Fussy 2yr old - any ideas welcomed!

[Dolly80]

I feel like I'm locking horns with my 2.4 year old daughter about food everyday. Her diet is very basic and she is definitely not eating a varied diet. Obviously she'd eat chips, fish fingers, chocolate, biscuits etc until the cows come home, but I try and curb these. Any ideas for dealing with fussy eaters (so fussy she'll barely eat plain pasta) I know it's part of being a 2yr old but practical tips would be appreciated.

Stop locking horns. Seriously. It may take a few days or a week to work but do this:

Make a normal family dinner.
Serve it without comment. Just "here's your dinner sweetie"
If she doesn't want to eat it that's fine she can get down. No cajoling or bribes or threats. Act like you don't care.
In a few days she will be hungry enough to just eat her dinner.

It's the attention that she gets from not eating that's her reward. Take away the attention and she may as well eat.
Good luck

Thanks you. I know I've been letting it get to me when I shouldn't. I need to start doing as you suggest. I know she won't starve but for some reason this particular issue pushes my buttons!

I forgot to ask, should I offer pudding too, which is usually something like a yogurt or piece if fruit (which she does eat) or not bother?

I think you should always offer a dessert even if they don't eat their tea - especially if it's something relatively healthy like fruit and yoghurt. Otherwise, you're telling her that the dessert is the best bit, and having to eat the main first is a chore. Totally agree with the pp about just putting it in front of her, and if she doesn't eat it then don't make a fuss. I offer my dd whatever we're having, if I know it's something she won't go for (which is most things right now!) I'll give her some bread and butter/pitta bread or something on the side. If she's hungry she'll eat it.
It doesn't make her eat any more than before, but I am a lot less stressed about it. In fact, her eating doesn't really bother me anymore. The best thing I read is that your job is to put healthy balanced food in front of them, and theirs is to eat it. You can't do it for them!

Not sure about the pudding. Bumping in case anyone else knows.

I thought the same about pudding - that by withholding it somehow makes it 'better' than dinner and therefore dinner is even less desirable (although I'm not sure that's possible at the moment )

Thank you both for your advice.