Fussy Eating

[NickyEds]

Ds is 17 months old and up until around a month ago was a "good eater". From being weaned he's eaten more or less whatever has been put in front of him happily. For the last few weeks he's become fussier and fussier. He's very happy to have bread, cheese, pasta, fruit, jacket potatoes with various fillings but veg is increasingly rejected. At the moment I give him his meal and if it's not any of the above he fusses and whines, gets increasingly cross, then starts to cry. He's still hungry because he goes to where his bibs are and points at the kitchen- he just sometimes doesn't want what I've given him.
My sister reckons I should just give him what he wants and I know he'll eat (even if it gets very samey and includes tinned bloody ravioli every day) but I just feel this will make it worse???? For the last three nights (tea time is far worse than breakfast and lunch) I've presented him with food he's enjoyed before, he's had a tantrum, cried a lot, stomped about, got very hungry and eaten about half of it after about 45 minutes of creating. DP thinks that if he doesn't eat he should just go hungry (ie don't offer anything else) but I'm nervous about sending him to bed hungry.
Any advice most welcome, this has really surprised me as he's always enjoyed his food. Leave him hungry? Fight the good fight? Let him have what he wants?

[slightlyconfused85]

I would do as your dh says, offer him the food, if he throws a paddy take him down and offer it again later. If he won't eat it then he won't eat it- he won't starve. Offer him milk and plain toast before bed if you think he's hungry - I can understand why you wouldn't want to send a little one off to bed with an empty tummy. Hold your nerve, don't give in to the same food every day.

[NickyEds]

Toast is manna from heaven! At 17 months do you think that he can reason that if he refuses his dinner when he doesn't like it he'll get toast or porridge (which he likes) later? Or am I really over estimating him!