I've really had it.

[~TT40~]

This is one battle I chose from day one not to fight. Between 6mth to a year, I just started offering Spock whatever I was eating. She picked and played, she threw it away or tasted it and spat it back out. I just let her do her thing. She would have been close to 13-14 months before I would say she actually ate anything, we have just done the same thing, I would just make her a plate of what ever I have, often it is good variety, as a lot of our meals are random assortments of things. She still makes a mess sometimes, but more often than not she doesn't. She will try everything and if she doesn't like it she leaves it, and yes some nights she won't eat a single thing. But I just don't worry, the last thing I want to do is sit at the table for hours forcing her to eat, my personal view is by doing that I make food negitive leading to a variety of other issues. It's just a casual thing for us. If she then says she is hurry I reoffer the plate, and she might eat more... But I know she isn't staving or suffering from it.
She does graze and snack a lot though so she eats frequent little things rather than a big meal. So when I average it out over the day or week she is fine.
Please try not to stress about it. I think it just makes it worse for you.

[Artechim]

Is she old enough for a lunch box of stuff she can choose from during the day? Pack it with what you want her to eat and let her chose a thing each time but don't get anything else for her.

I don't really worry about veges. None of my kids have been keen but they eat a load of fruit so I figure it balances. At 7, DS will now make a hamburger with lettuce and capsicum (no meat lol), At 5 DD1 has just realised she likes potatoes. It will come. It is always there on the table and we offer it to them. Every now and then they will try it.

My suggestions for less messy foods include plain pasta, cruskits, sandwiches, toast (folded in half), cut up fruit, crackers. Have you tried frozen mixed veges? Mine liked that when they were about that age. Also cheerio's (while questionably meat) are fun to eat if you have sauce for dipping

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I agree with all those who say not to make it an issue. And not to offer food for the sake of eating.

FWIW, my DS ate pretty much everything as a baby/toddler, but is really picky now. I guess it just goes in phases? I was the same, ate everything when very young, got picky about age 5-6, got even worse as a teen, in fact I wouldn't eat courgette (zucchini?), asparagus, aubergine (eggplant?), squash or pepper (capsicum?) until I was in my mid-20s. Love them now! People's paletes change and develop over years and I think the fights I had with my mum really didn't help my overall food health thing.

Also, my 30yo sister makes almost as much food mess as my 7yo son does. Neat eating is certainly a skill that needs teaching! But food is never for squishing and throwing, only ever eating. If DS ever tried to throw food it would be taken away and nothing else for several hours. That is unacceptable at any age.

[trishalishous]

I agree with all those who say not to make it an issue. And not to offer food for the sake of eating.

FWIW, my DS ate pretty much everything as a baby/toddler, but is really picky now. I guess it just goes in phases? I was the same, ate everything when very young, got picky about age 5-6, got even worse as a teen, in fact I wouldn't eat courgette (zucchini?), asparagus, aubergine (eggplant?), squash or pepper (capsicum?) until I was in my mid-20s. Love them now! People's paletes change and develop over years and I think the fights I had with my mum really didn't help my overall food health thing.

Also, my 30yo sister makes almost as much food mess as my 7yo son does. Neat eating is certainly a skill that needs teaching! But food is never for squishing and throwing, only ever eating. If DS ever tried to throw food it would be taken away and nothing else for several hours. That is unacceptable at any age.

We are the same. Food gets offered and they either eat it or they dont, no drama. Throwing food means it is all taken away and the meal is over.