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She is 22 months old. This evening at dinnertime I gave her corn. I left it on her tray for a few minutes. She wouldn't touch it. Then I gave her some pasta shells. She wouldn't eat those. Then I gave her some chicken. She wouldn't eat the chicken. So I took everything off her tray and gave her 1/2 piece of multigrain bread. She ate 1/2 of it. Then I gave her a string cheese. She ate a couple bites and didn't want anymore. Then I gave her some blueberries. She ate 1 and didn't want anymore. So lastly I gave her milk and she had a few sips and I just gave up. She had a snack around 4 or so, but I still would think she would be hungry by 7. Is it normal for toddlers her age to not want to eat? It gets really frustrating when I take time to make food that she won't eat which ends up being wasted!
I think it is normal for toddlers to be not so hungry some days. Granted, it's been quite some time since I've had a toddler but it seems to me some days they ate quite a bit and some days not so much...My pediatrician always said look at what (and how much) they ate over the course of the week rather than on any particular day....
Maybe make her an entire meal and put it in front of her. Let her choose from the plate what she wants to eat.
This.
When mine were/are hesitant about eating, my hubby and I will talk to each other about how good it smells, and tastes. And just go overboard, "What is that delicous smell!!??" "Yum, this chicken is SOOOO good!!!" "Oh, Honey, did you try the corn yet?" "Yummy!!"
Works like a charm.
I wouldn't give her one thing at a time like that.
Give her the same meal you are eating that has multiple choices on the plate. Then just start eating your dinner. Ignore if she's not eating something.
You're teaching her to be a picky eater by only giving her one thing at a time until she finally likes something.
You're setting yourself up to having to cook special dinners for her when she's older.
Very normal. Somedays my DS (29 mos) will only eat a few bites here and there, on other days he can eat almost as much as I eat. All 4 of my kids were like this. It's pretty frustrating on the days that they don't eat much or when they only seem to want one food, but if you keep putting a healthy meal in front of them they will eat what they need.
I also agree just put the whole thing in front of her.
As mentioned above and by Dr. Spock, make a meal or fill a tray with healthy finger foods and let her eat. Somtimes they are simply not hungry. Their metabolisms have slowed down a tad (for a growing, busting at the seams youngster) and they don't need as much to feel full.
Also, she could be teething. She could have a small fever or sore throat. She may just be tired.
The most important thing is don't start the picky eating phase just yet, she'll get to that on her own time. Let her know that this is what you made and if she's hungry she can eat it. Your job is to make a healthy safe meal for you child. Not to force her to eat. Tomorrow may be a different story and she'll devour everything, or the day after. I wouldn't get too worried until it's been a few days w/out her eating anything.
If she's sleeping, using the bathroom (wet and not constipated), and is not sick then I would say she's just not hungry....right now.
She ate breakfast and lunch so I just think she wasn't hungry at dinnertime. I am glad I asked because I didn't realize giving her a couple things at a time would cause her to be picky.
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I will try to just give her everything at once and see how that goes.
