how do i get pickey eaters to eat?

I have been struggling with that for 3 year with my four year old, he doesn't like anything, I tried sending him to bed if he didn't eat his dinner and all he does is goes to bed hungry, and I'm sorry I can't just not feed my child, my one year old on the other had will eat anything and everything

Meat is not necessary for health. I know that parents worry about nutrition when a child becomes vegetarian. Here are some great links:
• http://www.vrg.org/nutshell/teen_veg.pdf
• http://www.pcrm.org/news/release090402.html
• http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_infant_nutrition/complete_nutrition.html
• http://www.nutritionmd.org/nutrition_tips/nutrition_tips_infant_nutrition/index.html
• http://www.pcrm. org/health/ veginfo/vsk/ food_groups. html
• http://www.pcrm. org/health/ veginfo/vsk/ children. html
I strongly recommend the book The China Study by T. Colin Campbell; it makes an excellent nutritional argument for vegetarianism. You should be able to find it at your local library.
I initially stopped eating meat when I was a senior in high school. I was doing a report on work hunger, and learned how meat is an incredibly inefficient delivery system for nutrition.

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Now, I also know that meat production is bad for the planet and bad for our health.
Being vegetarian not about what I don't eat, it is about what I do eat. When asked how I get nutrition by not eating meat, I respond by asking how meat eaters get nutrition by eating meat. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is overloaded with protein, fat, sodium, etc.; and is "underloaded" with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. By the time I eat my recommended 7-8 servings of fruits and vegetables (in at least 3 different colors), 6 servings of whole grains and two servings of legumes, and one serving of chocolate, I could not possibly make room for meat.
I belong to a yahoogroup for parents of vegetarians; I would be happy to send you an invitation
The fake meats are very highly processed, and not very nutritritious. You will be much better off substituting beans, tofu, lentils, seitan, etc. for meats

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Here are a couple of family and budget friendly recipes to help you get started; feel free to ask me any questions any time.
I serve this it over broccoli (and I make double the sauce).
Pasta and Tofu with Finger-Licking Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup low or no sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (I use smooth)
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic (add to taste, it is pretty spicey)
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces uncooked whole wheat angel hair
1 pound firm tofu, drained and cubed (optional)
1 cup (2-inch) sliced green onions
1 cup shredded carrot

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Combine first 8 ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until smooth, stirring frequently (this can also be done in the microwave; use a tempered glass bowl, like pyrex, cook for 20 seconds, stir, repeat until smooth). Remove from heat. Cook pasta in boiling water 8 minutes, omitting salt and fat. Add tofu, onions, and carrot; drain. Place pasta mixture in a large bowl. Add peanut butter mixture; toss gently.

MEXICAN BEANS AND PASTA BAKE
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
2" segment hot chili pepper, minced or 1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 qt. undrained canned diced tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 c. uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni or other pasta broken into pieces
3/4 c. frozen or canned corn
3/4 c. diced zucchini
3 c. cooked pink or black beans (or two cans)
1/2 c. sliced black olives
1 c. broken taco shells or tortilla chips
1 c. shredded Jack cheese or cheese of your choice

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In a skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray (I use olive oil) sauté onion, garlic and hot pepper for about 3 minutes to soften. Add chili powder and cook briefly. Add tomatoes, oregano and cumin and bring to a boil. Add pasta, corn and zucchini and simmer 15 minutes until pasta is just tender. Stir in beans and olives. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Transfer bean mixture to a shallow 2 quart casserole. Top with taco shells or tortilla chips and cheese. Bake for 10 minutes to melt cheese. If casserole is assembled in advance and chilled, increase baking time to 20 minutes or until heated through. Top with sour cream at the table.

We use the 3 bite rule. You must try 3 bites of what is on your plate; if you don't like it, you fix yourself peanut butter and honey on whole grain toast with a kiwi or apple. Even my husband is expected to follow the rule.
If you cave now, you will forever have a picky monster on your hands. I promise that your child will not starve. Moms who cave are part of the reason why by the end of next year one half of American children will be both undernourished and overweight. One third of children born in this century will develop type 2 diabetes.
Keep offering a variety of healthy foods; stop buying junk foods until the picky phase has passed,

Getting children to eat is an art form....and trickery and reverse psychology all in one. Sometimes we do trade offs. If you eat this..you can have that later. I make them try everything on their plate even if they don't plan on eating it. There have been many times that they've tried something over and over and then one day, they are like...hey, this is pretty good. There have been times that I know my son likes something, but he's like holding on to hope that I'll make him something he wants more. I'm not making him anything else, and he doesn't have to eat what I made, but he gets hungry later, I put the plate with the original food in the microwave then back in front of him. And he gets the pint and eats. He's 9 now and I haven't had to do that in a while. i might sound mean, but I'm not cooking 4 different meals at dinner time to please everyone.

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