Has anyone 'turned around' a picky eater

[Tortycat]

Dc1 has just turned 3 and over the last year has become increasingly picky with what he eats. He now lives on
Any fruits
Bread products
Plain pasta or with minimum of tomato ragu sauce
Sausages
Fishfingers
Chips
Yogurts
Cream cheese
Humous
Tinned mackeral
Tomatoes/ cucumber
Cereal
Eggy bread

Occasionally broccoli, sweetcorn, peas.

Meals he previously ate are now shunned eg meatballs, felafals, fritters, omlettes, porridge, risotto eyc.

I try to stay calm (dont always manage!), avoid snacks between meals, and offer fruit or a yoghurt regardless but no pudding if he hasn't made a reasonable attempt at his main. But no improvement, and more and more foods are met with 'yuck'!

He's a reaonable weight but quite short.
Have other people had picky toddlers who went on to eat well as they got older, or am i stuck with this??

This is a common stage of development for children this age and most get over it as they mature.

The best approach is to make the food available and leave them to it. Don't make the savoury food less attractive by making him eat in order to earn pudding. Just let him take what he wants from the balanced selection you make available.

Don't comment on what he eats or encourage him in any way.

Make meal times pleasant, social occasions where you chat away about anything and everything but the food he is eating.

The child 100% has the upper hand in this situation and, the sooner you realise that it is his job to decide how much of what goes in his mouth, the better it will be for both of you.

Don't let him see how stressed you are about what he eats or doesn't eat. Just ask him of he's finished and take anything he hasn't eaten away.

Watching with interest but your child's diet looks very good really - lots of fruit and veg

Thanks for your replies. Diet doesnt look too bad as a list but quantity wise its mainly bread and fruit and reducing weekly!

I probably have slipped into the trap of encouraging/ cajoling too much and getting frustrated. I think its got worse since he stopped using the high chair as he now just wanders off when he's not interested. Also quantity wise its not great - his 13 month old brother eats far more and far more varied food. I will try and feign disinterest and bite my lip!!

We actually had a child that would only eat white bread milk and chips. He now eats anything (12). He started about 3/4 then got worse. My main advise is to not worry about it. A child will not starve themselves to the point of becoming seriously ill. Trust me mine lasted 4 days on water until he was so hungry he would have eaten a scabby dog. Just put the food down and leave it. If he doesn't eat it take it away and let him get down from the table. DO NOT MAKE MORE MEALS and give him options. It also helps if you eat the same at the same time. A multi vitamin will put your mind at rest too and stop you panicking