Food ideas for a 17 mth old

[RainbowBrite]

My 17 month old has decided his staple diet will consist of bread (toast) or milk arrowroot biscuits...we did add rice crackers to that today.
Full fat milk, cream, chocolate etc really aggravate his reflux and he either throws it straight up or it comes straight out the other end (3-4 times a day)...or both.
All vegies, fruit, meat all gets thrown of the high chair or back at me.
I wouldn't worry so much if he was bigger and gaining good amounts but he is really little and is not a good gainer.
He needs a high calorie diet to maintain a reasonable weight gain so I need some ideas for interesting high cal meals pretty please
(Sorry if this is the wrong spot)

[[M]umma[M]ia]

How about pasta? I make DD vegetarian pasta. I put grated carrot, zuchini (sp?), onion, capsicum, garlic (good for immune boosting this time of year) and saute it in a frying pan until soft and mince like. The I add 2 tins of diced tomatoes and add about a tablespoon of bbq sauce. I cook it like i would with mince spaghetti and simmer it away for an hour or so. Then cook pasta and mix it through. A little grated cheese on top and she loves it. You can add what ever vegies you like.. eggplant etc.

DD went through a stage at that age where vegies and fruit were now very un-cool. I had to resort back to abit of imagination and hiding it in things. Maybe some homemade purees with fruit? Nice as a snack, desert or whatever. That way they are still getting the good stuff, no matter how its served up to them.

Have you thought about pastry? Maybe some pizza type pinwheels or vegemite and cheese ones? I know it sounds gross to us but maybe see if he will dip his biscuits into some natural yougurt? Kids seem to love playing with that sort of stuff and he wont even realise hes eating it, iykwim.

good luck!

[kiwimummy]

Cooked plain pasta (easy for them to do it themselves)
Hummus + things to dip in
Rice - especially sushi type rice so they can pick it up, or even sushi itself
Tuna
Porridge (dd likes the flavoured ones)
Crumbed fish/fish fingers
Oven fries
Smoked salmon
Cold ham
Cold cooked chicken
Dried fruit - apples, pears plus the usual raisins etc
Eggs

Those are all things my DD loves (19 mo) dairy aggravates her reflux too. She does like cheese, but I dont give her much

My other tip is - get some tiny forks, or picks - those plastic colourful ones and let them poke their own bits of finger food. My kids seem to eat way more like this!
Mini muffins or pikelets

[~Kim~]

I have a white food bandit too RB - I understand the frustration, especially since he's little

What about smoothies - made with low fat milk but bulked with either raw egg or high cal powder?
Ravioli?
Going to sound silly but frozen vege uncooked - my little guy lived solely off frozen peas for 2 weeks at about that age - every kid I know likes them or frozen beans

Another thing I found worked a treat was eating somewhere different. I know the high chair is well contained, but sometimes the sense of adventure gained by changing the eating location is continued with the willingness to try food.

[Aligater]

We have just been told DD2 has food issues relating to everthing thats going on and starting ABs. Her energy reqs arnt been met for a healthy child let alone one with CF (80% for normal 60% for a CF child) She said to make a lunch box of fruit veggies cheese and things like that and offer it all day so she will try things when she wants not get forced.