What does it mean to 'offer' food to a fussy eater?

[justwondering72]

My 7 year old DS is pretty fussy with food. He ate pretty much everything at 2 years, since then he's gradually rejected a lot of foods he used to eat. He still eats an ok if restricted range of foods - most fruits, very little veg, most meats, white fish, pasta, bread, and dairy. I don't make a big deal of it (usually) and just ensure that our family meals include things he likes and things we like. All the advice I read says to keep 'offering' new or disliked foods to him. But what does this actually mean? Put it on his plate and make him try some? Just put it on his plate? Serve it in the bowl on the table and put some on his plate? Or ask him if he wants some? We usually put out bowls of food on the table for people to help themselves, but if he doesn't take any I usually put some on his plate. Many new foods he just won't even tolerate on his plate.

I don't want to punish him over food. So what does offering mean in this context?

On the whole I'd say his diet seems pretty balanced although as you say restricted so I wouldn't stress too much.

We were told to offer a new food twice a week on the side of DS' plate if he tried it great if not don't make a big deal of it.

My DS is an extreme case though and has only ever tried a few things at best, he's had food issues since 18 months so I know how frustrating it can be.

It just means 'offer' it to them. So if you normally plate up the food, you put the same food on his plate as everyone else's. If you normally serve the food in bowls then you carry on doing that I guess. Don't make a fuss if he eats it or leaves it.

I make my DC try new foods or try a mouthful of a food even if they've previously told me they don't like it, but none of mine have food issues so I don't feel like pushing them does any harm. I would be more cautious with a child who already has issues.