Please tell me there is light at the end of the fussy eating tunnel

[Namechangeymcnamechange11]

DC is 18 months and a fussy eater (at home). He eats anything at nursery.
At home, very little fruit, no veg unless it's hidden in something, and he pushes away most things that aren't toast or pasta.
He used to eat anything put in front of him (he was weaned with spoon feeding as I had anxiety about his choking). Now mealtimes are stressful in wondering whether he will eat much unless he has toast or pasta. Oh and he's not the chunkiest child either, so I'm always trying to feed him up.
I'm just looking for some reassurance that there's light at the end of this tunnel.

Yes, but it can be a LOOOOOOOOOONG and very stressful tunnel.
My advice would be to completely chill out and act like you don’t much care what they eat, while making sure they get multi vits. That way in about 10 years or so they might have a very varied diet that’s even better than yours!!
Also, you need to recognise that there is a big difference between a fussy eater, who will respond to the “eat that or you get nothin else” strategy and children who would genuinely rather go hungry than eat an “unsafe” food or in an “unsafe” way - such as different foods touching or hot food with cold food for example. Decide which of these you have and if it’s the latter ignore the advice of 99% of people, who have probably only experienced the former
Good luck

I'm not going to say we've gotten through to the other side - DS has sensory issues and has always been and probably will always have a restricted diet - but I just wanted to reassure you that whilst it is obviously important to eat a varied diet, he will thrive on the food that he will eat so please don't stress or put pressure on him/yourself to get it sorted now. Keep offering and hopefully he'll take it at some point.

My 13yo hasn't eaten a single piece of vegetable since he was 16 months old, he eats a few grapes or a banana maybe once a week and pretty much lives on toast, cereal and pizza. He's a healthy weight, rarely gets ill and is almost 6ft tall!

Also agree with Hopping green, over the years we've had dietician and medical involvement for DS and lots of people genuinely don't realise that actually, some healthy kids WILL starve themselves rather than eat certain foods!

I have one who would rather starve than eat fruit, veg, meat in sauce, any leftovers even the next day, eggs, cheese, beans, whole grain bread, any pieces of tomato in sauce that are bigger than pinky fingernail size, fish, soup, breakfast cereal, porridge, bagels. There are entire food groups that she will not touch. She refuses to eat breakfast.

She took to baking around age 13 and often only ate brownies on any given day.

Currently 18 and living on cheese flavoured popcorn, mini pizzas, and occasional chicken samosas.

If there is light at the end of the tunnel I want someone to point me to it.

This post could be about me and my 14 month old daughter 😩 eats everything at nursery but at home starts whinging at the sight of a bowl and spoon. Eats pasta, toast, yoghurts and baby crisps fine anything else she is not interested. I’m hoping it passes soon because it is frustrating and I do worry sometimes is she getting enough calories. Good luck hopefully it passes for you soon as well

From my experience of 3 kids and all having varying fussy phases I have learnt:

Don’t turn it into a battle. If they don’t eat it it’s fine, but no treats unless you eat something or at least try it.

Keep offering the veg and the fruit, I try to put out 3 different types on the plate. Slowly over time they get bored of fighting you especially if you ignore it and stick to the no treats rule. They will eventually eat one or two vegetables especially if hungry.

Work up an appetite, really active kids will be hungrier.

Don’t lay on the snacks, or fill them up with toast and cereal at breakfast. Their tummies are small and snacks can be quite filling.

My dd also eats well at nursery, often having seconds, so by tea time she hardly wants anything so I don’t force her. I trust her judgement and she’s never woke up in the night starving.

DS became a very fussy eater from about 18 mths, please to say for the last few years (he’s 15), he’s become a bit of a foodie, loves good food, will eat what we eat, doesn’t eat sweets/crisps apart from chocolate, within reason I gave him what he wanted back then, bland pasta, only 2 types of veg, chicken, he got bored I reckon and gradually started trying new things.

I had one that would starve too.

You have to act as though you couldn't care less. Dish up the dinner, eat as a family, talk about anything and everything except food. Clear away afterwards. Make no comment whatsoever.

Serve a wide variety of things, at least one of which you know they will eat.

Ignore, ignore, ignore.

8m not sure about a light at the end of the tunnel, but you learn to pick your fights. Both my Dcs, one now teens, remain exceptionally. Fussy eaters, but as along as throughout the day they get a balance of protein, carbs and fats, along with at east 3 fruit or veg, I don't argue, often ,it is the same m3ls every day but I refuse to make an issue of it. A good multi vit/ mineral helps.

I was also v v fussy but refuse to force them to eat as I was.

No there isn’t always. Mine is now a teenager.

Thank you everyone. It's worrying me a lot even though he gets his vitamins from multivitamin liquid in milk, and lots of calories as he'd drink s cow dry if I let him.
I'm trying to serve regular food and at mealtimes and not let it turn into a battle but it's so trying.

DS is 16 now and still only eats about 10 things and they have to be reliably of the same taste and texture.
He is perfectly healthy and never missed school because of illness.