Yes, it is perfectly normal, or so I'm finding (DD1 eats loads, DD2 eats a tiny amount in comparison, but still eats enough to pass Winnie's 3 adult meals a week equivalent and is growing FINE).

My DD2 regularly goes to bed having eaten next to nothing (for my own peace of mind I will let her have a fromage frais and a cup of milk) and I just don't make an issue of it. Plenty of other battles to fight instead! She also isnt keen on breakfast. Lunch she usually eats, but not always. I find just about the only way to get fruit and veg into her is to give it as snacks between meals. But added up over the week she is fine, and she is still on the same percentile line she was born on (unlike big sister who has been almost everywhere on those Growth Charts). Besides which, DD2s development is fine, mentally and physically, which IMO is the best indicator of all.

If she likes Spag Bol, can you bear to serve it up more than once a week, in varying forms, eg different veg in the sauce, different meat, even different pastas?

This is an age old problem and often asked question. There is a rule of thumb spouted here by Health Visitors and Doctors on this to follow. A child over 2yrs but under the age of 5yrs should eat over one week the equvilant of three adult meals.

So look at it like that. A portion for a child is what they can hold in their small hand. A child does not need to eat a whole apple, just a quarter or two is enough to give them one of their 5 a day.Again pasta is what they would hold comfortably in their hand cooked, not raw.

I would relook at what your child eats daily for a week, then add it up, if it come out as  one days intake of three meals for an adult then your child is doing good and you can relax.

Best wishes. Luv Winnie.xxxx

We are currently having pretty similar battles here atm with our 3y/o son and its been happening on and off for ages now. This most recent bout I decided its fine if he doesn't eat his dinner but he has to sit at the table until he can give me a good reason why he doesn't want to eat, we walk away and within 10 mins hes eating it behind our backs..... Cheeky lil monkey :) Just remember the amount they want to eat on a daily basis can change on a daily basis simply because te bodies needs change at different developmental stages. best of luck.

 You have been given some excellent advice here.  I don't feel you have anything to be concerned about as long as she is eating well  balanced meals during the day and is still gaining weight. A lot of Mum;s go through a stage of having trouble with night time meals....I wouldn't be making a big deal about her not eating her dinner and as T said try  smaller portions might help.

My Mum use to always say a child will not go hungry, unless of course they are feeling un-well. 

Try limiting her snacks and fliuds around 2hrs before dinner is served. Also get her to help you prepare dinner. I get my kids to get stuff out, stir meals that are cooking, put cold trays in cold ovens  and when they're old enough, cold trays in hot ovens, then get them to turn the oven on (always explaining that they should never do it themselves) We make cakes and cookies together, they peel veggies and pick which foods will be served. Sometimes I make the continetal pasta/rice side dishes so I get the kids to choose which one. I've found that if my kids have some control or say in meals they generally eat whats been cooked. (mine are 12yrs, 6yrs, 4yrs and almost 10mths) I start around the 3yr mark. I even ask them what they want for dinner and cook it. My 12 yr old can cook a number of meals on her own with very little supervision ( she's very mature for her age.) I turn it to object lesson explaining the importantance of eating a healthy balanced diet and why we eat certain foods all the time.

I also allow my kids to have 2 dinner dislikes, that is 2 foods that don't have to eat. My 12 yr old won't eat pickles or pumpkin soup, my 6yr old won't eat roast pumpkin or mushrooms and my 4yr old hasn't decided yet. My 9mth old won't eat banana.

It works, I also ask my kids to try new foods once before deciding they don't like something. I have an intense dislike of brussel sprouts, my kids and hubby love them. I set an example by eating one to show my kids that even though I don't like it I will eat one to be healthy. ( I smother it in gravey to help it go down....LOL)

I'd give her some control in what shes eating I also have the don't eat dinner, don't get dessert rule, if we have dessert. Mostly we don't because dinner fills us up.

I hope this helps.

Cheers Raven

I remember when I was a child that large portions used to scare me off from eating so when we had our little girl I make sure she has smaller portions and this has worked well.  There are days though that she just does not want dinner..its nothing to worry about if she is eat well during the day, she is not ill and she is thriving. 

Dinner time can be a problem because children are generally tired when it time to eat dinner.  You can stop this by having her main meal at lunchtime, and she can have a sandwhich or something for dinner.  You can offer a reward, do the counting thing, have three spoons of that etc.  I say often you just have to try it, if you don't like it you don't have to eat it, but you HAVE to try it. 9 times out of 10 this works.  Kids are generally going to say they don't want something they havn't had before or are unsure of

I generally give my kids a warm meal at lunch.  We all sit down for dinner together and they get what we eat.  My 4yr usually just eats his (he can sometimes eat as much as me) but sometimes when it something he doesn't like I just say have four spoons and you can go.  My 2.5yr old sometimes struggles with his dinner and it's generally beacuse he's tired.  Most of the time I just let him pick at it. however sometimes he eats as much as his brother. and then he can go.  I'm happy for him to have a little fruit after.  I just want him to have the we all sit together as a family thing.

Wish you all the best.