You just need to keep offering the table food before you offer the baby food at every feeding. It takes something like 15 exposures to a new food before most kids will even try it. Starting at 9 months with my kids, I started putting everything we were having for dinner (as long as it was age appropriate) on my kids plates. By a year, both of my kids were generally eating the same thing for dinner as we were. If I noticed that they didn't eat what I served, I would always follow up with something I knew they would eat, such as fruit or vegetables. We also let our kids dip whatever they want, so a lot of stuff is eaten with ketchup or even ranch dressing. Both my kids are really good eaters, but we also don't make them eat anything, we ask my four year old (who has recently gotten more picky) to taste everything, but if he doesn't like it, we do allow him to spit it out. My two year old eats everything but meat. We make sure we give her other protein sources, cottage cheese, yogurt, black beans or white beans, etc. I do think your right that he is too young to understand that he needs to eat what is served, and never send a child that young to bed hungry. Also, have you tried feeding him the solid foods. Maybe he just isn't interested in self-feeding. My son was like that at dinner. I think by the end of the day he was just too exhausted to feed himself. I started to help him and he started eating much better dinners. Also, if he is still in a high chair, you may want to try a booster at the table. Some kids just want to feel included in the dinner conversation etc. When he can sit with you and see you eating that same food, he may be more inclined to eat it too. Also, you said he eats his snacks fine, so try offering him a foreign food at snack. He may suprise you and try it. What ever you do try not to make food a power struggle. I have a friend with a five year old that is still having nightly battles over food and it started when she was 1. They now have to "wash/rinse" all her food, because she won't eat anything that has sauce and no two foods can be touching on her plate. It's all a control issue, but they are in so deep, she doesn't know how to get out. The other thing we do is always listen to them when they say they are done. Kids are better at listening to those internal controls that tell them they are full than adults. And remember, some days your kids will pig out and other days they will graze. Don't worry about the day to day, but look at the big picture, say over the course of the week are they getting a balanced diet. Good luck and stay positive.
