Nutrition Answers with Ginny Messina, July 1999 Nutrition Answers with Virginia Messina MPH, RD Feeding Toddlers, Anorexia, and Advice to a Reader on a 1300-Calorie Diet Ginny Messina is the author of The Vegetarian Way, which is a top book covering all aspects of vegetarian and vegan nutrition. Write us and we'll forward your question to Ginny, for possible inclusion in this column. We are vegetarians, and I give him milk, cheese, lentils, rice, some fruits and vegetables and eggs. Could you please let me know how can I make him eat more nutritious things which can help him to put on some weight. And if you can suggest a way to put soy products into his diet, I'd appreciate that.
Toddlers are notoriously picky eaters.
Since growth tends to be slow during these years, appetite slows, too. This is normal and it's not a problem when a toddler continues to grow normally. If your son is not growing according to what your pediatrician expects, then you are right to be concerned. The most important thing to remember is that young children have relatively small stomachs and they get full quickly. So they need to eat frequently.