Many parents notice that around the time of their toddler's first birthday they become very picky and seem to eat nothing at all. If you notice that your child is doing this, they're very normal. Actually around a year of age kids start to slow their growth and so their requirements also decrease and we've been used to them eating a ton of food the first year so when they start to decrease what they're eating after their first birthday it seems very dramatic to us in comparison to what they were once eating. Actually a young toddler only needs about 1,000 calories a day. If you've ever been on 1,000 calorie diet you know that that's not much food. Divide this up between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks and a child doesn't really need to eat much at eat sitting. It's really normal if your child doesn't want to come to the table, isn't interested in trying new foods, and gets on this fix where they want to eat the same thing for days. Or if they eat a big breakfast and not much else throughout the day or eat a ton one day or not much the next, really it usually all balances out and kids will eat when they're hungry. They're not like us and they don't eat for emotional reasons. They might start to get to the point where they want to eat because they're bored and it is okay for your kids to have healthy snacks. The only thing you can do as a parent is introduce nutritious foods at each meal. Vary the colors and consistencies of the food you offer on your toddler's plate. Actually studies have shown that sometimes it takes 10 or 15 introductions before a child will try a new food. Don't give up on it, continue to introduce it. Like I said, the only thing you can do is give your child healthy food and they'll always decide how much of it they're going to eat. One of the worst things you can do is turn mealtime into a fight. If you find that your toddler isn't eating, just save the plate for later when he comes to you and tells you he's hungry. If you have any concerns about his growth or wellbeing don't hesitate to ask your pediatrician. If you have any other questions for me in the future feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/IntermountainMoms and recommend us to your friends and family too.
