How do I get my 2 year old to eat new foods?

[littleboyblue]

My 2 year old doesn't really like to try new foods.
I would really like to get him off the fishfingers and chicken nuggets dinner, but when I put something new infront of him, he won't even try it!
Me, dp and ds2 (6 months) are all eating pretty much the same thing for dinner, all together, but it doesn't seem to be helping.

What can I do?

What should I be doing if he doesn't eat any dinner? Still give him a piece of fruit after or not?

And, how can I get him to eat bread? Have tried white, brown, pitta, crusty, naan, plain, with butter, without butter, with jam, with all sorts. He will only eat garlic bread Makes lunch out difficult......

Any ideas at all will be most welcome

[bubblagirl]

dont try new foods at dinner times try them at lunch and give what you know he will eat

you have to be careful at that age not to make meal times a negative experience as less likely to eat

i found new foods offered at lunch encouraged to eat but not forced more a game see how fast we can eat whatever new food is and make it fun

dont panic my ds was a bit like this but i never made any reaction to it he is 4 and eats anything and everything i let him try some of mine but never force him to eat it

we cant expect them to like what we like or fancy what we eat all the time so i always made sure dinner was what i knew he'd eat and tiny amount of something else in a bowl but no force just see if you can have one bite and race no more needed to be tried

[bubblagirl]

what about getting him to help make sandwich i saw good idea what i keep forgetting to do with my ds traffic light sandwich place make 3 holes going down front with bottle lid
cucumber where green light would be cheese where yellow/amber light would be and tomato where red light would be looks good maybe he may like this

[PeppermintCream]

We sometimes have a picnic in the living room, lots of different tapas type things in little bowls. It seems to really encourage my two to eat things that they would normally refuse eg olives, prawns, different cheeses. Could you try something like this?

[littleboyblue]

Hmm. Will give it a go at lunch times then.

Tonight I gave him home made fishcakes, and the minute I put the plate down, he got straight on the floor to carry on playing, while yelling "yuk". He hadn't even touched it!
What should I do then? Atm, I just tell him to eat his dinner and I seat him back on chair. This goes on for about half an hour and then I take it away.

[bubblagirl]

its best to say ok then you shall have this or this offer what you feel best toast , fruit , but leave any new foods till lunch times so it keeps meal times relaxed and you make a game of it at lunch and gradually introduce new food at dinner maybe have reward chart for every time he tries something new at dinner but put it along side what you know he will eat

it would be easy to say give nothing if he doesn't try it but my friends son is now 4 and has serious issues with food through the negativity he was happy to just not eat in the end

as he gets older he may choose to try more i found making pizza with ds helped he'd want to nibble the bits we were putting on it again at luch in case he didnt eat it when cooked

also dont show him your anxious it could be his way of getting your attention you could calmly say ok i'll leave it here and when you have calmed down come and eat it if he doesn't want it leave it

[littleboyblue]

Thanks bubblagirl