Fussy eating 3-year-old and lunch ideas

[mebeforeyou]

DS(3.5) will now be switching to longer days at nursery so he will be there for lunch club where parents supply lunch. He has been very fussy since 14 months old and I am starting to wonder what on earth I am going to put in his lunch bag.

Hopefully eating with other children will spur him on to eat, and to try the additional things that I will slip into the lunch bag that I'd like him to at least try if he sees other children eating similar, but he is stubborn and not easily fooled.

Based on the following that he will usually eat, does anyone have any suggestions for what we could make that is healthy please?

Bread - much prefers toast, frequently won't eat sandwiches
Garlic bread
Yoghurt/Milk
Houmous - possibly can't include this as sesame is a common allergen
Marmite/jam/peanut butter (obviously can't include the latter)
Rice cakes/breadsticks
Porridge
Baked beans
Fruit - constantly rejecting various fruits and then eating them the following day
Sausage
Eggs - but only if off our plates (won't eat mini quiches either)
Muffins - homemade healthy-ish ones (but will reject any with veges)

Refuses ALL other foods including vegetables, quiche, cheese (all types), pasta, rice, cous cous, sauces, fish/meat, any cooked meal, kids ready meals, 'junk food' like chips, nuggets, fish fingers etc.

GP and paediatrician are not bothered as they say his height and weight are fine, and he is otherwise healthy. All the tactics we have tried/are trying have never worked and the GP said this is nothing more we can do but just persevere and hope he will come out of it eventually.

If it makes you feel any better, my DS ate about 6 different foods for many years. He had a proper phobia about unknown foods and sensory issues around new smells, textures etc. I just used to make him a packed lunch with those exact 6 foods, and continued to gently offer new things at home alongside his 'safe' foods. So based on your list I'd be sending in jam or marmite sandwiches, some rice cakes or breadsticks, a yoghurt, some cocktail sausages and some fruit. If he doesn't eat the sandwiches at least he'll have the breadsticks or rice cakes. Maybe put something like chunks of cheese or dairylea triangle just in case it takes his fancy.
My DS is now a strapping 14 yr old who eats pretty much most things and loves tucking into a curry, so try not to worry too much

Just send cold toast if he will eat that over sandwiches. A yoghurt and piece of fruit. Maybe some sausages. If he can’t take humous because of sesame make your own just leave out the tahini. What form is the egg he will eat off your plate, that would be one he may cave to under peer pressure.

Hummus wraps? Or with pittas? I think that specific allergies are highlighted so for instance we can't send any eggs at all to pre school but hummus is fine. Also with peanut butter, you might be okay. Will he eat maltloaf? I would just send boiled eggs,eggs sandwiches, hummus wraps, cold toast with marmite, fruit, yogurt, cold sausages, rice cakes....basically stuff he will eat plus maybe one new thing. I'm sure you've done all this but have you tried grated carrot or tinned veg? I realise it's not very mn but my dd is really fussy but will eat tuna, sweetcorn, grated carrot and lettuce in a wrap. She will not eat lettuce outside if this wrap. She will not eat sweetcorn outside of this wrap. She will not eat carrot outside of this wrap. She has this wrap a lot!