My 2 year old went on a food strike when he was 10 months old and since then it has been a struggle to get him to eat food. He loves crunchy foods (crackers, cookies and such) and carb type food - toast pancakes etc. He will eat popcorn chicken, whole wheat pasta, fries and yogurt. He finally just tried watermelon and will eat that, but overall he touches it and if he doesn’t like the feel of it, he will not eat it. And you cannot feed it to him as he only wants to feed himself. Help! How do I introduce new foods to him and at least try and convince him to put it in his mouth and at least taste it? I am running out of ideas!! 

 
One of the most important things we can do with our little ones is feed them a healthy diet, and nothing triggers a Mom more than a child who will not eat. It is important to stay neutral, as it doesn’t take long for little ones to figure out that eating or not eating is a big trigger for parents, and one of the few ways they can control their world.

Keep introducing foods, but don’t give away how desperately you want them to eat it. It is a tricky thing but erring on the side of pleading, begging or promising a reward for eating can promote some bad habits. On the other hand, being angry or withholding your love or approval for not eating is also not a great practice. Continue to give your son different foods to try but make sure you are relaxed and calm. Getting into battles over food can cause kids to associate fighting, arguing, or pleasing Mom and Dad with eating and food choices.

Respect his independence around wanting to feed himself and try backing away a bit. Don’t sit there in front of him with your eyes wide open and your fingers crossed as this can add too much pressure or give your child too much control. Don’t look too invested, and in a neutral way, comment if he tries something new - but don’t have a parade!

Try making tasting food a game: pick a food to try yourself that you haven’t before and model that for your son. See if he will put food on his tongue and leave it there while you count to 10, then he can spit it out. The next day have him try the same food but chew it before he spits it out. Kids need to be introduced to new foods several times before they acquire a taste for it, especially kids who have sensory issues around not just taste but food texture. You can also sneak vegetables or other healthy foods into those pancakes he loves so much, starting with small amounts, then increasing them.

Many kids are like this in the early years, sometimes even up to 7 or 8 years old. Invest in some great vitamins and a whole lot of patience. Make sure to consult your pediatrician if you are really worried about nutrition or extreme food refusal.