If your toddler eats very little, you may find yourself constantly wondering:

Did my child eat enough today?
Are they getting enough nutrients?
Should I be worried that they only want the same few foods?

I have had these thoughts many times too.

When I first introduced solids to my son at six months, I honestly thought our feeding journey was going beautifully. We followed a baby-led weaning approach, and he happily explored different foods, textures and flavours.

We followed a baby-led weaning approach, and he happily explored different foods, textures and flavours. I also shared more about our gentle allergen introduction through BLW journey if you’re currently navigating that stage.

He enjoyed touching, tasting and experimenting with everything placed in front of him. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries and prunes were some of his favourites. While plenty of food ended up on the floor (and occasionally with our dogs!), he was curious and willing to try.

At that stage, I assumed that as he grew older, he would naturally start eating more.

I thought that once he became more active and breastmilk was no longer enough to meet all his needs, his appetite would automatically increase.

But that hasn’t exactly been our experience.

At 16 months old, my son’s eating is still unpredictable. Some days he eats surprisingly well. Other days, it feels like he has survived on a few bites, some yogurt and pure toddler determination.

Over time, I have stopped focusing only on how much he eats and started focusing more on:

How can I add more nutrition to the foods he already accepts?

These are some simple strategies that have helped us.

Quick Nutrition Boost Ideas for Toddlers

Here are some simple ways I add more nutrition to foods my toddler already accepts:

Food My Toddler Accepts	How I Add More Nutrition
Milk	Homemade nut and seed powder
Rice	Ghee and vegetable additions when accepted
Yogurt	Regular part of meals and snacks
Homemade snacks	Oats, nuts, nut butters and dates
Laddoos	Nuts, wheat and ghee
Baked snacks	Oats, fruits and nut butters
Dosa	Add ragi flour/chopped vegetables
Pasta	Buckwheat pasta with cheese or simple sauces

1. I Focus on Nutrient Density Instead of Portion Size

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me has been accepting that toddlers often eat very small amounts.

Since my son is not a big eater, I try to make the foods he does eat as nourishing as possible.

Instead of thinking:

“He only ate five bites. That’s not enough.”

I try to think:

“How can I make those five bites more nutritious?”

This small change in perspective has helped me feel much less stressed around meals.

2. I Add a Homemade Nut and Seed Powder to Milk

When I returned to work, my son gradually stopped drinking my expressed breastmilk from a bottle or cup.

For a while, he would go from morning until evening without milk, and I naturally worried about whether he was getting enough.

Recently, we introduced cow’s milk, which he now enjoys. He usually has it alongside his grandparents during their morning coffee routine.

I didn’t want to add sugary store-bought milk powders, so I made a simple homemade mix using:

• Almonds
• Sunflower seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Chia seeds

I grind these together and add the powder to his milk.

Thankfully, he likes it!

As he grows older, I would like to experiment with different variations, such as adding a little cocoa powder occasionally for flavour.

3. I Keep One Familiar Food on His Plate

Like many toddlers, my son has a few foods that he reliably accepts.

His favourites include:

• Rice
• Dosa
• Yogurt
• Cheese

If you’re curious about what a typical day of eating looks like for us, you can also read What My Almost 15-Month-Old Eats in a Day.

Instead of expecting him to suddenly eat a completely new meal, I usually keep one familiar food on his plate while offering something different alongside it.

For example:

• Rice with a new vegetable preparation
• Dosa with a new side
• Yogurt alongside meals

Sometimes he tries the new food.

Sometimes it gets completely ignored.

But continuing to offer different foods without pressure is something I try to stay consistent with.

4. I Use Nutrient-Dense Snacks to Fill the Gaps

Since my son’s appetite changes from day to day, snacks have become an important part of his routine.

One snack that has been a huge success is a homemade laddoo recipe from my mum.

It mainly contains:

• Nuts
• Wheat
• Ghee

And most importantly, my son actually eats it!

Any parent of a toddler knows that finding a nutritious food your child willingly accepts feels like a small victory.

Other snacks we offer include:

• Greek yogurt with fruit
• Homemade baked snacks
• Energy balls

5. I Make Simple Homemade Snacks With More Nutrition

I try to bake something for my son about once a week.

If you’re new to baking for babies and toddlers, I share more about my experience in my Baby Baking Basics post.

I keep the recipes simple and focus on ingredients that add more nutrition.

Some ingredients I commonly use include:

• Oats
• Peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Fruits

I also make energy balls using ingredients like:

• Ground nuts
• Oats
• Dates
• Nut butter

These are easy to prepare and convenient to keep available when snack time arrives.

6. I Look at His Nutrition Over a Week Instead of One Meal

This has probably been the biggest mindset shift for me.

Earlier, I would analyse every single meal:

Did he eat enough breakfast?

Why did he refuse lunch?

Why didn’t he touch his vegetables?

But toddler eating is rarely consistent.

Some days my son eats almost everything offered.

Other days, he barely eats anything.

Instead of judging his nutrition based on one meal or one day, I now try to look at the bigger picture over the week.

This has helped me become much calmer about his eating habits.

7. I Keep Offering Foods Even If He Doesn’t Eat Them Yet

Vegetables and fruits are still something we are working on.

My son does not always eat them, but I continue offering them in different forms.

I also try to model the behaviour by eating fruits and vegetables myself.

This has been a good reminder for me too, because I am not naturally someone who eats a lot of fruit!

I don’t expect immediate results, but I believe repeated exposure matters.

What Didn’t Work for Us

Expecting Eating to Automatically Improve After One Year

I genuinely believed that once my son crossed one year, he would naturally start eating larger portions.

That hasn’t happened yet.

Toddler appetite is much more unpredictable than I expected.

Worrying About Every Single Meal

Tracking every bite only made me more anxious.

Looking at the overall pattern has helped me much more.

Expecting Every Meal to Be Perfectly Balanced

Some days have more variety.

Some days are mostly familiar foods.

Some days are just about getting through the meal without a battle.

And that’s okay.

Frequently Asked Questions About Toddlers Who Eat Very Little

Is it normal for a toddler to eat very little some days?

Yes, many toddlers go through phases where their appetite changes from day to day.

After the rapid growth of infancy, growth slows down, and toddlers may not eat the same amount every day.

I have found that looking at my son’s eating over a week rather than one meal helps me understand his overall intake better.

What are some nutrient-dense foods for toddlers?

Some nutrient-dense foods that many families include are:

• Nut butters
• Ground nuts and seeds
• Yogurt
• Cheese
• Eggs (if included in your family’s diet)
• Lentils and beans
• Ghee and other healthy fats
• Oats
• Fruits and vegetables

The best options are usually the ones your child will actually eat consistently.

Should I worry if my toddler prefers only a few foods?

Many toddlers go through phases where they strongly prefer familiar foods.

Instead of removing those foods, I try to use them as a starting point by pairing them with new foods.

For example, if rice or yogurt is accepted, I can offer something unfamiliar alongside it without making the entire meal feel new.

How do I get my toddler to eat more vegetables and fruits?

I don’t have a magic solution because we are still working on this too!

What helps me is:

• Continuing to offer them
• Trying different textures and preparations
• Eating them myself
• Avoiding pressure during meals

Sometimes acceptance takes many exposures.

Final Thoughts

I still wish my son ate more vegetables.

I still hope he becomes more adventurous with food.

But I no longer measure success by how much he eats at one particular meal.

Instead, I focus on offering variety, making the foods he enjoys more nutritious, and trusting that small efforts add up over time.

Toddler feeding has definitely been one of the most humbling parts of parenthood for me. Some days go surprisingly well, while others leave me wondering how he managed to survive on so little!

I’d love to hear about your experience. Is your toddler a big eater or a tiny-snacks-all-day kind of child? What foods are always a hit in your house?

Let me know in the comments — I’m always looking for new ideas, and I’d love to learn what’s working for your family.