Food, and a 4 year old...

[Mum2Fergus]

I cannot get our 4yo to eat much more than pasta at the minute...he eats ok at nursery (or at least they say he does) but come weekends it's a struggle...sausages, sausage rolls, pasta, cereal, toast,that's literally it! I always do him a small plate of what we're having but he'll have none of it. Any tips or advice?!

Not really - my dearest friend's two children were just like this, she was the most amazing cook, offered lovely, appetising, child friendly (but not infantile) meals but they were the pickiest children I have ever met. Fast forward twenty years and they will eat anything, fantastic cooks and lovely people. I was horrified at their diet years ago, but honestly, don't sweat the small stuff. .

The advice I have had is to put the new food I want my ds to eat on the table on a separate plate while he is eating his usual food. And keep trying until he will accept the new food being on the table while he is eating his usual food. Then put the new food on ds's plate with his usual food and keep trying this until he will tolerate the new food being on his plate. Then eventually persuade ds to eat a bit of the new food. The other advice I have had is to get ds playing with new food. Playing with the food should make him more accepting of the food and more likely to eat it.

None of this advice has helped me. But thought I would pass it on in case it helps you.

My ds's nursery always told me he was eating their food but I dont think it was true. There were times they told me he had eaten curry but when I spoke to someone who actually saw him eating it was only the plain rice he ate. But I know some kids will eat things at nursery they wont eat at home.

Don't worry. When most of us were kids I bet we were fussy. I remember dinners being egg/fish fish fingers and chips or pizza. Now I eat a variety of foods and have only two dislikes - olives and celery oh and oysters

I know...I just worry I'm doing the wrong thing sometimes...never easy.

did you see The Three Day nanny on tv? I was amazed at how she got those boys to eat different foods.