What do you feed you Toddlers at breakfast?

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( Give up! You cant win- not all of the time anyway. Remove the food from the battlefield or you will both develop eating disorders! If you have a Bolshie one- just be firm- plan the menu- put the food down and walk away and let the little wild thing eat or wear it- whatever. I promise they wont let themselves starve. You can starve as far as they care- but they wont - or not for long anyway.. [color=#0000FF'>Ok, so my problem is that my girls refuse what I give them and then starve to the point of whinging for milk, nothing else will do, it must be milk or juice!! What do I do in that case, do i let them cry and carry on and refuse them milk? They get so distraut too if I dont give it to them!![/color'> Keep a diary of what you give- and how much went in and what routinely is used to paint the floor-so you can figure out genuine dislikes and attempt to calorie count [color=#0000FF'>This is good advice, will try it![/color'>

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( Im long past that stage- but had 4 close in age and mealtimes were often disatrous.(I eat way too quickly now still- a remnant of having to deal with 4 picky,messy eaters while managing to keep my own weight up) Its a horrible age- the learning to control Mum with refusing food and dressing oneself and basically being a self absorbed tyrant- whilst having a glimmer of understanding of what its doing to your parent.(see the mummy pull hair out and dump breakfast option 2 down sink- nice slushy mess mmm must put hand in it... what do I want to eat now? I want...I want...a banana! No- an orange-check no oranges available first- maybe a yoghurt- but only the chocolate one- what no chocolate- then youre a baaad mummy and if I cry- its your fault. How long do I have to stay in kitchen?- Im bored. I want tv and ,,, and,,, MILK and... rice crippys in it and..WHHHAAT!!!- that was the last of the milk she just turfed? NO way! I got the worst deal in Moms ever!! waaaah.) . Laughed so much at this as this is our household everyday, only I have two to deal with not four (feeling for you!!)

Am not alone, I see phew I guess its a phase. Ladies, will take on some of your breakfast ideas (if I can drag myself out of bed) Thanks, my mind at peace now thought I was starving my DD! Yeah I thought I was the only one!! I struggle daily to feed my girls. They both prefer milk and juice over eating, it drives me mad and I get so frustrated!

- that song and dance can take about 20 minutes, eventually she realises I am serious and then she eats and brings her bowl to me to show she has finished. ;) Thats sooo cute!!

could I suggest something here.- While you can't make or even suggest what your children eat - that they observe an example at whatever meal? They may not like the egg or the toast or the oatmeal when it is presented to them but if they see mother, father, older sister or brother eating whatever - it becomes something eventually that they will eat? My youngest sister only ate green peas for years as her green vegetable at any meal - I was never thrilled with spinach, cabbage or coleslaw - (I could eat it but would never choose it). I love oatmeal because I associate it with my grandfather (let's face it oatmeal is not attractive on anything other thatn a nutritional/fiber level otherwise) - let your child associate good foods with people he loves - it will surprise you what he will try, even a spoonful is a celebration

DD is 2 and 10 months. She'll have her 9oz bottle of milk and about 30 minutes later toast or cereal. Sometimes I just give her a yogurt and fruit.

Milk is the constant for my 2 1/2 yr old DS. Sometimes he'll swipe at the plate of cut up fruit I make sure is always there on breakfast table. He refuses eggs. We have tried explaining that Mog the Cat and Paddington Bear both like eggs for breakfast. He doesn't like jam.

I need a new thread for this probably but- what do you feed your TEENAGERS for breakfast? My one deliciously plump gannet of a baby (the other 3 were were like scrawny chickens) who ate everything offered- and everyone elses- NOW wont eat! Gone are the michelin doughnuts on thigh and ankle I was so quietly proud of and in their place are a loose pair of jeans containing a length of bone and sinew more suited to a small gazelle. At this point she will hesitantly accept (into her hand at least- heaven knows where it will end up- probably under her bed with the rest of her discarded school lunches) half a slice of toast with no butter and a small bottle of water. Its that or a small bowl- a portion suitable for a sickly hedgehog- of special K and 2 drops of low fat milk with nothing older than yesterdays date. NO fruit- ever, no fish- ever, eggs are anathema and as lunch is- to her- also optional- dinner is my one big concern and Im divided about making an issue of it.WHYYYY??? Theyre all different and they change as they grow older. As toddlers- you can stand on your head to get nutrients into them and as teenagers you get the same ******- mindedness - only they are harder to trick or second guess and yes they do have the will power at this point to get themselves admitted to hospital with anorexia.( my niece- always a picky eater- just found a cause to refuse everything below her on the food chain. Im aware its a symptom of deeper concerns but the nutrition problem is still insurmountable some days) You cant win. A healthy attitude to food and not imbuing mealtimes with too much importance works at some points in their development and not at others. You then have personality issues to contend with(maybe you always did- but having 4 at once I was disinclined to give individual menus) I think the essential ingredient for breakfast is mother love. Without your constant vigilance ,care , persistence, imagination and second sight- kids wouldnt have half the fun and quite a few more headaches and rumbling tummies. Perhaps we are spoiling them for their food and like in disadvantaged countries- they should be working - or at least striving- to feed themselves from an early age? I think knowing how far to go for each of them is the bit God left out of the manual so we can think we are doing this ourselves.

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( my older one had that period, i went to her doc, and he basically said if she is healthy she is fine. However for a period of time she would only drink milk...a had to really struggle and pass some food, it was vicious circle where i would end up giving milk rather then having her run around hungry. He asked me to try and cut some milk out and see if she asks for other foods...sometimes it is enough just to leave some food around(fruits and cheese) for them to start to nibble..and things improved with time... its just those things little ones got trough..

lately, he is 22 months... banana and yogurt(whole cup of yogurt and whole banana:\: ) oatmeal with fresh grated apple and cinnamon scrambled eggs and bacon cereal mandarins and labneh with Arabic bread he starts his day with cup of full fat milk.

My 21 month old can eat her own body weight in marmite sandwiches much to her fathers horror. We don't manage breakfast together during the week but at the weekends we make it a priority to eat every meal with her. I also look at what she eats over the week and generally she is does very well, food is not her priority, playing is especially outdoors at the moment.

LOL @ sallymander - so true! My 2 are 2.5 and have milk 1st thing and then an oaty breakfast bar in the car (hit or miss whether they eat it or not). We leave the house by 6.45 so its not easy to sit down and have a cooked breakfast - kudos to those who manage it! They have a healthy snack and lunchbox for nursery so I don't worry too much about it. I read somewhere that its best to look at what they've eaten over the course of a week rather than daily and you'll find that they've consumed a reasonable amount. Some days I'm convinced that my son lives on fresh air but he's a healthy and lively little fella so something must be going in. Of course, he does consume his own body weight in goldfish crackers and raisins some days...

Colourful cereal with milk. He only eats brekkie 60% of the time though. Other times he wont touch it.

Good advice here already, but to add a few more, it is first most important to accept that the 10/15 minutes of breakfast time are possibly the most important minutes of a child's day. You do need to spend considerable effort to pull it off, so that it becomes a consistent, daily routine. Not easy...but extremely important. -For 10/15 minutes a day, a selection of healthy, nutritious, unprocessed food should be available for kids to sit down and eat. After 15 minutes it is cleared away. If they miss it, too bad for them. They will learn. -This should be a pleasant time of the day otherwise kids will avoid the table.(now is not the time to scold or go through a laundry list of chores, homework, tests etc) -Kids should be able to dictate the conversation, or just be quiet if they want. -Never make an issue about what or how much they are eating. If kids see you are anxious or upset about what they put in their mouths, you have just taught them a way they can can have control over you. Many will take you up on it. -Resist the temptation to have one special treat at breakfast of the sugary, fatty, processed variety.(Sweet Juices too) This one item will make all of the other healthier options taste bland. To prevent children developing unhealthy associations with food: -You can't control what kids put in their mouths so don't try. -Never scold or punish a child for anything related to food/eating. -Never reward kids with unhealthy food -Never try to make a sad child happy with unhealthy food. -Avoid the pitfalls of bringing out the junk food for parties and celebrations. Kids will learn that good times=junk food Finally, like many parenting skills, kids will learn from you. If you are eating unhealthy, your kids will too.

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( Cereal in bowl with milk and then place a small plastic glass of milk or water for her next to bowl at table. If she is not underweight and healthy don't panic.

I can totally relate to the op my 3 1/2 DS will not eat breakfast at least 50% of the time it drives me nuts. I just make sure I pack. A few extra healthy snacks to keep him going.

Sallymander, I have a feeling I should print out your advice and keep it for when my 2.5 yr old starts refusing to eat...very funny, and very sensible too :-) It can be so hard not to let food turn into a big issue, but definitely that should be avoided at all costs.

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( Im long past that stage- but had 4 close in age and mealtimes were often disatrous.(I eat way too quickly now still- a remnant of having to deal with 4 picky,messy eaters while managing to keep my own weight up) Its a horrible age- the learning to control Mum with refusing food and dressing oneself and basically being a self absorbed tyrant- whilst having a glimmer of understanding of what its doing to your parent.(see the mummy pull hair out and dump breakfast option 2 down sink- nice slushy mess mmm must put hand in it... what do I want to eat now? I want...I want...a banana! No- an orange-check no oranges available first- maybe a yoghurt- but only the chocolate one- what no chocolate- then youre a baaad mummy and if I cry- its your fault. How long do I have to stay in kitchen?- Im bored. I want tv and ,,, and,,, MILK and... rice crippys in it and..WHHHAAT!!!- that was the last of the milk she just turfed? NO way! I got the worst deal in Moms ever!! waaaah.) Give up! You cant win- not all of the time anyway. Remove the food from the battlefield or you will both develop eating disorders! If you have a Bolshie one- just be firm- plan the menu- put the food down and walk away and let the little wild thing eat or wear it- whatever. I promise they wont let themselves starve. You can starve as far as they care- but they wont - or not for long anyway. The key is variety- little and often and use bird attracting colours and interesting shapes to hold attention- BUT dont hover,give choices or resort to pleading or arguing or forcefeeding.(I used to dream about using a funnel and a turkey baster...) Keep a diary of what you give- and how much went in and what routinely is used to paint the floor-so you can figure out genuine dislikes and attempt to calorie count (just as proof of not neglecting wasted infant when youre arrested) My lot survived on a diet of ice cream,noodles and fried bananas for a while- and if you look at it- the combo is quite balanced-3 food groups at least... You can reason-a bit with them when they are 6 but before that- just treat them like a picky dog or cat and use tough love. They are instinctive little animals and knew enough to reach for the nipple from the word go and havent lost the knack of finding sustenance before they pass out. Those were the days !! xxx PS- watching other kids eat can give an appetite to the dog in the manger in all toddlers. Offer the meals to baby brother casually or invite a friend over and hope more goes in than ends on the carpet.

My 3 year old has been on a french toast kick lately. I whisk an egg, turn a toast in it (or two if I'm feeling optimistic) and then fry it up and cut it into squares so it's easier for him to eat. He seems to finish it most days. :)

I don't have the problem with not eating (feels like DD never stops) but here are some of our breakfast things cereal fruit & yoghurt cubes of cheese, breadsticks toast w honey, jam, cheese spread etc bagel or croissant I figure that she will eat when hungry so if she does go without breakfast or lunch or whatever I don't worry about it too much as long as she's happy in herself and still drinking. We did go through a period of her not wanting food after her milk so now I tend to give her water first thing and then offer her milk when she is half-way through her food. Good luck :)

Welcome to the club! Until recently my DD who just turned 3, was quite a good breakfast eater. But recently it is a struggle that we seem to repeat every morning. I have told her I will not take her to school unless she eats all of her breakfast (she likes it a lot at her nursery school and knows staying home means boredom and no other children to play with) - that song and dance can take about 20 minutes, eventually she realises I am serious and then she eats and brings her bowl to me to show she has finished. She eats natural yoghurt, weetabix or Cheerios, sometimes some toast with cheese and turkey ham on top of it - and I squeeze her some oranges for a juice. She will not drink milk in the morning other than the milk from the cereal bowl. My DD has gone through variety of interesting eating phases such as the pasta only phase and I realise she outgrows them all. So there is hope. She went through a stage at nursery where she refused the nice warm lunch they serve there - just picked on it - these days she finishes her plate there every day, so there is hope! ;)

I give: Porridge Weetbix Toast with peanut butter Toast with cheese Boiled egg and bread Scrambled egg and bread Poached egg and toast Cheesy omlette Pancakes

Afternoon, DD of 3 yrs still drinks milk and if am lucky she will have coco pops in the morning..Most of the time she refuses cereal or bit of cheese on toast ... drives me nuts and I feel like a bad mother sending her DD to nursery and not ate nothing but drinks milk only! Every morning is a struggle to get her to eat advice plzzzzz :( Dont feel bad I guess most 3 or 4 yr olds have this tendency of not eating at all sometime, my dd drinks only milk and sometimes she asks for sth, and when she does I try to feed her the healthiest choices for breakfast: berries, oatmeal, eggs, and whole bread with cheese.

Mine usually end up eating in the car..toast, banana, dry cereal out the packet etc. It means a messy car but at least they are fed

I give my DD (also 3) something every morning but most of the time it gets thrown away and she goes to school on an empty stomach. This is what I try to get her to eat: bagel with cheese or bowl of plain yogurt or bowl of cereal I always offer her laban to drink too. I never worry about her not eating, though. I figure she'll eat when she's hungry.