thread: Toddler won't eat meat

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  1. #1
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    Toddler won't eat meat

    My 21 month old refuses to eat any kind of meat, has done so for about as long as I've offered him meat. I feel like I've tried all I can think of but am worried he's not getting protein, iron etc he needs. It's not like he has a go & spits it out. It's unusual for him to even put it in his mouth.

    If I make Chicken Soup, all the chicken gets left in the bottom. If I make a bolagnaise sauce, he'll strip the pasta of all meat sauce & just eat the pasta. Last night we had stir fry, he sucked on the pork but didn't actually bite any. Even say a ham sandwich gets pulled apart so he just eats the bread. When he was younger he wouldn't even eat the meat in those Rafferty's Garden pouches.

    He used to love a chicken casserole I got out of Robin Barker's book, but now that he doesn't eat puree he won't eat it.

    Actually thinking about it, he will eat pre packaged chicken nuggets...but I can't give him those several times a week. Even then he'll take a bite or two & leave the rest anyway.

    Should I be doing anything else? Vitamins even?

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Jan 2009
    1,488

    My kids have never eaten meat. There are plenty of other sources of iron- legumes, green leafy vegies, dried apricots, nuts/nut butters, wholegrains.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Oct 2008
    Victoria
    4,601

    True Ash, he's generally picky I guess which doesn't help

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    Melbourne
    6,745

    I don't eat meat and my girls don't eat much either. DD1 will now eat fish and turkey but DD2 doesn't eat much at all. They both eat eggs and almonds and legumes so I'm not concerned.

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Feb 2010
    Newcastle
    1,151

    eggs are a good source of protein and lots of other good stuff in them too

    If your concerned he isnt getting al his vitamins you can get vitamin supplements from a chemist, my DS1 use to LOVE meat thats all he would eat but now im flat out getting him to eat anything at all when its dinner time all he wants is a sandwich so im looking at other things he can get iron and preotein and stuff from

    Also if he chooses just to suck on the meat and not actually
    chew' it, he is still getting all the goodness out of it my younger sister refused to chew meat she would chew it a little bit then just suck all the juices out then spit it out and mum found out there is nothing wrong with that cause she still gets the goodness (she still does it too this day and she is 22, mind you she does have a disability though which is why she probably doesnt chew her meat still and im NOT saying that your son does at any cost)

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Nov 2010
    Cairns
    681

    Ruby wont eat meat so if I make spaghetti bolognaise for the family its 90% vegies like a stirfry and since mince is hard to get off everything she does end up getting some to eat