[Mrs Manager]

My 3 yr old is driving me crazy at dinner time. I am a keen cook, so I would happily spend hours slaving away in the kitchen if the end result was something healthy (or at least had some nutritional value) that she would actually eat!

She hates zuccini slice, doesn't like sauce on her pasta and is usually not interested in plain meat or veg.

After she happily ate chicken nuggets and fish fingers when we were at restaurants I made my own healthy versions at home and she wouldn't eat them. I got her the frozen ones at home and she wouldn't eat it.

So what are your never fail dinners that your 3 year old loves? I need some inspiration!

[Bluenomi]

Plain pasta. That's about it!

[tickly_rain]

The things my children eat the most are the things they've helped prepare and cook. It's still hit and miss (mostly with DS3, who is 5), but they'll at least have a go when they're partly responsible for it! DS1 (9), never has sauce on his pasta. DS2 (7) floods everything with tomato sauce! I've given up worrying about it!

Another tactic I use is getting them to look through the recipe books and find something they like the look of. We do this mainly during school holidays when we have more preparation and shopping time.

Recent favourites - San Choy Bow, Chicken skewers (honey soy) and home made gnocchi.

[Chelara]

My 3.5 yo is very in to curries, rice, corn on the cob, veggies. There are lots of veges she'll enjoy more raw rather than cooked so I often get her to help prep the veg with her kids cutlery knife and she eats while she's going- mushrooms, capsicum, snow peas etc.

When she went through her worst fussy stage coating everything in BBQ sauce worked.

[Therese]

I am past this stage now but back when my girls were this age, plain pasta and frozen peas and corn (never cooked) were the favourite.

[credence]

I don't think there is such a thing. One week my cild will love chicken, the next he won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

It's a tough stage, but it passes....eventually.

[economist99]

fussy 2yo >

fast omelette - 3 eggs, 2 frozen spinahc, handful grated cheese
THIS IS THE ONLY TIME SHE EVER EATS VEG

plain pasta, sometimes covered in olive oil and cheese

fish fingers

pasta with pesto - basil

sausage

eggs and bacon

[adnama]

my 4yr old is the better eater of the two

-my kids love pasta, with a tin of diced tomatoes as their sauce and some cheese on top.
-mini pizza they can add the toppings they want
-my son loves a pick plate some cold meat, cucumber (a must for him), cheese, tomato, lettuce, grapes, strawberries any thing he can pick at with his fingers
-scrambled eggs are also another fave

[RatbagBob]

Mashed potato, plain pasta with nothing but salt, sausages, hamburgers that consist of a meat patty, tomato sauce and a slice of cheese on bread.

She would eat mash with peas and corn through it, and she's always adored plain oven baked salmon.

[AvadaKedavra]

I simply refuse to cater to a 3 year olds whims. Never have, never will. I will serve up what I think to be a healthy tasty meal, and a potion which represents the minimum I think constitutes an acceptable meal. And it doesn't matter how much they carry on and tantrum, they eat it. It's always been the rules, and we consequently rarely get more than a token attempt at 'I don't want it'. I don't send them to bed without dinner, I don't bribe with dessert. The only concession I'll make is I'll help them eat it.

That are, of course, allowed to not like certain things - my elder simply could not bear tomato until be was 2.5 (and to be fair it gave him a rash around his mouth). I also don't make things really strongly flavoured (like sour, or chilli hot). But apart from those concession, they have both eaten the same food a us from about eight months.

So personally, I think you're asking the wrong question. It's not about what a 3 year olds likes (because at that age it has little to do with what they like, and a lot to do with simply being stubborn) - its about how you get your child to eat the meal you have prepared. And for me, the answer is simple. I am not my child's friend, chef, personal assistant or anything else. I am their parent, and they will eat the delicious healthy food we make for the family.