Ideas for fusys eater

[riab]

I need ideas for my fussy eater 18mo. He likes pasta and potato but its a strguggle to get him to eat any protien. I've been reduced to feeding him jar food at lunchtime to get some protien into him then adding lots of cheese to pasta in the evenings.

He will eat baked beans but isn't keen on other beans.

I'm concerned his diet is too restrictive:
Baked beans
pasta and Cheese (with small amount of a veg/meat/bean sauce cunningly hidden as coating on pasta shapes)
Potato / root veg mash
Jars of baby food (most types especially those with fruit or sweet potato in)
Sausages (linda mCCartney veggie ones
Steamed Courgette
Scrambled egg
Apple
Grapes
Orange
Fishfingers
chocolate
icecream

I'm just off to put some fishfingers in the oven for lunch - I need some variety here!

PS he refuses breakfast every day and just steal pieces of my toast (about 1/4 of a slice)

Hello Riab

i don't think that diet sounds particularly limited, a really sensible Health Visitor once told me that the same three or four main meals twice a week is fine.

However, some things I've done for protein that don't mention:

'Instant' fish pie - mashed up cod in sauce portions with mashed (previously baked) potato, I would give my daughter a separate bowl or two of veg she likes to eat with her fingers and sneak mouthfuls of the 'pie' in.

Shaped fishcakes, i stared making these in fingers shapes but am now using cookie cutters, got some Winnie the Pooh ones from Morrisons. i can't get her to eat oily fish any other way.

doesnt look too bad to me.

but try spag bol, pasta in tomato sauce, sweetcorn, peas, yoghurts, sandwiches with various fillings (ham, cheese, jam). Obviously likes fruit so try melon, mango, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries.

I found my DD would be happy as long as she could eat it herself with her fingers.

If he likes fruit try adding peaches and red peppers with pureed chicken (if you blitz the meat they generally don't know it's there!!) I made pork burgers with apple sauce mixed in with them - made into little fingers and add a 'dip'

thanks for the ideas, I've done soem chicken which I'm going to blitz up with peaches, sweetcorn and red pepper.

He likes finger food so i'd better find some good recipies for fishfingers and burger type things.

At 18mo I would stop the jars - really. He looks like he is eating a good variety so you can risk it. Why not try sandwiches with different fillings like hummus, ham, egg or chicken? Or add squishier things to rice to give them a bit of texture and interest - like lentil and sweet potato - the lentils add protein - or chicken casserole. What about a jacket potato with cheese and tuna? Or just try a simple piece of grille fish like salmon or cod (you could bread the cod), with oven chips/roasted potatoes alongside. My DD loved roasted sweet potato at this age (going through non-eating stage at the moment so not the best example). Oh and a good vege to try is sugar snap peas - even DS eats these.