N.,
I have 3 children and it was my last one that ate zero baby food. Your lucky that you can address this problem without other children in the house that you'd need to keep on a typical schedule.
There are 2 people in our house that have different eating habits. My youngest child, and me (grown adult). Your child might just be like me. I go through food phases since I was small. It depends on my craving. It may be, meat, meat, meat, then vegetable, vegetable, vegetable, etc. My other problem is that I don't eat meals. If you feed your son when he is hungry (not because it is time to eat), he will eat. I eat small portions--maybe one item--but I eat all day long. Your son could be offered a plain cold hot dog or leftover chicken (cold or warmed up) even for breakfast. A couple hours later washed, raw peas or green beans--mid afternoon could be a small container with dry cereal. He doesn't need to sit at the table and eat a meal. As long as it is nutricious, let him be a nibbler. I love the food offered at Thanksgiving, but I'm not the type that likes to sit down and eat all of that at once.
My other eating problem is my youngest child. She has been picky since birth. She hated and refused to eat any baby food at all. My doctor recommended leaving her on formula to get her needed vitamins. By the time she was 15 months old, she was fine with health, height, and weight, but I was sick of paying for formula. She is 12 years old now. Still very picky (as you said, chicken or spaghetti is fine one day and not the next), but I still refuse to cook more than one meal. In her case, it was not a phase that she grew out of. There are a few things she'll eat, so now I try to prepare a meal she'll eat every-other-day. My advantage is that she can cook alittle. She can take a leftover piece of chicken and make a chicken taco--still has meat and veggies--on the nights she doesn't like what the rest of us are eating.
I know one other thing I tried when she was younger, is calling the food something different. If I was making pork chops and she said she wanted chicken for supper, that is what I told her I was cooking. Often at a young age, they don't remember which food they liked (was it chicken or pork).
Another thing to try--while at the grocery store, ask him which he wants (hold up a cucumber and some green bean). Sometimes if they decide what to eat, they will eat it.
Good luck that it is a phase--but my daughter was forever. But also remember, he might just be a snacker type. Don't expect him to eat a meal. Vitamin intake count goes by the week, not by the day as most people believe. If he wants meat on Monday (all day) and cucumbers on Thursday (all day), it equals out in the end.
Just think; if he is a snacker, that leaves times for you and your husband to have a romantic meal together some evenings.
