4yo gone super fussy with food? Advice please

[Charleyyf99]

DS just turned 4 started off as a good eater. Past 6 months it's progressively gotten more restrictive and now he is getting more and more restrictive

At nursery he eats shredded (plain) or weetabix at their breakfast. Will sometimes have lunch, the curry is his favourite so I like when I see that on the menu as he has 2 lots same as the meatballs day. Snack he'll eat bread and butter there (no sandwich meat) crackers (no cheese) and sometimes plain pasta

At home he won't try the latter and ive tried to present it exactly like pre school do

At home he was having scotch pancakes for breakfast (2 ) nd today said he doesn't like that any more and today said the same about chicken noodles which he liked yesterday
He'll have
Crackers,
some chicken
Yogurt
Rice cakes
Crisp
Biscuits
Bear snacks (dried fruit one)
Would take sweets if offered and some chocolate but has went off that

He used to have porridge, bananas etc. Won't have them won't have chicken dippers etc at home but will have a happy meal but i cant and shouldntbgo to McDonald's every tea time

Any tips please im trying not to stress but I am stressed?

From someone who would eat loads and now it feel like he barely eats

Following in solidarity and for ideas… my 4yo is absolutely awful at eating and it is driving me slowly mad…

Personally, I would avoid restricting his diet at all costs. For me the spiral is that as children refuse food, parents stop serving them, and their exposure to food becomes more and more limited.

No arguments or forcing. Just give him the dinner that your family would eat usually, while making sure there is at least 1 thing that she will eat in it.

Don't make it a "thing" - instead just set it up as a norm of their life: so they know that 100%, unquestionably: "We all eat together, we all eat the same thing... I am allowed to dislike things, and there will always be at least some things I like on the plate, and I will like more things as I become a big boy"

If that is what your child believes is the norm and rule for your family, then you just need to be patient and wait, and eventually (if there is no medical or ND issue present) they will open up to new foods.

But if they know they can refuse, cry, shout, and take ever more control in what they eat. They will. If they know mummy will give them different food because they don't like dinner - you can bet they will want their food all the time etc.

i think this is excellent advice.