Lunch ideas for fussy 16 month old

[hidepet]

I'm stuck on lunch ideas for Jack who is 16 months. He would only eat toast for lunch but now he doesn't want that. He doesn't eat sandwiches, pasta, eggs, banana, carrot sticks. I can sometimes get him to eat a fish finger and he will always eat chips!! He did eat pizza but only on a fork but now he won't eat that!! I really want to give him something healthy, he will eat shep pie, fish pie, roast dinner as long as it is mushed together for his dinner but would like to start trying to give him a bit of veritity (not very good with spelling) I think I find it harder because I can be fussy and not very good at thinking of things to cook.

Sorry to babble, but any ideas would be great

Thanks!

[kerri-anne]

How about making your own mini-pizza on a muffin? It would be healthier and you could make faces out of peas and other veg on the top to get his interest. Other things Molly has for tea (she has main meal at lunchtime) are eggy bread, omelettes, cheese on toast etc and I've just made her some mini-quiches.

Molly's really fussy too, I do have to keep trying with the same things though as one day she'll eat something and the next she won't, then she will again. Maybe you could try your LO with some sandwiches cut into shapes with a cookie cutter, you'd be suprised what a difference it can make. Tonight I gave Molly spiral pasta and she ate it all up but if I'd given her penne pasta she wouldn't have touched it!!!!!!

Hope that helps xxxxx

[kellyv]

thank god i am not alone!! My LO is exactly the same with hot food - it all still has to mushed up and looking like snot before she will eat it (i'm talking mashed potatoe with either salmon and veg or shepherds pie) and then its with her hands, as won't use cutlery , its driving me insane. Other than that not great deal of variety.

Has been at MIL's last night too so had late snooze so am waiting for her to wake up so lunch and dinner will be a bloody nightmare today. Hooray for fussy kids. xx

not much help i know but just wanted you to know you are not on your own, as i too am slightly fussy and am crap at thinking of food ideas for my LO. xx

[Rachael1]

If Jack likes chips, you could try doing a range of veggie chips - I find carrots, sweet potato, white turnip, butternut squash and parsnip all popular: just cut into chips, toss in a little olive oil (about a teaspoon will do) and cook for about 20 minutes at Gas Mark 8/230C. I sometimes sprinkle them with sesame seeds too.

If he has gone off ordinary toast, you could try raisin bread - toasted or not, or brioche or bagels, etc. Or maybe try varying toppings to try tempting him - I find peanut butter or cream cheese the most popular! Maybe try cheese on toast too - Evie often picks the cheese off mostly, but gets at least some bread in there too!

If he likes mushy food but you are trying to encourage finger foods you could try avocado. Makes a hell of a mess but little ones seem to love it. Banana is the same, but you said he doesn't like it... erm

That's all I can think of at the moment - it's been a busy day, it feels much later than it actually is and the brain isn't working quite so well now...!

Rachael.x.