Toddler Snacking Problems

My ped said this is a big snacking time. I was supposed to sit my son down for a meal, and not offer anything "to-go". Even snacktime was sitting down (not grazing, but a set snack time). I found that going to a booster seat helped too.

Just make a rule (for you) that all food has to be eaten in her chair. Anytime she wants to eat, put her in her chair. If she doesn't want to sit in it, she doesn't eat. Just say--no chair, no food. If she fusses, turn away. When she stops, put her in her chair and feed her. When she's had all she wants, even if it's 2 bites, let her get down. When she comes back in 5 minutes and wants to eat, tell her to get in her chair. If she objects, say---no chair, no food, and turn away. You can teach her this easily. We all want our kids to be able to sit properly for meals. This is where you start.

My son is a snacker too! (he's much older than 14 months now tho,but still dealing with this with him being 8 & in 3rd grade)

I make sure he has healthy snacks (ie, a 1/4-1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels, cheese stick, carrots, crackers w/PB, apples, etc) and absolutely TURN OFF the snacking for an hour or so before dinner or he will NOT eat dinner.

I make sure he has something in the am before school (a challenge, I too am not big on eating right when I wake up) then (in the days he wasn't going to school) a mid morning snack, a lunch, and make sure he gets a good afternoon snack around 3ish (he gets out of school at 3:45 now, so it's right when he gets home from school) then have dinner at 5.(the goal!)
I found that when I gave him a good snack mid-afternoon and he ate enough with nothing to snack/graze on between then and dinner, he usually ate some dinner. If not, he would eat maybe 3 bites, that's it, then eat again at dessert time, which was not ideal!

Change her snacks to some components of lunch and dinner foods. ie, cut up veggies, chicken cubes, meat & cheese slices on crackers, more veggies, more fruits, at that age they begin to love to dip - so offer dips (ie, ranch with veggies, peanut butter with celery, crackers, syrup or jam with french toast, pancake or just toast strips (and they're so easy to make yourself!) etc. Bread cut into shapes with cookie cutters are great (maybe when they're a little older tho. - and use the rest of the bread to make bread crumbs.)

Cut out the snacks and see what happens. Maybe a booster seat at the
table where you eat would help. She won't starve. They eventually eat
when they are hungry. How much milk does she drink? She make be
drinking too much. Good luck.

If you can adjust the height of the high chair, lower it and remove the tray. Then she can sit at the table like a "big girl."
Also, cut down on snacks or make sure they are healthy snacks.

do what you are doing. Stop giving her snacks and put her in her chair.
If she is hungry she WILL eat.
I actually had to do the same with my son. He'd snack so much during the day that he would NOT eat dinner.
So after a certain time in the day, BYE BYE snack food.
I tell him, No more food before dinner.
Your lil one won't go hungry, if shes hungry she will eat.

This may not be what you want to hear, but it's actually better to snack all day. 6 small meals are much healthier (depending on the food choices) than 3 larger meals.

Our son, now 4, has always been a snacker. While other moms complained about nursing taking 45 minutes, I'd be done in 10. He was efficient, and though he ate more frequently, he did not eat large volumes.

We have to monitor our own behavior at dinner time (both kids, 2 and 4) have to be at the table) to make sure we're not teaching him to overeat since his nature is to be a snacker. Over eating is a learned behavior, and is not natural to humans biologically.

So, if you're offering healthy snacks (string cheese, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, cottage cheese, apple sauce, ham/turkey, hummus, etc), I personally wouldn't have an issue with it.

Our 2 year-old daughter is completely the opposite, and she'll clear her plate at dinner. She won't eat breakfast, though. She's never liked it and prefers a snack around 10-11am. Different kids, different preferences.

Ask your pediatrician - they can advise as well.
Here's a sample 1 day menu from AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) that includes both meals and snacks to help guide you.
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/f...

1st priority - Food needs to get in the belly. That is happening. So good job on that. I'm sure the snacks she gets are healthy little portions of her meals anyway, so the only current distinction between snack and meal is sitting or moving around and time of day. So really, she isn't distinguishing, you are.
Teaching social skills, table manners, and routine is important too. There is great value to eating as a family. SO, It may be time to move her to a booster chair so she can sit at the table. She's a big girl now! Model good behavior and sit down to eat with her. No portable food for anybody. You can make it more fun by playing a kid cd she likes only when sitting at the table - call it tummy music or something. Get her a place mat, sippy, plate, and bowl of her own. Make it fun and make it a rule - we eat at the table. Then there is no wiggle room. .

I remember that my daughter would rather do anything than sit at the table & eat at that age; frustrating at the time, but now that she's older (almost 5), she has no problem joining us at the table for meals. Maybe try a booster seat instead of the high chair so she can feel like a big girl?

One of mine also liked to graze and then wasn't interested at dinnertime. First, I'd suggest serving all snacks in the highchair - or switch to a booster seat, she may enjoy sitting at the table and she is big enough. Make sure that all snacks are healthy foods. If she has "snacked" on a yogurt, a cheese stick and an applesauce, if she's not hungry at lunchtime, she has had enough to equal a healthy lunch. I would, however, limit snacks, even healthy ones. One morning and one afternoon snack should be sufficient. It is okay to say "no." People don't need to eat constantly (1/3 of Americans are overweight and an alarming number of children!). It's good for them to learn that they cannot eat constantly. She may give you a hard time about new rules at first, and you'll have to deal with that. You are not starving her by offering meals and limited snacks, she is not going hungry.
A booster seat at the table may help with the high chair protests.

I don't see a problem with her snacking as long as she is getting the proper nutrition. I'm 25 and I eat small meals every two hours as opposed to big meals. Its actually better for you, as long as her snacks are smaller meals she should be fine. example my son will have some fruit for a snack and than latter some diced chicked and a cup of milk as another snack