3yr olds eating habits

My son from the age of around 1 use to eat anything I put in front of him. He would eat chicken, sausages, eggs, fish, yoghurt, sandwiches, fruit & veges....basically everything.
Well for the past 6 months or so, he has gotten so fussy. The only thing he will eat now is yoghurt, cheese & crackers and apples. On the very odd occasion he might eat a cheese toasted sandwich....but that's it.
Dinner time is the worst. He won't eat anything I cook. Iv tried rewarding him....like iv put his dinner in front of him, then decided it in half on his plate, and told him that if he just one half he could have desert or a chocolate or something afterwards. But he doesn't really care for desert or sweets, so that plan failed.

Anyone have ANY helpful ideas on how I can get him back to eating 3 proper meals a day?

I know I'm not one to give advice because I haven't had any experience with this, but with my parents, they it sit there. If I was hungry, I would eat. They'd never offer us other alternatives because then it became a habit and my mom always said "this isn't a restaurant". Put it in the fridge and I'm sure he'll come to you when he is hungry.

My daughter was the same eating everything and is now the same barely eating anything. Keep at it and hope one day theyll start eating again.

Quoting S+K=R [37 WEEKS!]:" I know I'm not one to give advice because I haven't had any experience with this, but with my parents, ... [snip!] ... habit and my mom always said "this isn't a restaurant". Put it in the fridge and I'm sure he'll come to you when he is hungry. "

this is what i do. DD went through that crap saying she didnt like food she liked two days before. So I told her she can eat what we're having for dinner or nothing at all. She'd scream stomp her feet then go to time out. When she said she was hungry I would pull the food back out and told her she could eat that. And you know what? It worked. She eats what we eat for dinner now period. No exceptions

Iv tried putting his food in the fridge and offering it to him later when he says he's hungry, but he still doesn't want anything to do with it. And he doesn't get any other option at dinner time. If he doesn't eat it because he "doesn't like it" then he goes to bed without.
I'm just sick of it. He used to be the best eater.

DD eats what we put in front of her or she doesn't eat dinner. If I know she doesn't like it then I won't force her to eat it but if it is something I know she likes and she is just being a pain then it sits. DD doesn't eat sometimes but it has gotten better.

My kid was such a picky eater. He only wanted what he wanted and I used to give in to him. Finally at about 3.5 years old I stopped that. I MADE him try at least one bite. If he didn't like it, fine, but at least he tried it. If he wouldn't try it, it went into the fridge. A few nights he actually didn't eat dinner, but now he will try everything.

Quoting J&T+3:" Iv tried putting his food in the fridge and offering it to him later when he says he's hungry, but he ... [snip!] ... he doesn't eat it because he "doesn't like it" then he goes to bed without. I'm just sick of it. He used to be the best eater."

You just gotta keep at it. It's frustrating but kids test you to see how far they can push you until you give in. I promise you if he's reallllly hungry he will eat.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:</b>" My kid was such a picky eater. He only wanted what he wanted and I used to give in to him. Finally at ... [snip!] ... it. If he wouldn't try it, it went into the fridge. A few nights he actually didn't eat dinner, but now he will try everything."</blockquote>


Yea I do that too. If he tells me he doesn't like it, I'm not going to force him to eat it, but at least take a bite.
I know he's not going to go hungry, but it's just so frustrating.

Quoting J&T+3:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:</b>" My kid was such a picky eater. He only ... [snip!] ... not going to force him to eat it, but at least take a bite. I know he's not going to go hungry, but it's just so frustrating."

Just be happy that what he IS eating during the day is healthy stuff, not junk. It takes time. I know how frustrating it can be, but you need to hold your ground. If you give in, they remember. Even if J doesn't like something I'll just modify the meal I already made so that he is still eating it. If he doesn't like the sauce on the noodles (chicken marsala sauce, he doesn't like it), I will wash the noodles off and give him plain ones.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:</b>" Just be happy that what he IS eating during the day is healthy stuff, not junk. It takes time. I know ... [snip!] ... like the sauce on the noodles (chicken marsala sauce, he doesn't like it), I will wash the noodles off and give him plain ones."</blockquote>

Thats the one thing I'm not worried about. He doesn't like a lot of rubbishy type foods, apart from the odd packet of chips.

Quoting J&T+3:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Spoonful of Jayson:</b>" Just be happy that what he IS eating ... [snip!] ... Thats the one thing I'm not worried about. He doesn't like a lot of rubbishy type foods, apart from the odd packet of chips."

Yeah. It'll get easier though. My son used to eat everything and anything before turning 1 also. Now he will eat broccoli and chicken and ground beef! (things he wouldn't touch before without literally screaming). Just be strong.