My 2.5yr old eating habits

[twincrazy]

I think Ive posted this in the wrong place but Im new..so please let me off!

My little girl who used to be a fantastic eater that turned at the age of 18mths..has a terrible diet, she will eat, cereal, toast, cheese, yoghurt, milk, tuna, chicken nuggets, fish fingers.

Will not eat chicken, mince, jacket pot, fruit or veg and pasta is the new thing she pushes away

I have tried whizzing the veggies - that didnt work, and I have bought all new fruits for her to try..will run a mile

Im feeling like a terrible mum and lost for ideas now for dinner, etc

Normal. most kids are fussy between 21/2 and about 8 ime. Chill out, give her the stuff she likes and try not to make a big deal out of meal times

I usually repeat to myself that it's MY job to provide a balanced meal, and that it's DD's job to eat what she needs from it. Don't make it a power-struggle you WILL loose and don't necessarily limit what you offer to what she likes. Offer her what she'll eat most meals so you know she won't starve but also include something that she hasn't accepted yet in every meal. and accept that the dog/garbage can will eat quite a bit

My 2.5yr old seems to turn his nose up at textures e.g. he will eat chicken balls (chicken and other bits blitzed in the processor) as they are smooth but will not eat plain chicken. He will eat frankfurter sausages as they are processed and smooth but ordinary sausages will get chewed up and spat into his bib or chucked about. It drives me to distraction and i feel myself getting so wound up when i watch him playing with it and i just want to scream, just bloody eat it - do you know how much time i spend thinking up what to cook you, then buying it and cooking it every sodding night to have you grimmacing and chucking it over your shoulder - ARGGGGGG.

MrsMuddyPuddles - good advice and a strategy i do use. He doesn't get any pudding and gets a bottle of milk before bed. Every third night or something he wil get fishfingers, spag hoops and mash as guaranteed to eat that. Carrots in a stew is absolutely out as is the stew but carrots on a plate not covered in anything he will eat BUT nothing green, although peas are ok.