The problem with posts like Caroline’s is, while they may be helpful for some who are new to this situation whose child is just testing the waters a bit, they imply it is some sort of holy grail that applies to all children, and this is not the case. For parents of food refusers, Caroline’s post is akin to saying to parents of speech-delayed children: ‘Have you tried talking to your child more?’ A bit insulting.
Up-thread we have posts from parents of 'fussy eaters’ - ie children who won’t eat everything and anything, probably not sauces or the component parts of each meal, but the bits they do eat amount to a quite healthy choice. This is the OP’s child at the moment by the sounds of things.
And then you have ‘food refusers’. This appears to be the experience of mathanxiety and a few others upthread. The child will only eat one food or an incredibly narrow range for months, leaving them pale/thin/constipated and an endless worry for the parent.
DS1 was a food refuser. At his worst, for a main meal he would only eat fishfingers and cream crackers. His nursery cooked fresh, wholesome meals for lunch and dinner, sat him with his peers to eat, and he would refuse pretty much every meal for the entire time he was there from age 1-4. So the whole ‘this or nothing’ thing didn’t really work for him. And caused many many upsets/tantrums at home which were probably as bad as they were because he was hungry all the time.
Happy to say that aged 6 he is rather better, although he is still pretty narrow in his range of foods, he will at least try some things and surprises us now and again by adding something new to his repertoire.
There is no magical solution but Ellyn Satter does give good advice. Giving them something they will eat, plus having other foods available to try, and then leaving them to it and keeping it relaxed (at least externally) is probably the least stressful way of progressing. It will be slow, though, and wearying.
Good luck everyone!