Hello!

My toddler ( 2 1/2 yr old) who has always been a fabulous eater has suddenly been the opposite of late. This has been going on for 3 months now and some days will eat some things but other days barely eats a thing. There are nights she goes to bed on an empty stomach. Plus i worry as she is already iron deficient that it will get worse. I am after any fun, creative idea’s or recipes to try out on her. Dad works away and i do find the weeks he is home she eats a bit better but is far worse when he is away. Any help would be greatly appreciated please!!

Do you have any ideas for creative food for a toddler to share with this Mum?


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  • Make it fun. Lots of colour. Make faces. Use cookie cutters to cut sandwiches. Get the kids involved in helping prepare their food etc


  • Let them choose (within reason) what they would like to eat, maybe offer a list of a couple of options. Then let them help prepare it, they love that. Cut out fun shapes, place the food to make pictures, add lots of different coloured foods. Try and keep them interested, that is the key


  • Fruit pieces on a stick. Fruit kebabs.
    Pikelets.
    Sandwich shapes.
    Get toddler to spread own butter on a cracker and jam. With supervision their attempts theyll love.


  • Children go through these phases, they generally are getting enough from snacking. However have a little friend visit for a meal. Children will eat when they have company. You can get creative with presenting food. Make faces with food on the plate or other things. Have your little one help with shopping and in the kitchen for meal preparation. Begin a small garden to grow (even if it is only in pots) vegetables. Or if possible visit a farm where food is grown my create interest in foods. Children love eating what they grow, select and prepare. They also like to eat eggs when they are gifted from a hen.


  • yeah there are so many great ideas on here. people make amazing things


  • Try feeding her what you eat and sit down at meal times with her for attetion and encouragement. You may find she will then eat because you are ‘monkey see monkey do’


  • It’s so hard !! This has just happened with my 18 month old. I make veggies pasties with cheese if that helps ?


  • First make sure she is ok, maybe her doctor can check her out.
    Ask what food she would like to eat and make lists with her. Getting her to help with preparation is a good tip.
    Also if she doesn’t like her food cooked raw vegies are great for her. Maybe you can compromise with her, she can have x favourite if she eats a small portion of meat.
    Steak cut into fingers and vegie chips are fun. Let her dip her food into interesting sauces, tomato ketchup, peanut butter, or cheese dips. Most kids love dipping foods.
    Good luck.


  • Use biscuit cutters to cut sandwiches, cheese, fruit etc into interesting shapes.


  • kids will usually eat what they help make like little pizzas and sandwiches as well as fruit salad. You can also cut sandwiches in to fun shapes. My Grandson is like this but if he helps than e will eat it. He also loves chicken and he calls all meat chicken and he will eat it but if you try and tell him it is not chicken he will not eat it.
    It also seems it must be hard on her when Daddy goes away and child will act out in different was as it seems she does not like being sepperated from him


  • I noticed some pretty fancy sandwich cutters at the post office the other day it cut heart and dinosaurs and stuff you can do a traffic light sandwich with three holes and different coloured food under the bread chess lettuce for green tomatoes for red etc have fun just need something to cut a small hole 10 cent piece size.


  • OH my goodness my daughter is the same. She used to eat bowls of food now rejects dinner, unless I make it into the shape of a face (the nights we are having salad etc…) or I help her and feed her. Hope some of those ideas help.


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