My 3 year old refuses to eat (anything but snacks): Reasons & Solutions

Your 3 year old refuses to eat anything but snacks? Maybe your toddler won’t eat anything but snacks now but you are grateful because until recently, they would not eat anything at all! It can be really worrying when you know that they are definitely hungry but they are still refusing to eat.

What age does picky eating start? Picky eating can start as young as 1.5 years old when kids start to identify their preferences and dislikes for the things around them.

Why is my toddler hungry but not eating?

When your 3 year old refuses to eat even though you think they are hungry, it is probably down to one or more of the following reasons:

1. They don’t like the food. Yes, it can really be that simple. If they do not like it, they might just not eat it. Regardless of how hungry they are. I know some people will tell you that if you leave your kid to it and they get hungry enough, they will eat. That is not true. I can testify to that. 
2. Power struggle. Toddlers do have stages and moments where they feel the need to assert their independence. They want to be able to make decisions and sometimes they will do that with their food. It can turn into a power struggle between yourself and your toddler. Do not be surprised if they do not stand down no matter what you try. Toddlers are amazingly resilient (or stubborn).
3. No appetite. They might be hungry but simply not have an appetite. That could be for several reasons from not liking the food (as above) to feeling sick (see below). 
4. They’re feeling unwell. When kids are feeling sick, just like adults, they might find it difficult to eat no matter how hungry they are.
5. Developmental disorders. There are some developmental disorders that can cause food aversions so serious that no matter how hungry a child is, they will refuse to eat. For example, autistic children can develop sensory issues with some foods.

That is not an exhaustive list of reasons.

You might also find that you can get your toddler to eat something but only if it is a meal that would be classified as junk food.

4 Reasons Why your toddler will only eat junk food

1. Self-regulation issues. Your toddler might be struggling with self-regulation issues and so are unable to stop themselves from consuming or desiring foods that they understand are bad for them. They might also be unable to restrict their consumption of junk food and want to eat them in large quantities and often rather than only occasionally.

Read: The best exercises for toddler self-regulation

2. Easy to consume. A lot of junk food tends to be easy to eat. Think, for example, fast food chains’ fish fingers or chicken pieces. Toddlers who would rather invest their energy in running around probably prefer junk food for this reason.
3. Availability. Unfortunately, junk food is becoming increasingly readily available in most countries and in many communities. It is so easy to access that it has become a convenient way for a lot of busy parents to feed their kids. Toddlers recognize that and might crave that ease of access to their food too.  
4. Consistency. Toddlers can find homemade food both difficult to consume and unpredictable. Junk food tends to be quite consistent in taste. For example, one fast food chain’s fish fingers will taste the same no matter which town you buy them in. Toddlers appreciate this consistency. They know what they are getting. 

9 things to try when your toddler will only eat snacks

1. Change up the food routine. When your 3 year old refuses to eat, shake up their usual food routine a bit to see if it makes a difference. Serve them food at different times of the day. Make them sit in different rooms of the house to eat. Try offering them a completely different menu than you usually do. 
2. Leave them to play with their food. Allow them to explore their food if they want to. In the process, they might actually consume some of it.
3. Frequently offer different foods. The element of surprise might occasionally get them to eat something but also it is good for them to know that there are different kinds of food available to try that they might like. 
4. Manage your expectations. If your toddler won’t eat anything but snacks, it is important to control your own thoughts as a parent. You cannot control much about your toddler but you can control your own reactions to their eating habits. You should manage your expectations of them and what they will or will not eat. Do not expect them to change overnight.
5. Lead by example. Again, the key is to control the things that you can control – yourself and your reactions. Let your toddler see you behave the way that you would like them to behave. Show them that you are open to trying a wide variety of foods and consume a balanced diet.
6. Go food shopping with them. When your 3 year old refuses to eat, try going with them to do the grocery shopping. Let them see what goes into making the food that you offer to them. Their little analytical mind might find the food more interesting that way and hopefully, that will lead to them being more open to trying that food.
7. Eat as a family. With your toddler not eating, it is not surprising if you isolate them at their meal times in order to focus on checking to make sure that they are consuming enough. Try eating together as a family instead. Make mealtimes a routine part of family life. If your kid is a social eater, this will be a great way to get them to eat a little and try things that they normally would not try.
8. Keep it as interesting as possible. You are a busy mom. There is very little chance that you can create culinary delights every single day for your kid. However, you can keep it interesting by adding in options of food or treats that are new or exciting to your toddler at least once a week.
9. Keep a food journal. Take the pressure off your toddler as much as possible but also keep watch. At least for a month or so, do what you can to track what they are eating. Not more than a note at the end of each day in a journal to say what they have eaten and which of those foods they seemed to like. This is so that you have a general idea of what kinds of things they like and which they seem to absolutely hate.

Do you have a 3 year old who refuses to eat anything but snacks? How have you managed as a mom when your toddler won’t eat?