Toddler Refusing To Eat Dinner? Here's How To Handle It

When my son was 2, he went on an epic dinner strike. He ate little more than a lick of ketchup or a bite of bread at dinnertime if he ate anything at all. To make matters worse, he clamored for snacks just before (and just after) the family meal.

Sound familiar? A toddler refusing to eat dinner is a maddening but fairly typical phase. The sudden growth surge of the baby years has slowed, so your child isn't as hungry as they used to be. They've also learned the word "no" and the power that food refusals have over parents and caregivers. It's also exhausting being a toddler. Dinnertime is not usually a toddler's finest moment at the end of a long and busy day.

But even though it's normal, toddler dinner strikes can still be frustrating for parents and incredibly triggering for others. Read on to learn how to get through the times your toddler is refusing to eat dinner.

Schedule Snacks

Pre-dinner snacks can sabotage the meal if your toddler comes to the table already full. So, keep snacks at least two hours before dinner. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers the following tips for keeping helping kids snack smart:

• Set a meal and snack schedule.
• Time snacks so they don't interfere with meals.
• Offer nutritious foods.
• Make fresh fruits and veggies an option.
• Consider snacks with protein and fiber.

If your child regularly melts down before dinner, try adjusting your snack times or moving the meal forward if possible. If all else fails, serve a bowl of microwaved peas, some carrot sticks, or a component of the meal that's already prepared.

Include Well-Liked Foods

Don't cater to your toddler's whims for nightly nuggets—serve one dinner to everyone. But the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says to be sure there's something on the table your child reliably eats, even if it's just rice or fruit.

If your toddler refuses to eat dinner and demands something different, explain that this meal is what you're having and remind them that while you'd like for them to taste everything on their plate, they can choose which foods they'd like to eat. Also let them know that they can have more if they're still hungry. It's OK if your child has seconds or thirds of that well-liked food. When you create a safe space at the table, your child will eventually branch out.

Stay Cool

Don't let what your toddler eats (or doesn't eat) affect your emotional state because reacting may make things worse. If your child declares they don't want to eat dinner, tell them that's OK, but they need to sit with the family at mealtime.

Remember, your child responds to your behavior. So, your reaction can either escalate or de-escalate the situation. So, stick to a calm, clear, non-emotional voice. If your toddler says they're done after one bite, remain neutral. Make sure they know when the next chance to eat will be.

Have a Bedtime Snack Strategy

When you have a bedtime snack built into your routine, it lets you take the pressure off of meals. Young children tend to need to snack throughout the day, making a toddler refusing to eat dinner less of an ordeal—especially when you ensure their snacks are nutritious.

The AAP recommends the following as examples of healthy snack combinations to try:

• Plain yogurt with berries and toast
• Sliced apples with nut butter and cooked peas
• Canned corn, diced sweet potato, mashed black beans
• Cheese quesadilla and quartered grape tomatoes
• Cottage cheese, sliced peaches, English muffin

In her book, It's Not About the Broccoli, sociologist Dina Rose suggests serving something boring but filling, like a cup of milk or some cottage cheese (or some dinner leftovers, for that matter). That way, your child doesn't go to bed hungry but doesn't decide it's worth skipping dinner because the bedtime snack is more appealing.