Very Picky DS, am I doing ok with his diet?

[Umicar]

My 5yo DS is a VERY picky eater. He will only stick to foods he recognises and will happily go all day without eating if he doesn't get food he deems suitable. This is a rough idea of what he has everyday:

Breakfast; 2 of the following (different combination daily)
W/m toast with jam or marmite,
cereal (rice crisps or corn flakes) with full fat milk,
fromage frais
Porridge (made with full fat milk and no sugar)

Lunch
1 Soft tortilla with cheddar and marmite
Cherry Tomatoes or carrot sticks
grapes or blueberries (or both)
small fairy cake
carton of OJ
yogurt drink

Dinner
Pasta with soya beans and grated cheese
Spag bol
roast chicken/pork with broccoli and carrots

Followed by Jelly

Drinks not listed are either water or weak squash, snacks usually fruit. Once a week or so he will have some crisps or sweets

I have tried so so many foods and he just isn't interested. For example Hummus, Ham, Olives, fish, ANY type of potato (even chips!), sausages.

Occasionally he will eat lasagne, pizza, salad, eggs.

Please give me you opinion on his current diet!

his diet looks pretty good to me x

Thanks MrsHarryRamsden I guess I'm just concerned that what I have listed is all he will eat. Hopefully he will get more adventurous as he gets older

Well, I think that's not bad. My ds2 was similar (although he ate different foods). We persevered and he is gradually trying more different things. He still has a slightly odd and limited diet but if we hadn't persevered he would probably only eat fish fingers and chips by now.

The only thing I would say is be v careful not to make it into a battle. I've always been strict about him eating at least some of the healthier things I knew he liked but tried to stay relaxed about him trying new things.

We try to eat together but I don't force the rest of the family to have a diet as limited as ds2, so he sometimes has an alternative which is quick as easy for me to do (e.g. spag bol - I'd do a big batch and freeze small portions for him). We have got him to try new things at these times in fact. We say he can try our meal but he knows he's got his own so he won't go hungry if he doesn't like the new food. That way there's no pressure and he will often try the new food. He usually doesn't like it but occasionally he does!

He's 9 now BTW, at 5 his diet was similar to your ds's in the extent of its limitations.

It could be worse! Seems to be something from each food group.

Don't make it into a battle. If introducing something new perhaps have a side bit of food you know he likes so he doesn't feel anxious about new foods.

I think it's fine. I say that as the mother of a 15 year old whose diet consists almost entirely of pasta, milk and fruit - there really are very few deviations from this. And he's growing - I worry more about his future social life/eating out than his health.

Your DS is covering the main food groups - and he's still young. Just don't make a big deal about food - he'll get there.

I've made some headway with dd, who is 3, by introducing New meals a bit at a time. For example she'll now have a puff pastry tart with an egg + cheese topping ('puff pizza')

So firstly I did pizza just how she likes it, but with a puff pastry base, then with egg in with the cheese, then with different veg.

At the moment i'm trying to swap sausages for falafel.

Could you make a risotto with soya beans and cheese for example?