19 Month Old Not Eating Protein

He'll get plenty of protein from milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, combined beans and rice, soy products (tofu), quinoa. Meat isn't necessary if he'll eat these other items. And MANY kids go through stages of not liking some or many foods – it's probably nature's way of protecting them from eating the wrong things as they spend more time exploring the world independently.

Don't make food an issue to fight over. That does nothing to make it more attractive or to improve the appetite. Just offer him small samples from time to time to minimize waste. Back off on the stuff he doesn't want for awhile, and just serve a balance of good, healthy foods that he will eat. He'll probably "forget" that he dislikes ______, so you can introduce it casually again in a few weeks.

He's also probably going through a no-appetite phase. If he's eating good snacks, and it sounds like you're giving him excellent choices there, he's probably getting all the nourishment he needs. If you're convinced he's hungry at mealtime, cut back on some of the snacks and serve them as his meal.

Depending on how you handle mealtime, he could be unhappy with the length of time he's required to sit. At this age, activity and exploration are the child's job. Sitting for more than 10-15 minutes at the table is really more than most kids can handle, often until they are as old as four. Making meals a continual battle over sitting and using good manners does little to speed the arrival of said manners. Kids learn them best from watching parents using good manners.

My son is going through this, too. He is 18-months old and became a vegetarian about a month ago. He has also lately been on a food strike, refusing most of his normal foods. Find a couple of things that your son will eat and feed him those regularly (for our son, he has been willing to eat yogurt, cottage cheese, and assorted berries, even though he refuses everything else - even former favorites). Then, for every meal, also serve him one thing he has been refusing regularly. But don't push it, just give it to him. Don't make meals into a fight just yet, or it could become a power struggle. Today, on his own, he decided to eat some food that he has been refusing, all on his own! He ate his peas (a former favorite food), which he has been refusing for about 2 weeks!

Something else you might try if you are worried that he isn't getting enough to eat is baby food. My son won't touch meat, but he will eat the chicken & sweet potato baby food, etc. Thank goodness! I'm pretty sure this is just a phase, but I have no idea how long it will last. But you're not alone.

For other sources of protein, try beans (black beans + rice = a complete protein), hummus (because of the chickpeas), soy beans, peas, peanut butter (but only if your family has no history of food allergies; the association of pediatric docs says it's okay to start giving PB at 1 year now, instead of the previous rec of 2 years). Cheese is a decent source of protein, and so is yogurt and milk. Just keep trying new foods, and good luck!

It must be this age. My daughter fights me on it as well and she is 19 months. Usually, I can make her a grilled cheese with turkey or ham in it and she falls for it almost every time. :) She loves it. Also, I have make a baked potato with corn and shredded chicken in it and she likes that.

I have a picky eater too. He does not eat meat either (that is not why I call him picky....my guy only likes about 3 entrees, 3 veggies, applesauce, cereal bars and crackers...but occassionally eats some other foods). Anyway, you can double check this with your ped, but it is my understanding that toddlers this age only need 16 grams of protein a day. Your son is getting a decent chunk of that in his cheese and yogurt snacks. If he is drinking 2 cups of cow's milk - he is getting all 16 grams just from that (my son drinks Almond milk only which only has a gram per serving, which is why I too am always concerned about his protein intake). Don't sweat the meat and just keep offering healthy meals. I think you are lucky if it is only meat that he is refusing. Good luck.

Eating well, or bad, tends to come in phases at this age. If you are worried about protein intake, I'll share something I heard just today from a nurse-friend. If you can get an egg in your child, it's all the protein he needs for brain development at this age. Hope he eats eggs & hope you get some good advice and things improve.