Our therapists are using the SOS Feeding method to try and get our little guy to eat more foods or get him to accept foods in different ways. For example, he won't eat strawberries if they have the tops on, bananas need to be in coins, etc. When we started all he ate was goldfish,baby formula, chicken nuggets, fries, cheerios, applesauce and strawberries (and candy of course!). Now he eats significantly more foods, including many meats, way more fruits, cucumbers, carrots and bread! They got him to eat a green bean by dipping them in sweet and sour sauce, Subway by putting Nutella on it (I know, ew). Next Friday we are going out to a restaurant with our psychiatrist, aide and occupational therapist and we're going to try and get him to accept something other than chicken nuggets and fries at a restaurant. But overall the progress has been good. They also use the "food scientist" approach. They see how it smells, what it looks like if they change the shape, if it's smooth or bumpy etc., if it floats in water, they look at it with a magnifying glass...it is a bejeezus load of work but we only do it at certain times and usually at snack time, not at dinner when he's tired.

Food jags are a scary thing- there are books out there, like "Food Chaining" and "Take A Bite"- but if you are really concerned- make an appointment and partner with your doctor. There are some really good Food/Eating Therapies out there. Some work one on one or in a group. It would be worth asking for a referral- especially if he is getting even more restrictive.

Thank you for the advice. We have tried all those tricks, but it seems to be getting worse. He is finding more and more things wrong with food. We started tonight, take pictures of him eating the food with a "thumbs up". We are going to try a picture book for him, so he can see he does like an item. Hoping this will work.

My son just turned 12 and he only eats kix cereal dry, fish crackers, one brand and shape of chicken nuggets and pills bury cinnamon biscuits and grands biscuits, drinks milk and water. He won't eat candy, ice cream, cake etc. we tried him on a "food program" w his aba services and he threw up every day throughout the whole program until I had to stop.
I didn't know what to do so I just started giving him liquid vitamins and minerals ( for some reason he can handle liquid meds even though they taste horrible! Go figure!)
I just am hoping that as he gets older he will, on his own, try different foods. The food program only conditioned him to think that anything new will make him throw up.
I figure, he's alive, pretty healthy, great teeth so I just let it go! Good luck!

Neurofeedback has really opened up diet for us. Our neurofeedback therapist gave us a list of brain foods to post on the refrigerator. He has to try a new one every week. It took a few months to get going and some weeks we don't have any luck, but usually he will give something a try. We let him go off the list is something interests him. Sometimes he just chooses from out plates. His really restricted diet has grown a lot in the last 6 months. We are thrilled!