How to get a 3 year old to eat?

Well it sounds like your 3 year old son at least eats a good breakfast which is better then i can say for myself. Your doctor makes a good point, as long as he does eat some eventually he should be fine. Considering the kind of eating habits most of America has I'd be glad if my offspring weren't constantly after me for five meals per day. (At least thats a fear of mine if i ever do manage to become a parent). Biologically speaking, unless there's some serious illness going on, he will eat his fair share of food per day.

All you can do is keep offering a variety of things to him.Eventually he may outgrow it. Some kids remain picky forever. My son became picky once he hit the age of 5. Just a thought,maybe try to have your son be a little helper and maybe prepare something together.That possibly would spark his interest in eating something more or new.

My son is like this, and has been since he started eating. It was always a hassel to get him to eat anything and I was totally frustrated by the end of meal time. One day, I thought...O well, if he is hungry he will eat. I wasnt going to fight with him anymore. At dinner, I would make his plate...and sit it on the table. Telling him one time that his dinner was on the table. He soon started to come to the table and eat dinner with us. I found the less fuss I put up about it...the better he ate. Kids work in crazy ways sometimes. I also limit his choices..I think to many is overwhelming and I find he doesnt eat the best either. I usually put one thing on the plate. Usually something that contains as many different things in it as possible. Maybe a casarole...something with pasta, meat veggies... ect. Hope some of these tips help..and good luck!

Just this past week I talked to someone whose son was 2 1/2 and a terrible, picky eater She started him in day care abot2 months ago. He saw the other kids eating different things in day care and now his habits have changed completely. She was always making a fuss about his eating, he was turning it into a power struggle. He learned the error of his ways from other kids. I got my son to eat better by having him help me cook. He can cut fruits with a plastic knife and help make fruit salad...he can use a wooden spoon to mix it and serve it to the family. Make it fun.

I don't have any children of my own but I had to take a nutrition class. In the class I read a book about nutrition for different age groups. Anyways the book said don't woory about it they'll eat when they're hungry. Figer foods are key along with bright colors to catch they're attention. Cut up raw veggies into pieces as long as they're fingers, or roll up lunch meat and give it to them like that. Don't complicate things. Children that age like things simple and make sure things aren't to hot as in temperature. I herd they like foods that are kind of mild, not to spicy or anything like that. I know I was a kid one of my favorite foods was flavored cream of wheat.

Being a mother of 3, I've seen my fair share of this. Whenever my kids get like that, which they still do, it can mean different things. See, with my youngest, it means that she's about to have a growth spurt. They say that usually a child will eat and eat to store up for it, but she's the opposite. She'll not eat much at all unless it's fruits and veggies, staying away from meat as much as possible. Then, after she has the spurt, she eats in copious amounts. I can almost never get her to quit. My 7 year old tends to eat too much as it is, but I think that my have something to do with being teased about being over weight at school, so she does it to help fill that void being put there by the kids. "If they say I am, I may as well be, right?" As for my 11 year old, well, she's a very healthy eater, and will eat anything put in front of her basically. I've always given my kids a variety of foods. Maybe changing up his diet from things that he's used to, to things that he's never tried before will help him to eat more. Maybe making it interesting, and allow him to play with his food a little before he's got to eat it. I've always been told to let them eat at their own pace, as in the end it usually balances out. Their bodies seem to know intuitively what they need and when they need it, so maybe just see if he outgrows it in time.

I am having the same problem with my son who is going to be 2 in one months time, he barely eats anything, no proper meal, just takes fruit juices, sometimes salads, i am so upset i really dont know what to do

just keep the food infront of him/her

They all go through a picky stage. Don't worry about it my doctor always told me they won't starve and he was right. Just put the food out and they'll eat what they want. You can't force feed them.

hmm mostly ......u must try to buzy ur child in playing and then try to give him some thing its a coomon problem ....in this age kids dont eat much ...first u try to knew what do he/she likes to eat ...then make that thing ...mix it with things so he can eat it .....after all the last thing u can do is to leave him/her a bit without food and then after a day ask him/her for the food ...the child will eat and for the next time give him the food .....he will eat it ..

Hi Jenny, I honestly believe that this is normal for children his age, he may be what we call a grazer, my granddaughter was one, they eat very little for days and then they hit a growth spurt and are constantly hungry. on the not hungry days food was always left on the table for her, the understanding was she didn't have to eat all her meal at one sitting, but if she wanted a nibble she had to sit at the table and eat, it has worked out fine, she is still a nibbler, and doesn't carry food around the house, she know she has to sit down at the table and eat, even if it is inly a mouth full. and she is a very healthy child, as well as a very happy one because no one is harping on her to eat.

I wonder if your son drinks whole milk. Sometimes kids fill up on whole milk and then they aren't really hungry enough to eat any more. Cutting down to 2% may help, it still provides a healthy amount of fat but doesn't leave you will a full/fatty mouth feeling. The suggestions of cooking with your kids is a great one. Another great way to get kids interested in food is to have them help you pick things out at the grocery store. It can be a fun thing to to together for some quality time. My stepdad and I still go to the grocery store together (I'm 23) because we used to when I was little. It helps kids learn more about different kinds of foods and the act of selecting their own often motivates them to at least TRY the food. If they help prepare it, that works as well because they have been involved and included. I hope this helps. Good luck!

My middle daughter went through that stage, she wouldn't eat for a couple of days at a time, just pick at food, then she would eat all day another time. Her doc told me that she is fine as long as I offer it to her she will eat when she is hungry. I wouldn't offer her sugary snacks only fruits and veggies. She is now 10 and she eats very healthy. She (as with my other 2) loves fruits and veggies. You can't normally get a kid to eat brussel sprouts but my kids love them lol. I wouldn't be concerned about it unless he is losing a lot of weight, or seems like he is getting sick. I know as a parent it is easier said than done lol.

My almost 3 year old has never been the best of eaters. What has helped a lot is building on the things he does like to eat. He adores pasta so I make a lot of pasta dishes with plenty of veg etc in. I have learned over the past years that he does eat when he is hungry and I no longer bug him about it if he doesnt feel like it. He is healthy and within normal weight range, so doing fine. Also what encourages him to eat is sitting down to eat with him. Seeing me eat makes him want to eat.

This is an universal problem. No mother is ever satisfied with her kid's eating habbit. I think your baby's eating habbit is very good. Snacking is not very good habbit. And as far as he is withing weight range and doctor is not saying anything the baby is fine.

Its really very hard to make toddlers to eat. First you really need to entice them to stregnthen their appetite.. give them supplements that would boost their appetite.. make sure not to give them junk food in- between meals for them not to loose their appetite during regular meal time.. Don't give in to their tantrums. If they don't like to eat their food and wants a different food or junk food. just let them feel the hunger for a bit.. Always inform them the benefits of eating right and on time.

no clue is he skinny? if not don't worry about it if he is, then make or buy foods that he likes

My 3 year older daughter has never been a picky eater but I noticed that there are times that she does not want to eat the way she does. My other 4 year old son always picks on his food but there are times that he likes to try other foods. Maybe it's part of the way kids grow. So as long as they are not losing weight, they should be fine.

I think it should repast on shedule,and not allow him to eat more sock!

Trust me i even don't want to remember about those years.My daughter was born vegetarian i guess and i fight until she was 7 years to make her eat meat..I had hard time,and this scared ma a lot to be sure i don't want another kid...lol!!kidding,but i used all tertips and wasn't easy to make her eat ...the good news is i am fighter and i always win..but with what price??!...lol.. augusta