“When my child was a baby, she would eat whatever I gave her. Now it seems that with every passing day, she eats less and less variety. Doesn’t she ever get tired of eating hot dogs and spaghetti? How do I get proper nutrients in her?”
Toddlers that won’t eat a variety of foods are very common. One day, your child could be happily munching on broccoli. The next day, she doesn’t want anything to do with any vegetable. How do you get your child to eat healthy?
One thing to note is that toddlers have an internal balance so that their bodies will crave nutrients if needed. She will eat what she needs to grow. That being said, continue to offer her a nutritional variety of vegetables, fruit, dairy, protein, and grains. She may not like peas today, but if you keep offering them, she may change her mind on a dime.
If she will not eat vegetables straight out, find creative ways to get her vegetables in. Add them to her spaghetti sauce, bake them in her bread, or put them in her pizza. If she is keenly perceptive and picks the vegetables out anyway, don’t worry. As long as she’s growing at the normal rate, she will be just fine.
Another way to get her nutrients in is by feeding her supplements and vitamins. Talk to your Pediatrician about which is appropriate for your child.
Don’t try to force your toddler to eat, as that will make her fearful of food. These food issues could continue into her adulthood and cause eating disorders or food aversions in the future.
Your toddler will eventually come around. Until then, stick with her basic favorites and add what she is lacking on the slide. Remember that toddlers have a new found desire to explore their world. They have just learned that they have choices and options. Although you set limits for other activities, what they choose to eat is solely up to them.
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