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After a few weeks, I had to speak my mind on the matter. I researched some ways to get him to eat new things and so far this is what has worked for us.
1) Make a plan and stick to it.
None of our success would have been possible if we didn't stick to what we have told him from the beginning. There was A LOT of pouting and crying when we first started doing this, but we made it clear that he needed to start eating more than junk food.
2) No short order cooking.
I made it clear that I was not Waffle House or Burger King at dinner time. I would prepare a meal and he could eat it or not. Giving him a separate meal from the rest of the family was not an option, including when we went out to eat. If he chose not to eat then he could wait until the next meal or snack in 3-4 hours. (Jason is a very healthy height and weight for his age so we knew we were not starving him. I would not recommend this for any child who is underweight.)
3) Fix his plate.
Knowing that he would never put a hamburger on his plate, we put everything served at a meal on his plate. This at least put the food item in front of him where he could be exposed to it more than usual. We didn't heap corn on his plate the first time, but did give him a small scoop of it and encouraged him to eat it.
4) Don't force feed him.
As much as we wanted to "make" him try something, ultimately the decision was his on whether or not to eat. Creating a stressful time for him at mealtimes was not going to help him try new foods and was just going to leave us feeling stressed.
5) Don't withhold dessert.
This one was the hardest for me to stick to. I grew up being told that if I didn't finish my dinner, then I wouldn't get to eat dessert, thus making me finish my "icky" food so I could get the good stuff. All this message does is confirm that the veggies and protein on your plate are "icky," and you've got to finish it to get to the good stuff. One small dessert is okay for even the pickiest eater. Remember that not all desserts have to be super sugary--strawberries and low-fat Cool Whip can be just as sweet as a piece of cake.
6) Include things he will eat.
Sure, we can have potato chips for dinner...with a piece of baked chicken and green beans on the side. If nothing on his plate looks appealing, then he's not going to eat anything. Sprinkle a few things he likes and he's more apt to try other things on his plate.
7) No seconds until everything on your plate is finished.
Early on, Jason tried to get us to give him extra bread or french fries but would not touch the other things on his plate. We simply told him if he was still hungry he could finish what was on his plate and then get seconds, or he could wait until dessert or snack time. This is a little different from #5 because we were not withholding the item from him, just limiting it and making sure he doesn't get full on the wrong things.
8) Be encouraging.
When Jason would try something new, even if he didn't like it or even if it was something not particularly healthy, we practically threw him a parade to show him how proud we were of him.
9) Get his input.
I would often ask for his request for dinner so he felt included in the meal preparation. As he is getting older I am also letting him help out with meals more often. One night all the boys made their own pizzas. Jason did not eat his, but he at least participated and was introduced to something new.
10) Be patient.
Don't expect a miracle overnight. We have been doing this for about a year and a half, and since we only have him about 45% of the time, it is taking a little longer than we would like. Jason has still not tried any type of beef or pork but has tried different variations of real chicken. He also eats a good range of fruits and vegetables and has toned down on the sweets.
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