Remind me, what are good, nutrient-dense foods?

[Tatties]

I know what to give ds really, but he is going through a phase of sparrow-like eating atm, frequently just saying no to whatever I offer or just picking... I know this is normal, but I also fear he's a bit bored of what we usually have... As he's not eating much I want it all to be good stuff, but I need a bit of inspiration please! Is there anything I haven't thought of giving him?!

(He's 2.2 btw, and we don't eat meat)

bananas
avocados

avocados
nuts and seeds (can grind them up and add to cereal etc if he is a bit young for whole ones), plus nut butters
banana
sweet potato
yogurt
tofu
any beans and lentils
broccoli v good
dried apricots

oh quinoa!
brown rice good but I would add extra fat ie drizzle with olive oil

peanut butter (I know it's not recommended for under 3s but my dss both had it from around the age of 2)
eggs
porridge
broccoli
yogurt

If he's not eating much then I think you need to focus on providing high-calorie food with protein and calcium.

milk

Oh yes Tatties we have forgotten the mother of all good, nutrient-dense foods:

BREASTMILK

now I KNOW he gets lots of that

Thanks, we have most of these things... I suppose it's more a case of what can I prepare quickly / offer as snacks / present in a different way? It's a bit hard with him atm, as asking him what he wants / if he's hungry doesn't tend to work. And he doesn't really say what he's rather have if he doesn't fancy what I give him, he'll just leave it. Which is fine of course, but he's never been one to say he's hungry (apart from when he wants milk). I can't keep offering endless mealtime options, but I don't want to deny him a decent meal of something he wants to eat either... And I thought I was laid back about food, ha!

cheeses

prunes

spinach (hidden within cheese sauce, we call it alien sauce as it is such a lurid green...dc love it and have no idea it is an uber green veg)

to combat boredom:

present food in a different way - picnic on the floor, take lunch out in the garden etc
get him to select fruit or veg from the greengrocers
pick your own
grow your own
get him to wash and chop veg or herbs (mushrooms are very easy to chop with a blunt knife)
we used to make a lot of pizzas at this age - make the dough, put the sauce on the base, add the toppings etc, lots for him to help with
put everything in little bowls and let him help himself (esp good at breakfast time - different cereals, ground nuts, dried fruit, little jug of milk etc)
get a mini fridge (£12.50 in woolies right now, I am getting one tomorrow) and put snacks you want him to eat in it, let him help himself

plus pittas or wraps to fill with choice of the following:

hummus
salad veggies
grated cheese
grilled tofu
avocado
sour cream etc (not strictly healthy but really rather NICE)
kidney beans

the act of being allowed to help yourself from a selection and then stuff your pitta / roll up your wrap can be wildly successful with this age group

CHEESE!

sorry Tatties, shall I shut up?

avocado

Ok, think it might be time to get me down to Woolies then?! I thought ds might have been a bit young for the snack box/fridge but dp thinks he would love it

Just thought of two good things, he DID ask for a snack of sweetcorn the other day, and he eats hummus with his bare hands now, skips the carrot batons

Franny I am liking the breakfast selection bowls, and the jug of milk. I really should involve him in cooking more too, I know.

What kind of tofu do you buy?

I get the Cauldron foods organic one but I have been told by a Friend Who Knows that that is all wrong

it isn't properly fermented or something or other

I keep meaning to ask her which one I should be getting

Tatties one last idea, the power smoothie - chuck in things including any of the following: milk, bananas, tofu, berries, banana, peanut / cashew butter, wheatgerm, yogurt, etc and serve in a special cup with a special straw

good insurance for days when they don't seem to have eaten anything

I've blitzed the corgettes, aubergines, onions, peppers into a paste and added them to passata to make a pizza base too. They never know they are having veggies

also add ground almonds and small dried fruits to cereals - ds is nearly 3 but I still use fortified milk for breakfast as we are veggie

Soups can be good if he's being picky.

I remember when my dd went through this kind of thing.
I ended up resoting to making the soups and lettng her drink them through a straw from her favourite cup

But it worked

Thank you for all the suggestions... it helps to have new ideas up my sleeve. Must try not to get demoralised when he says no and turns his nose up at everything I lovingly prepare He's just going through a very contrary phase atm.