Stuck in a food rut with 3 year old

[GlummyMummy]

My three year old eats all day, and talks about food most of the time too, but is still constantly hungry! An average days food would be:

Breakfast- toast and butter. Occasionally picks at some cereal - Cheerios or ready brek

Snack - oaty bar or pom bears or brioche

Lunch - scrambled egg on toast with yoghurt, or ham/cheese roll and yoghurt

Snack - rice cakes and fruit, or oatcakes and cheese

Dinner - chicken, potatoes and broccoli or prawns, noodles and peas, followed by fruit and yoghurt.

She is very fussy with her meals, won't eat anything with sauce ( spag bol, fish pie, macaroni cheese, pasta and tomato sauce) and hates soup and mashed potato. Normal kids meals are out so no sausages, chicken nuggets, burgers etc.

The only meals she will eat are chicken with potatoes and veg, prawns with noodles and veg, pizza or scrambled egg. Totally stuck in a food rut, and in need of some inspiration! I worry she gets very little protein, and also her snacks are too sugary. Anyone any advice?

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

I know this is spouted a lot on here but anyway she could be involved in food prep?
I'm thinking of a slow, staged approach.
So she eats scrambled egg, get her to whisk eggs.
She eats broccoli, get her to break it up and put in a pan.
She can then eat what's she's made.
After a while get her to add the broccoli to the egg, pour in an oven proof dish and bake so you have a frittata.
Could do similar with pizza, then sub the base for a wrap or pita, then if she eats it as pizza you could work backwards and try her with just the pita.
It may help build confidence.
If she eats pizza and you could get her to eat a wrap then you could try making quaesidilla.
Gradually you could then add unfamiliar ingredients to familiar dishes.
I wonder if she would be less hunger if you got some protein in to her breakfast. Egg? peanut butter? Cheese on toast? Also look at how much she is drinking, lots of little children confuse thirst and hunger.
I wouldn't worry too much about the protein. Children really don't need that much and it looks like she gets it at lunch, dinner and from yoghurt and cheese.

[GlummyMummy]

Thanks Monday! I definitely think she needs to drink more - she'll happily down in one a smoothie or juice carton if I let her, but not so keen on water or milk.

I guess I do worry she eats too many unhealthy snacks and not enough proper food. She is big for her age and still has a fairly big tummy while her peers are all slimming down and losing their toddler fat.