Thanks ladies, no time for a big reply, but just a quick q...DS won't eat meat. Fair enough. But he doesn't eat veggies or legumes either. So what kind of protene foods can I give him?? He will only eat sausages, bacon and baked beans. I don't like to give him the sausages or bacon often besides the fact they wouldn't have much iron in them, they're so salty, unhealthy and processed. Occaisionally he eats mince in the form of bolegnaise or (even more occaisionally) rissoles. What else can I give him for proteine and especially iron??
Does he eat eggs? One of my standbys used to be an omelette with lots of veg in it (grated zuchinni, carrot, mushrooms, cheese, whatever). It hides a multitude of things (but now she won't eat it, I think I overdid it!). Eggs are good for protein. I had a friend whose son used to only eat baked beans, her doctor said it was fine, as baked beans had all the nutrients he needed! Not sure if that's true... Also maybe take a weekly approach to it and look at the food he eats in a week rather than in a day. Try to get some meat into him every couple of days and alternately the baked beans or eggs if he will eat them. If you are worried you could ask your health nurse or gp for some advice on diet. From the sounds of it you are doing well. I think most fussy eating toddlers go on to try things later (that's what I'm hoping anyway...)
Nope, no eggs. I just made some french toast for them for lunch though and he like that, so he will eat eggs in things, but not like omlettes or scrambled. He won't eat cheese either. He eats yogurt, so I try to give him that 2-3 times a week for the protien. I give him baked beans what feels like a million times a week!! He eats it for lunch alot of days because otherwise it would be vegemite or peanut butter sandwiches every day! That's another thing he will eat readily, nuts! And soy nuts, he has soy milk because cows milk upsets his tum. So there's protien in that too...I guess the protien isn't such a big deal, it's the iron. There's not much iron in sausages!!
DD isn't such an issue. She has always been a fairly adventurous eater and will try most things. DS just won't even put things to his lips if he thinks there's something 'wrong' with it!! There's absolutely no convincing him!
It sounds like they eat well during the day, so like a couple of other pp's have said, maybe offer them a bigger meal at lunch and just something small at dinner. Also, just a thought, maybe they just don't need to eat so much at dinner - they might not be hungry.
If you're really concerned, maybe having an appointment with a dietitian who's a children's specialist may help. They might tell you that everything is fine, or they might give you some ideas. Dietitians look at the course of a week when deciding if the child is getting enough of the nutrients/food groups etc and not just one day or one meal time.
If you find an answer let me know. DD1 is a great eater, DD2, terrible, only has set things she will eat, we do all the things you do too, she will not eat any vegies or fruit, I get fruit in my getting pureed stuff and mixing it with yoghurt and cereal. She'll eat breads, chicken, yoghurt, I make spag bol she'll pick out the spaghetti. I make fried rice she'll pick out only the bits rice. I tried to make muffins with vegies grated she wouldn't even try them!
My DS is like that too. Some days all he's eaten has come out of a packet
All we can think to do is make the stuff he does eat the best choice we can make. We don't have any bad foods (crisps, high sugar foods, etc) and the tomato sauce is the lowest in sugar and salt and has all natural ingredients (Beerenberg) and he has the Wiggles Rice chips things (with Dorothy on the packet), he'll eat cheese, ham, cruskits with peanut butter or vegemite or occasionally honey, yoghurt, pasta, rice, bread, weetbix, corn flakes, biscuits and crackers. He also loves the Rafferty's Garden apple bars - will eat 3 in a sitting When we get take-away, the things he eats most of is chips (what kid doesn't??), pizza or rice meals (like noodle box, fried rice, etc).
He does not eat ANY fruit (he will occasionally ask me to bit into an apple and then he'll lick it) unless it's in a jar (like processed pears or apple) and no raw veggies at all and he will only eat the veggies hidden in curries (his favourite!) or pasta sauces.
He often refuses to eat something he couldn't get enough of the day before - so we find it super frustrating too. My DH (who is a SAHD) doesn't eat anything raw either (fruit or veggies) so the 'modelling' behaviour is a problem... I try to show him, but it doesn't have much effect
We've decided not to get too worked up about all this as we reckon he'll come around in his own time (hopefully!). He's got some basics right, so I'm sure we'll get there! Chin up people - we were probably all like this for our parents too - and they didn't have BellyBelly!
Well, tonight DH and I came to an agreement not to worry about DS's eating...well, not out loud in front of him, lol. I can't help but worry. Today he's eaten even less, about 1/2 slice of peanut butter on toast, about 100ml of milo with soy milk, 1/2 a green apple, 2-3 small plain crackers, a strawberry flavoured freddo, about 1/2 a sausage and a fairly large banana. That's it all day. He's drinking normally though which is the most important thing I guess!
I don't think he's unwell, he doesn't seem to be. He has all his teeth so not teething, poos and wees seem to be ok. He does seem sookier than usual, and is having tanties galore, though that could just be that he's almost 2 1/2y.o!! Nothing has changed recently at home, the same routines every week. It has been really hot here the past week though, so maybe that's it...I don't know. I'm going to start giving him vitamins again just for peace of mind. He had started to eat fairly well and was trying alot of foods on his plate, but has just stopped int he last month or two. But DH and I have decided not to stress at meal times, just offer it, then after 30-45mins or so, take it away. Try to feed him and encourage him a few times, but that's it. If he doesn't eat dinner (same for DD too) then they can have fruit or a carrot or something like that. But nothing that takes too much effort, like watermelon...you have to peel it and chop it and stuff...just simple things like apples or bananas. No more treats after dinner like icecream or yogurt. If they have that it can be a daytime thing.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions and ideas I appreciate it. I do know it's normal for kids to go through such stages. It's just hard not to worry!!
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When we get take-away, the things he eats most of is chips (what kid doesn't??), pizza or rice meals (like noodle box, fried rice, etc).
Chin up people - we were probably all like this for our parents too - and they didn't have BellyBelly! 
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