Did you have a fussy eater? What worked?

[40hello]

I know this has been asked a million times, but I haven’t found advice that sticks yet.

Would love to know if you had a fussy eater and if anything you tried worked?

DS (Almost 7) will eat: toast, peanut butter, honey, pesto pasta, tomato pasta, plain chicken, dhal (one specific recipe - no variation), sweetcorn, yogurt and apples. That is IT (apart from those Organix kid snacks. He doesn’t even eat the junk food or sandwiches at kids’ parties because he’s so suspicious of food!). He lost his mind yesterday when I served risotto - he obviously refused to eat it, even though I was being really gentle, gave him other things on the plate etc.

I’m worried he isn’t getting enough nutrients and I am sick of serving him the same things over and over!

Any tips?

Trying out an evening boost for this one!

We are at 20 months now are also have a very suspicious eater!!! I'm all honesty he doesn't sound like a worst case scenario at all. My only advice would really be to try and incorporate a little of some other foods into tried and tested ones. Like peanut butter on toast could be peanut butter mixed with some cream cheese or with some mashed banana. A little at a time to get used to a new flavor. If toast is a yes and tomato pasta is a yes you could try a piece of toast rolled out a little, then a little tomato purée and grated cheese for a kind of quick cheats pizza! If yoghurt is a yes then I found adding a bit of those Ellas Kitchen smoothies to the top and mixing in became a fruit yoghurt - I can get my son to taste fruits this way that he wouldn't dream of otherwise!
We have also started doing lunch together which I really wish I could turn back time and do sooner. I just put a little of what he is having on a plate for me - the familiar and the unfamiliar. Sometimes it at least progresses to pick up and taste even if it's not massively successful!
You could also try the ready meals (I like the actual fresh ones in the fridge/freezer department) Little Dish and Annabel Karmel I think they are. It might give you an indication of a possible yes without hassle of lots of cooking which then goes to waste (kills me when this happens!) If he shows an interest you could then try a homemade recipe.
Best of luck xx

That’s a great idea about slow steps! I am going to try that.

And also fab on the frozen meals - a much better way to see what he’ll accept and reject rather than me working hard in the kitchen only for it to be rejected!

(He won’t even eat things all kids love like pizza because he dislikes cheese 🙄, or fish fingers etc)