And whether it’s the texture, flavor, appearance, or the way the wind is blowing, we may never know, but it will happen. Or, a toddler won’t eat at times because they are either not that hungry or they know you will get them something they prefer if they refuse.

A child will usually choose a more familiar, fun, and safe food when given the chance. But if you pair safe foods with other ones, they can gently expand their accepted food range. Or, at the very least, have those exposures to other foods (even if they don’t eat them yet).

My method is to make family dinner, including 1-2 foods per meal that the kids usually like even if those foods are a simple side of fruit and milk. Then, if they don’t want to eat, I can trust that they aren’t hungry.

This is a very reliable method if you do it regularly. I do realize this is hard when it’s 6 p.m. and your little one hasn’t eaten a thing for dinner. If that happens and they legitimately seem hungry after dinner, wait at least 30 minutes (so they don’t feel rewarded for refusing dinner) and offer a super boring bedtime snack like a banana. If they are hungry enough for boring food, you know they are hungry!

If your toddler seems to legitimately dislike a meal, you can institute a “backup meal” to give them the chance to satisfy hunger. Choose something plain that they would likely never choose to eat by themselves and offer that and that alone so you don’t have to negotiate in the moment. (To me, this is something that should be used very rarely since it can create more work, especially if you have multiple children.)

Good backup meal options in our house are plain yogurt with granola, plain toast with nut butter, a scrambled egg, or a bowl of cereal. We keep the options plain.

Try:

Avoid getting up during a meal to get different food at your toddler’s request. Instead, aim to include 1-2 foods they usually like in any meal to ensure they always have something to eat.
Ask the kids (who can communicate verbally) to choose between options for dinner, such as choosing which vegetable or side dish to have from two options you have on hand. Kids like to be involved in making decisions!
Serve a boring bedtime snack if they didn’t eat dinner and seem hungry before bedtime.
Have one boring “backup” meal option for those rare nights when they legitimately don’t like the dinner on offer—something they probably wouldn’t ask for but are happy enough to eat if hungry.

My toddler won’t eat because he’s sick. Should I worry?

When toddlers are sick, normal eating very often goes out the window. With any illness, appetites can decrease. The general rule that our pediatrician always shares is that as long as they are drinking and going to the bathroom normally, then you shouldn’t need to worry too much.

Keep portion sizes small, keep the actual foods simple, don’t push food too hard, and trust that their little bodies are doing what they need to feel better. You can get back to normal eating when they are feeling better, and you can always check in with your doctor.

Be patient since lower appetites can linger longer than you might expect, even once a child starts to feel better. And of course, check with your doctor if they aren’t drinking, there’s another red flag, or you just need reassurance from a medical professional.

Also, toddler teething can cause reductions in hunger. Try not to expect that your toddler will eat normally when they are cutting teeth (especially not with molars!) and instead offer them plenty of liquids, chilled foods, and things that don’t require too much chewing—smoothies, yogurt, pasta, popsicles—to help avoid irritating their already sore gums.

My toddler won’t eat anything but milk. Help!

If you have a toddler who’s not eating but drinks lots of milk, it’s possible that milk is filling their bellies and reducing hunger for other food. (The same can be said for any other food that they are insisting is the only food they want.)

The AAP recommends toddlers have 2-3 serving of dairy a day, which includes milk and other dairy foods like cheese and yogurt. A serving of milk for a toddler is ½ cup. Try serving a smaller portion of milk just at meals and offering water in between. (You may need to do this gradually, especially since milk is often a comfort food.)

Keep portion size in mind, especially if your toddler won’t eat anything but milk, since cups and bottles can be quite large. This 4-ounce sippy cup is a nice size to use at meals since it ensures that a toddler won’t fill up on milk and will be more likely to have room in their bellies for some food. A very small juice glass works, too.

You may need to taper down the volume in bottles if that’s how they’re consuming their milk.

Try:

Serve milk at meals and offer water in between.
Serve milk in a small cup (or a smaller cup than you have been using) to help avoid serving too much at once.
Start to decrease the volume of milk in bottles and work on moving milk to meals, rather than as separate feeding around 18 months.
Remember that milk is often comforting for kids, so you may need to take a gradual approach with this.

How can I increase my toddler’s appetite?

Why do you want to increase your toddler’s appetite? Are you worried she isn’t eating enough of the “right” foods? That she is “too small”? Is she low on the growth curve? A good question to ask is whether her growth is consistent with her own history, not as compared to other kids her age.

Every toddler grows at their own unique speed, and it’s possible she is exactly the size she needs to be—and is eating a perfect amount for herself in her current phase.

If your toddler truly doesn’t seem to be eating enough (remember, they may eat only ¼ as much as an adult…you may need to adjust your expectations!) and there is a medical concern—such as if they have fallen off of their growth curve or are losing weight—you can try serving smaller snacks and meals more often, adding lots of healthy fats to their food, and getting them involved in the kitchen.

Here are some foods that may help a toddler gain weight.

Sometimes just being around food in a situation without pressure can encourage a kid to explore and enjoy more at the table, too.

Be sure to check with your pediatrician to make sure you’re on the same page about a plan if there’s a weight-loss issue.

Why won’t my 1-year-old eat?

Toddlers aren’t growing as rapidly as babies, so while your child may have eaten a lot as an older baby, he might not be as hungry now. This is very, very common in 1-year-olds.

One-year-olds are also BUSY. They have a lot going on in their little worlds and many constantly want to be moving.

Avoiding distractions at the table can help a toddler focus on their food, and keeping a consistent mealtime routine—when meals happen, where they happen, and what’s generally expected during a meal–can go a long way toward happier mealtimes for everyone.

One-year-olds are also just discovering that their actions have consequences, so they may not eat (or they may throw food or do all sorts of other behaviors) simply because they’ve realized that they can. Keep your reactions during meals as low key and consistent as possible so they don’t try to get you to react. (I fully understand that this is really hard.)

Try:

Limit distractions at the table, and sit and engage with your child during mealtimes as is possible.
Keep your reactions to undesired behavior neutral, consistent, and swift. (If they throw food, end the meal or at least take a break. If they spit out their milk, remove their access to milk. Etc.)
Give them time to work up an appetite between meals—and avoid letting them graze all day (or at least acknowledge they are getting their calories throughout the day that way).
Remember it’s NORMAL for a 1-year-old to be less hungry than they were as a baby. They may eat less than they used to, and we might need to adjust our expectations. This often shows up around 14-17 months; it is not “pickiness”, it’s a normal decrease in hunger.

Why won’t my 2-year-old eat?

Outside of illness or teething, a 2-year-old won’t eat for similar power dynamics as above, but they also may be much more sensitive to new foods due to a normal phase called neophobia. This fear of new foods, which usually spikes between 2 and 6 (though it can start at 1 year old), can cause them to refuse foods they once loved and foods you think they will love.

It can also cause them to refuse to want to eat foods mixed together or foods with certain textures.

Try to remember that this is a normal phase of development that will, in all likelihood, eventually pass. Researchers have found you may need to offer a food 8-15 times before a child may willingly try it. In other words, keep on offering the foods you want them to eat regularly in small portions and without pressure, and eat those foods in front of your child.

Because even if they don’t want it today, one day they just might surprise you some day in the future.

(Two of my kids literally refused beans for two years at our weekly taco night. Then one day, they each decided to try them. It took forever, but it wasn’t really a big deal—since they had other foods on the table during those meals they could eat—and they got to that food in their own time. )

For a 2- and 3-year-old, serving meals family style can also help to diffuse power struggles at the table. Simply put the components of the meal in bowls on the table and encourage and help your toddler decide what they’d like to eat. Don’t force bites of everything, unless your child responds positively to that approach, but give them space to choose what looks appealing.

This small amount of ownership over what goes onto their plate can be extremely helpful for strong-willed toddlers. A lot of times, all they really want is to feel like they have some control over their lives.

Try:

Ask your child “how can I make this yummier?” to see if they can help you figure out how to make their food more appealing.
Serve meals family style to diffuse power struggles and let them choose which foods to put on their plates.
In each meal, include 1-2 safe foods they usually like to ensure they always have something to eat if they are hungry.
Trust their appetites, which may be different than you expect and may vary a lot from day to day.

Why won’t my 3-year-old eat?

A 3-year-old may not eat for reasons similar to a 2-year-old, but they may also have more words to express themselves—so they may be more dramatic in their response. They may not be as hungry as you expect, their appetite may be unpredictable, or they may be worn out by the time dinner rolls around. (That last one is fairly common!)

Three-year-olds also know how hard they need to push to get what they want. Toddlers at this age benefit from set expectations at mealtimes and routine. Which is to say, if you start getting up to get them foods other than the ones you’ve made for dinner, they will continue to demand that you do that.

There’s no rule that says that a toddler needs to eat every single thing you serve for dinner. If they eat some of it, there’s decently good behavior, and minimal crying, that can be defined as a happy meal. Keep the bar low, my friends, and you might find that things are better than you realize!

Try:

Serve meals family style and let them choose what to eat from the foods you put out.
Let them choose what to have for dinner from two predetermined options so they feel like they have more power.
Serve very small portions to start to avoid overwhelming them.
Include 1-2 safe foods they usually like in each meal to function as safety nets in case they don’t like the main dish.

My toddler won’t eat breakfast. Why?

You may simply have a child who isn’t super hungry first thing in the morning. Try to give them a little time to wake up before sitting down for breakfast and/or serve a smaller portion for breakfast and increase the amount of the morning snack.

If your toddler drinks milk or breastfeeds in the morning, it’s possible they have a full little belly that doesn’t have room for food. Keep that in mind if your toddler won’t eat breakfast and adjust expectations accordingly—and perhaps also serve smaller amounts of food.

My toddler is constipated—is that why she won’t eat?

It’s certainly possible! If a little one (or anyone, really) feels uncomfortable in their belly, the idea of putting food into it may not be appealing. In addition to fiber, having enough water is key to alleviating toddler constipation, so offer lots of water to drink throughout the day, along with hydrating produce like melon, cucumbers, berries, and zucchini.

You can also try to include healthy fats (avocado, coconut oil) in their diet, or try a Constipation Smoothie, as they, too, can help food more easily move through the digestive system. And remember: Each kiddo has their own “regular,” so it’s possible that your toddler needs to go once every two or three days…or three times a day.

If your toddler has been holding it all day at school, he may not want to eat dinner because he’s uncomfortable. Try to give him a chance to use the potty, with as much time as is needed to relax, before dinner.

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Why does my toddler always want a bedtime snack?

If your toddler has some time between dinner and bedtime, she very well might be hungry before bed. You could either push dinner back a bit or institute a regular bedtime snack. This is a tactic I read about in this book and it makes sense.

If there is always an easy bedtime snack, you won’t have to renegotiate it every night. And you also won’t have to worry about sending your child to bed hungry if you are prone to that particular worry.

I’d just caution against making the snack something they LOVE because kids may recognize that they can simply skip dinner and have the snack they love instead. If a child regularly asks for a snack right after dinner, it may be a habit (or a bedtime delay tactic!), not true hunger. Try “you can be hungry for breakfast” or “if you’re really hungry, you can have a banana.” Both of those phrases can work wonders to suss out true hunger.

Try:

Find super simple healthy bedtime snacks in this comprehensive post.

How do I know if my toddler’s eating problems are serious?

Here’s some great advice from Katja and Jenny, the authors of Extreme Picky Eating:

“Ask yourself: What is your underlying fear? The point is to figure out what you are worried about, and then find out if you need to worry (or not) from a book, a doctor, or dietitian. If you don’t need to worry, you can direct your energies to more productive things like supporting your child’s eating. If a problem is discovered, like an oral-motor delay, then you can get that addressed. Studies suggest that between one- and two-thirds of all young children will be described as ‘picky’ in early childhood.”

If there is a growth delay, severe reactions to different or specific textures, regular gagging, difficulty eating or digesting, oral-motor delays, muscular disorders, or any other issues that make eating difficult, reach out to your pediatrician and/or a feeding therapist. They will be best suited to help you work through the issues.

Bottom line: When a toddler won’t eat, it is not a judgement on our cooking skills or our parenting skills. A lot of it has to do with the developmental stage they are in—of learning and exploring boundaries—and simply seeing how much power they have. Hang in there!

Related Recipes

Did I miss anything? Comment if you have a question!

This post is not meant to be a substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a pediatrician or a feeding therapist as needed.

This post was first published April 2018.

If the child does not eat well: what to do and what not to do

What to do if the child does not want to eat.

- Malyusik, well, one more spoon - and that's it! Last! I ate only two, let's have a little more, here's the most delicious piece for you! - says the average mother, offering a spoon with one hand, playing the accordion with the other, showing the trick with the disappearance of the handkerchief with the third, turning the cutlets over with the fourth, while doing somersaults on one leg.

Sound familiar?

Every dad has an instinct to bring home food, and mom has to feed the baby food. And if he refuses to eat, a signal is triggered - "I'm a bad mother" or "the child is sick."

In this case, the most important thing for a parent to understand is whether the child DOES NOT WANT or CANNOT eat?

If the baby is running around, having fun and looking good, without showing any signs of illness, then most likely he does not want to eat. There can be many reasons:

A breastfeeding child prefers milk and dairy products, intuitively understanding that he needs calcium, and now milk is healthier for him than soup.
The child wants a cookie, not vegetables.
He really wasn't hungry. For example, his metabolism is slow, breakfast has not yet been digested, and lunch is already being offered. Or the child was sitting in front of the TV after breakfast and his appetite had not yet had enough time to play out. Compared to the boy next door who was outside all day.
If a child is not genetically destined to become Uncle Styopa, then he can eat much less than his peer, who has tall parents.
Psychological problems. If earlier you accidentally gave your child a bitter cucumber, then he may refuse any green food. Or you yell at the child during the meal, and for him the food is perceived as a trauma.

If your child is lively, but at the same time he has a "bad appetite", then this is not his problem, but yours - the psychological problem of an unsatisfied instinct. If a child jumps, jumps, he has healthy nails, hair, etc., think less about what he lacks. Better think about something nice))

An active child = not a hungry child.

Wait for the natural desire and correctly distribute energy costs - walk more often, send the child to the sports section, or simply say: “If you don’t want to, take a walk, dinner is not earlier than seven and no snacks.” That is, if your child simply does not want to eat, normalize feeding - strictly at a certain time and without snacks. The body will get used to secrete gastric juice strictly according to the schedule.

And one more thing. There are no rules about how much a child should eat. He can eat a kilo (and make you very happy) and 9Send 00 grams to the toilet. Or eat 100 g and learn everything.

But it is much more difficult if the child CANNOT eat.

Causes:

If you are breastfeeding, you may have “tight breasts”, when it is very difficult for the baby to suck milk.
The child has a runny nose, and when he eats, he begins to choke.
Food hot, cold, sour, bitter.
He has sores in his mouth (for example, from toys), and they hurt when food gets on them.
Teeth are cut, gums hurt.
Bowel problems. The stomach starts to hurt while eating.
The child simply fell ill (cold, SARS, poisoning, influenza, etc.). If the child is sick, and he is not dystrophic, then you should not force him to eat. The body fights infections better when it's hungry. But be sure to drink.

If a child at first shows appetite and interest in food, but refuses to eat through a spoon or two, then, most likely, the process of eating causes him certain difficulties.

If the baby CANNOT eat and you can't identify or eliminate the cause, the best thing to do is contact your pediatrician. The doctor will accurately determine the problem and give the necessary recommendations.

Our clinic has a wonderful pediatrician Yuliya Vladimirovna Sinyagina with 17 years of experience! You can sign up to her))

Bon appetit everyone! As well as strength, patience and satisfied instincts!

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what to do at home and why it happens

Mothers, fathers, grandparents experience great anxiety when a child refuses to eat, especially if this does not happen from time to time, but constantly. The fidget has to be persuaded to eat an extra spoonful of porridge, come up with new, unusual dishes and games so that the baby leaves the table full. "Komsomolskaya Pravda" deals with the expert, because of what you should and should not worry and how to increase children's appetite.

How much should a child eat at different ages

There are dietary guidelines developed by scientists (1). It is important for parents to know the recommended numbers, but following the norms for grams will be a big mistake. It is better to focus on the common sense, well-being and mood of the baby.

The volume of breast milk or formula for newborns in the first 10 days of life depends on weight. If the baby was born with a weight of more than 3200 g, he should eat a volume of milk per day equal to the number of days lived multiplied by 70 (2). A child 5 days old eats 350 ml. If the baby's weight was less than 3200 g, the number of days lived is multiplied by 80.

From 1.5 weeks to 2 months: WHO recommends 1/5 of the baby's weight as normal (3). That is, with a weight of 4 kg, he should eat 800 ml per day.

From 2 to 4 months, mother's milk and formula are taken in the ratio of 1/6 of the baby's weight. You can calculate according to the formula - weight in grams divided by height in cm and multiplied by 70.

Babies from 4-6 months old eat 1/7 of their own weight. For 6-8 months, the norm will be about 1000-1100 ml of food per day, and for 8-11 months - 1200-1300 ml.

From 1 to 2 years old, children usually eat 1300-1400 ml of food per day. After 2 years, the Union of Pediatricians of Russia advises parents to switch to a full three meals a day with two intermediate snacks (4). On average, a child of this age eats 1500 ml per day.

After 4-5 years, the amount of food is increased to 2000 ml per day. It is recommended to distribute the calorie content of food as follows: breakfast - 30%, lunch - 35%, afternoon tea - 15% and dinner - 20%.

Nutritional norms for children at different ages according to WHO recommendations

Age	The diet per day is
from 1.5 weeks to 2 months	1/5 weight of the child
from 2 to 4 months	1/6 Child
from 4 to 6 months	1/7 weight of the child
from 6 to 8 months	1000-1100 ml
from 8 to 11 months	1200-1300 ml
from 1 to 2 years old	1300-1400 ml
from 2 to 5 years	on average 1500 ml
over 5 years	on average 2000 ml

Why the child does not eat anything.

Appetite in children depends on the state of health, genetic characteristics, maturity, growth phase, mood and even the time of day. It is necessary to distinguish between painful manifestations and cases that most parents have to deal with.

Complete refusal to eat is called anorexia. If a child experiences a painful reaction to some food or dish, this is a state of idiosyncrasy. Most often, adults deal with hyporexia - a decrease in appetite. Let us examine in more detail each reason why a child refuses to eat or eats too little.

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No feeling of hunger

The simplest and most obvious reason for poor appetite is that the baby is full. We try so hard to feed our kids that they just don't feel hungry and therefore have a hard time identifying it.

What should parents do? Don't be nervous, stay friendly and let your baby get hungry. Remove from your reach any foods and snacks that can interrupt your appetite - sweets, cookies, sandwiches, buns, juices, compotes and fruits. Offer your child food, but be prepared for him to say no. Wait until the baby himself offers to dine or agrees to your proposal.

Enthusiasm for something or a game

Children are often so engrossed in a new toy that they forget to eat. An enthusiastic fidget does not want to give up an interesting business and break for lunch, so the calls of adults can be met with refusal or even whims.

Selective Appetite

If your child does not want to eat the main food and prefers to "bite", he may simply not like the taste and appearance of the dishes you prepare. Try to choose other recipes, experiment with salt and spices. Perhaps the child does not want to eat too hot or cold food.

Intoxication during illness

When children feel unwell, they refuse to eat any food. This happens with SARS, stomatitis, otitis and other ailments. In infancy, appetite may decrease during teething.

When a child is sick, the body is unable to adequately absorb food. All forces are spent on eliminating the source of pain, so the brain does not send signals about hunger. As soon as health improves, appetite returns.

Effects of vaccinations

After vaccination, the child may lose his appetite. This is especially true in children in their first year of life. In preschoolers and children of primary school age, problems with eating after vaccination occur in 15-20% of cases. Don't despair - it won't be long!

Allergies

Appetite disorders may be caused by allergic reactions. For example, babies with atopic dermatitis often refuse to eat. When skin itching bothers, appetite fades into the background.

Few movements

Children of the first years of life are very active physically and rarely sit still. Natural mobility and outdoor play are the best way to work up an appetite. Some, on the contrary, spend a lot of time in front of the TV and at the computer, move little, and therefore do not experience a strong feeling of hunger.

Consequences of a child's poor nutrition

Regular malnutrition leads to the fact that the child's body does not receive enough nutrients for normal functioning. The child appears lethargic, drowsy and lethargic. With poor nutrition, there is a risk of underdevelopment of the brain, decreased learning and low immunity. Improper nutrition in childhood can lead to serious health problems in adulthood.

Parents are not in vain worried about the baby's poor appetite. Refusal to eat can be caused by serious chronic diseases, such as hormonal disorders.

For which symptoms should a child be seen by a doctor? If loss of appetite is accompanied by high fever, vomiting, rashes appear in the mouth or on the body, urination and stool become frequent. When a child loses weight, does not want to drink, or does not sleep well.

How to increase a child's appetite

Everyone has their own appetite. Some children like to eat more often, others refuse to eat, even when it's time to feed. However, there are ways to increase a child's appetite without violence, lectures, threats and blackmail.

Up to 1 year

A newborn child is completely dependent on the mother and sensitively reacts to her mood. In order for the baby to grow up happy and active, the mother must feed him in a good mood. It is necessary to apply to the chest in a calm environment, without loud, annoying extraneous sounds that can distract from eating.

There are many problems with breastfeeding that cause the baby to eat poorly. Causes of poor appetite can be improper attachment to the breast, inverted nipples of the mother, pain and excess gas in the abdomen of the crumbs. Sometimes lactation changes - there is little milk or, on the contrary, it pours excessively. From the mother's diet, breast milk can change the taste. When formula feeding, refusal to eat is sometimes caused by an incorrectly selected bottle or nipple.

In the first year of life, it is important that the child is monitored regularly by a pediatrician. Some children eat poorly because they are lactose intolerant, so milk is removed from their diet as early as possible. Sometimes the appetite increases from the introduction of complementary foods or the replacement of formula.

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1-2 years

At this age, the child likes to repeat after others, so it is important that he observes how adults, older brothers and sisters eat. A good way to develop eating behavior is playing with a spoon and a plate. An active interest in food is caused by joint table setting, shopping trips and products that the baby can eat with their own hands.

3-5 years old

Younger preschoolers like bright and unusual dishes, because food is also a game. Liven up cereals, soups and salads to make them look irresistible. Put food on plates with beautiful pictures. The child will want to finish eating quickly to see the “drawn story”. An effective way of teaching is the example of a peer. Take your little one to visit a baby who eats with appetite.

5-7 years old

Older preschoolers are extremely inquisitive. Involve your child in cooking as early as possible. Children are happy to break eggs for scrambled eggs, make sandwiches, knead the dough and put it into molds. A dish prepared with your own hands is much more interesting and tastier!

Over 7 years old

Schoolchildren have many responsibilities during the day, so routine is important. A healthy appetite can be instilled as a habit. Remove all unnecessary snacks and set clear rules in the family when family members sit down for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is worth walking more in the fresh air, playing sports and avoiding negative conversations during meals.