what does your toddler eat?

My four year old only wants to eat noodles.  My two year old only wants “mommy milk” (see previous post).  During this weaning process with my son I can convince him to eat one small meal a day.  A good day will yield two small meals and that is it!  By small meals I mean half a bowl of noodles and some yogurt.

I am so jealous of mom’s whose kids eat heartily.  I asked one mother how she accomplished plate cleaning and she proudly announced that she sits at the table with a belt and they get spanked for not eating.  This eerily reminded me of the “soup Nazi” character from Seinfield and I was afraid.  I don’t want to force the food down their throats but short of that I don’t know what to do.

I understand the new Jessica Seinfield and others craze about hiding and disguising nutritious foods in with their favorite treats.  But this will not work for my four year old who has the most sophisticated palate of any person I have ever met.  She can detect the slightest alteration in her noodles and rejects any version other than the original.

Al Hamdulilah (Praise be to God) right now they seem to be healthy and developing naturally.  The doctor has advised that I don’t worry about it.  This is a stage that they will grow out of but still I worry.  It just doesn’t seem right that she should go to bed at night and all she has eaten for the day is two or three bowls of noodles.  I wonder what the experiences of other parents are?  Did your child eat and how did you encourage it, (in a productive healthy way) when she didn’t?