Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    How can I get my 3yr old to eat Veges and meat?

    Related Topics
    Nutrition Parenting Parenting Infants (0-1)
    His main diet at the moment consists of pasta, bread and fruit.
    He won't eat anything I make for him, including all veges and meat.

    I cook healthy nutritious meals and we have been doing the “that's your dinner so you eat that or you get nothing” approach, which doesn't seem to work.

    He only drinks water and milk as we want to avoid juice etc.

    I'm concerned he isn't getting nutrients and is getting thin.

    Thanks in advance.
    • 2 answers
    • Jessica Bailes
    • Ines Astudillo
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 1

    Thanks

    Jessica Bailes

    Dietitian

    Hi, I’m an Inner-West Sydney based Nutritionist and Accredited Practicing Dietitian. I’m committed to helping people finding a way of eating that allows them to … View Profile

    Hello, how stressful this must be for you!

    The first thing you need to do is take him to your doctor to get a growth check and make sure everything is medically ok. 

    The second is to get a full nutritional assessment. There are a few queries I have as a dietitian, including how much milk he's getting, how the mealtimes are spaced, snacking and his weight history. 

    After that, the next step is to look at introducing new foods one at a time, and enriching his foods so that what he does eat is full of nutrients. Remember it can take up to ten times trying a food for a child to accept it.

    Feel free to get in contact with me to ask any more questions or book an appointment. 
    Jessica Bailes, Nutritionist and Dietitian
    jessicabailes.com

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
  • Ines Astudillo

    Dietitian

    Ines Astudillo is an Accredited Pracitising Dietitian & Sports Dietitian, with four main areas of expertise: issues with infant & childhood feeding, gut issues, weight … View Profile

    Feeding issues can be complex. There may be various factors influencing your little one's eating experience, food preferences and food aversions such as medical issues, oral motor skills, developmental stage, muscle strength, sensory system and environment.
    I suggest you see an experienced dietitian with extra training in childhood feeding problems, particularly if your child's growth has been affected.
    It is important to assess what factors are influencing your child's eating experience, to determine the best approach to help your child improve eating skills, food intake and ultimately growth, as well as support and guide you through how to do this.

    I hope this points you in the right direction.
    Best wishes,

    Ines

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices