What meals for a fussy toddler?

[VivaLaSativa]

DS1 Is almost 3, Since he turned 2 he had become really fussy. He only ever wants to eat crisps, chocolate, fruit, pasta, noodles, yoghurt and sausages.

He used to eat everything and he is generally interested in food and he will say stuff like "Oh a carrot, its delicious",

When offered the carrot he refuses. I don't make a big deal about it but its just getting frustrating.

Is this something that they outgrow? Any suggestions on meals that other fussy toddlers would willingly eat or advice is greatly appreciated. Tia.

loads of people I know experiencing same thing with toddlers :) mine is 2 just last week, and his fave thing is pasta, so I make a pasta with a cheese and mushroom sauce (fresh diced mushrooms and sometimes spring onions), a pasta with tomato/onion/shredded cooked chicken; varied pastas so that I know I can cram some veg and protein into him at the same time! Sneaky cooking, thats my recommendation :) He used to eat anything I gave him so the new pickiness is frustrating.

My ds will also eat mashed sweet potato with small amount poached salmon flaked into it topped with grated cheese, and shepherds pie (seems to like mince and tomatoes, again I add lots of small veg; oh he will also eat Lasagne). He likes cheese sarnies or egg mayo sarnies at lunch with half a banana, raisins and yoghurt, most other lunches are met with a very sad face! he eats toast and 1 weetabix at breakfast.

Have you tried eggs - even for dinner? like a slice of omelette and a scoop of baked beans is sometimes going down well here...

I've been told by health visitors that his diet is very healthy as I make everything from scratch and also that toddlers need/eat less that we imagine so not to give massive bowlfuls or too much choice - and not to worry to much... I stopped offering 2nd meal choices when he didn't like a main meal a few months ago when he was refusing everything, he soon started eating when he was hungry. I don't offer too many snacks in the afternoon, almost none or a breadstick/cracker if he's very active. I like him hungry if I've spent his nap time cooking!!!! :)

I can't help on the 'outgrowing' question as DS is my one and only, I've seen friends kids who WERE fussy eaters eating lots more age 6+ if that helps, am sure others will be along to help on that score.
best wishes

I would advise not fighting him too much on it, as it will just become an attention seeking thing he will then do to wind you up, just play sneaky until he's older & probably less fussy

Instead box clever & hide his veg etc by blitzing it in a blender into the pasta sauce - keep a balance of red/orange & green veg so that it doesn't change the colour too much & he's less likely to notice ie: add carrots & broccolli, or red peppers & spinach together.

Also home made pizza is very easy, you can do the same as above with the sauce & get him "cooking" his own by adding things ontop - getting them involved with cooking is always a good way to get them more interested in food

You can also hide seeds etc in cakes too - again adding lots of vitamins & minerals without him knowing
good luck

Brightonbeach Brilliant ideas, thank you. I hadn't thought of eggs at all, Will definitely try tomorrow. You meals sound absolutely wonderful, I did get a bit hungry reading your response.

rockinhippy, Thank you. Ds1 likes to eat the birdseed if he manages to reach the feeder :o

OP: am very, very pleased that anything I suggested might be helpful,it made my day - especially as my DS has just eaten only a slice of malt loaf for lunch and wouldn't touch his scrambled eggs grr - when he wolfed them down this time last week, ho hum. I might try fish fingers tomorrow for lunch, see how they go down (nice and simple and 1 less thing to 'cook' if he likes them!!), am trying to get a couple of new things into him but he's a creature of habit at the mo... I think this is normal, they like routine at this age? :)