Need help for lunch and dinner ideas for a picky toddler.

[twogirlsmommy]

Hi! Title says it all.  I have a picky toddler and I feel like she eats the three same things all the time okay so maybe 4 things.  Chicken nuggets, cheese toast or grill cheese, peanut butter and jelly, pizza.  She eats only orange veggies (carrots, sweet potatoes, squash) If I bribe I can get her to eat some green beens.  She eats no pasta, no rice or white potatoes.  She is a carb queen so will eat every cracker/cereal in sight and eats all fruits except the citrus ones (oranges, tangerines, clementines.)  I have switched her to greek yogurt b/c it has less sugar then the yogurt I was giving her and more protein.  Any help appreciated!

[~Sara~]

She's been talking to my son, hasn't she?   Save for the pasta (which he'll eat) and the veggies (which he won't eat), her diet sounds a lot like my son's.

I've found that if we cut chicken up very small or shred it very thin and tender, he will eat it in casseroles.  Have you tried that?  Also, he'll eat broccoli in casseroles, too, if it's very tender and we mash & mix it in.

[Lemonthyme]

Yeah I'd definitely do some 'hidden' foods so you don't worry too much on the nutritional balance as the pp suggested but personally I'd still keep offering other foods too.  Otherwise it feels like you're not giving her the chance to try other things? As I said, I might be talking rubbish!

I think there's a support thread for picky eaters somewhere?

[twogirlsmommy]

She won't eat casseroles of any kind.  I hide black beans under her cheese toast and I sometimes make muffins or pancakes with hidden veggies in them but that's all I can get into her.  She wont try ANYTHING new.  I have tried breading other things and telling her they are chicken nuggets. It works for one bite and then she refuses the rest.  I might try smoothies but I have no idea how to make them or if she will even drink them