Would really appreciate some advice on fussy 6 year olds food habits!!!! Please!

[sunnymorning]

I have not been on mumsnet for years but always used to come on here when my son was young and I was out of my depth struggling to look after him as an unexperienced single mum. So am hoping I can get some advice now on his fussy eating habits! He is now six (the years have flown) and is one of the worst eater I know, he eats a healthy supper in the evenings, usually the same thing ie fish fingers,potato,and carrots and peas and has had the same boring lunch box for the last 3 years ie bread sticks,yoghurt,harvest bar and carrot sticks. I have tried over the years to introduce new foods but if I can even get him to put them in his mouth it is an achievement. I am not overbearing about trying to forse him to eat new food and have never got cross with him about it. However it is now really getting me down, it is embarrasing when he goes to friends for tea and I really struggle to understand how he can't enjoy his food.... I love food! I am not a fussy eater so it is not my influence on him, The only thing I can think of that contributed to the fear of trying new foods is that he was ill alot around the time that he was being weaned all those years ago and he definately associates food with being ill. I am not sure have strict I can be with trying to inforce new eating habits, should we just go for it and say that unless he eats whats on his plate then there will be nothing else in the hope that he will just get so hungry that he'll eat anything? This just feels really cruel and as I'm on my own with him I wonder will I be strong enough for the battle. He is nearly 7 now and have always thought he would grow out of it....... obviously not :( If anyone has any advice i'd be really pleased to hear it.

He eats!!! He's not ill now is he? Give him much more time till he's 18 !! He isn't you, we're all different aren't we?

DCs "pick' up atmospheres even if you're not forcing him. My advice as an ex minder of 7 and mum of 3 and GM of 2 is to sit with him at meals eat delicious food of yr own (maybe put it in small bowls to help yr self to which he could eat from as well if he wanted to) and completely ignore what he eats or doesn't.

Another thing you can do is take him shopping so he can choose and maybe cook his own possibly different food to what he's used to; but as i said it doesn't really matter does it?

Ha ha, get your point. I should be happy that he eats, it's just I was bought up on the basis that if it's on your plate eat it or you'll go hungry.... and I did (eat it) because I was hungry....... even if I did'nt particularily like it because being full was better than being hungry, if you see what I mean. My point being that I wonder have I just let him get on with being fussy when by putting my foot down and not giving him the choice would he be far more adventurous with trying (and God forbid) enjoying new food.
I have tried the growing it yourself (he is very enthusiastic with the growing bit) buying it yourself, cooking it yourself thing but when it comes to eating it he wont go there.

The whole being ill thing was never a major problem, just that anything he ate when ill (he spent much of the time from age 6 months to about a year and a half suffering with chest inf/ear inf and was on antibiotics for alot of the time) he wouldn't touch again like it reminded him of when he felt unwell, he still does it now.
I am guessing your right, it is not the end of the world, he does eat and I work hard at making sure he eats as healthily as possible. I just find it massively frustrating and boring that I am always cooking the same meals when really I want to sit down and be able to put anything in front of him and he will smile and enjoy!!!

This is a fascinating subject; because I want to be healthy(I suffered from all sorts of allergic type, sounding similar to yr DS's, complaints when in my 20s) I did a lot of research and discovered the Blood Type way of eating by Dr. Peter D'Adamo; it basically says that we shouldn't all be eating the same because we're not the same e.g. O types are good with meat and A types are better with fish, our bodies SHOULD be listened to and DCs are sometimes more in tune with themselves, maybe that's the case with yr DS.

BTW I'm really healthy now in fact the healthiest 61 yr old I know !!!!