He Only Eats Fruit...

[ihop]

Dcb, 2, has started to only eat the fruit during meals. When he started a few months ago he would eat the fruit and ask for more. My rule is you have to eat everything(or make an effort) before you get more of anything. I'd tell him the rule and he would graze a little and be done. But he was eating a decent amount. Now its to the point where he will eat the fruit and when I don't give him more he takes it from other peoples plates.

Today I didn't give him fruit. I told him that he could have it after he had some other food. So he cried and just stared at his plate until meal was over. Same at lunch. His dad would not receive this well. Super overprotective, anything to make Jr happy.
IM giving him things I know he likes but he just won't eat it.

I know fruit is healthy but he has no off button and will scream and cry for more and he has the worst poop diapers ever.
Advice?

[Blackcat31]

I would stop serving fruit for a while.

I try to serve fruit only a couple times a week because it is like candy to some kids and the diapers are gross if that is the only thing a kid eats.

I serve 2 veggies instead.

[Heidi]

I would stop serving fruit for a while.

I try to serve fruit only a couple times a week because it is like candy to some kids and the diapers are gross if that is the only thing a kid eats.

I serve 2 veggies instead.

and I wouldn't say much to dad, unless he asks. Then, it would be "He didn't eat a lot; he's been a bit more finicky lately, have you noticed?"

If asked to accommodate his tastes, I'd just say "no, we really can't go down that road, or I'd be serving 8 different meals every mealtime! I'm not worried. If he's really hungry, he'll eat"

[TwinKristi]

Yeah, I agree with BC that you should just serve 2 servings of veggies for awhile. I'm not sure if you're on the food program or not but we can't withhold food from a child. So if you serve all the other kids fruit you can't not serve him as well. If you switch to veggies for awhile maybe he'll be hungry enough to eat. BUT if parents aren't supportive of this they'll just load him up with fruit at home and probably won't be happy about this plan. As long as you're following the rules as far as food program goes (or if you don't participate than it's just whatever licensing says and if you're not licensed than whatever you want I suppose) than there shouldn't be a problem. Kids go through phases. I serve plates of pre-portioned food, they get what they get and eat what they want. Today only 2 of the 6 ate their green beans. 4 of the 6 ate their chicken and everyone ate their pasta with marinara sauce. LOL sure there's some waste when the kids don't eat, but I just keep doing my part and hopefully some will eat better eventually.
The nutrition class I took was kinda lame about that. They said you should just put the food out and let the kids take what they want. :: okay... So when they eat all the fruit and want more fruit and never eat the protein, grains, veggies, etc then what? Because I would say 80% of kids under 4 would choose fruit ONLY over anything else even if it's something they like. I took that class with a grain of salt! LOL Some of the kids I have will say no to foods but with a little prompting or me feeding them from their fork/spoon they'll eat it and see they like it and eat more. But I can see parents going "ok he doesn't like it, pass" and not encouraging them to eat these things.