How to Handle Toddlers Who Won't Eat

Learning how to handle a toddler who won't eat is not an easy process. Forcing the child to eat can result in long-term eating problems. Allowing your child to skip meals can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Toddlers who refuse to eat due to control issues must be handled in a different way. Building up your toddler's appetite through physical activities, limiting fluid intake before meals, fixing reasonable serving sizes and keeping to a schedule are just a few of the ways to encourage picky toddlers to eat.

Instructions

• 1

  Check for signs of discomfort or illness. Physical problems, such as a sore throat, budding tooth or the beginnings of an illness could affect a toddler's eating habits.

• 2

  Encourage your toddler to work up an appetite. If your toddler is simply not hungry, consider exercise or games that will use up energy. Dance to music, play a moving game or go for a walk shortly before meal time.

• 3

  Limit fluid intake and snacks before meals. Toddlers tend to fill up on juice, milk or snacks during the day, leaving no appetite for regular meals. Give toddlers juice or milk after finishing their meal. Avoid commercial juices high in sugar.

• 4

  Serve reasonable serving sizes. Toddlers have small stomachs that may not be suitable for three large meals. Fix five to six smaller meals for your toddler throughout the day instead. Choose foods wisely and include fresh fruits and vegetables.

• 5

  Have healthy snacks readily available. Many toddlers do not like to stop playing to sit and eat. Leave a small plate of carrot sticks, sliced cheese or cheerios on a table in your child's play area. Allow toddlers to eat reasonable portions during snack time as they play.

• 6

  Serve meals at the same time each day. Toddlers require a consistent meal routine where they eat meals and snacks at the same time daily. When fixed meals are served, the toddler will gradually begin to feel hungry around meal time.

• 7

  Offer a non-food reward for a completed meal. Encourage the toddler to finish a meal by offering a favorite treat, game or special trip to the store for an inexpensive toy. Avoid offering a reward every night so that it becomes a special event for the toddler.