Getting your toddler to try new foods

Get the setting right
Whether you have a big old-fashioned dining table or a small table in your lounge where your child eats, think about his environment at meal times. Try to take away too many distractions. Leave the television and radio off, unless there's music playing that your child likes and is comfortable with. Eating in front of the telly can be a habit for life (I know from personal experience!) and it is one of the main reasons we eat too much - because we are not thinking about what we're shovelling into our mouths.
You can switch off these outside sources of noise without the fuss of telling your child you are doing so. If you make it a big deal he will think that treats or fun things have to go out the window when he sits down to eat.
If you can, try to get your child to eat meals in the same place that you do. Understandably, whilst family meals are a good thing, when babies and toddlers are having their meals at different times to you, this isn't always possible. If so, at least try to make weekend breakfasts and lunch a joint affair by eating all together.

Variety and colour
After you've got your toddler onto normal meals (or something approaching them, but without salt or salty flavourings, and perhaps more chopped up), try to keep variety in his diet. Don't offer pasta every day, and try different vegetables, if not least to see what works and what doesn't.
Don't worry too much if he loves carrots but hates peas - most vegetables are as nutritious as others. However, do bear in mind that children can (and do) go through phases where a beloved food suddenly becomes a no-no. A child who loved rice might suddenly take against its texture. So it's important to find a range of foods your child will eat in order to keep your options open during picky periods.
Think about the colours on the plate. If something is all brown and mushy, some children will not have a problem, but others will find it less than inspiring. Add baked beans or greens to fish fingers and chips and, whilst you don't need to style your food into a Nigella presentation, don't just dollop it onto a plate, either.
Try not to make mealtimes a rush. If you are going out and there won't be time for a proper sit at the table, think about taking 'on the go' packed lunch instead, or bringing a meal forward by half an hour.

Introducing your child to new foods
One thing which is often forgotten is that good preparation is vital. Your food doesn't have to be of chef-trained quality, but overcooked pasta or rice that turns gluey, or vegetables that have been boiled for ages, are hardly going to stimulate the tastebuds. It's understandable that we want to make sure our children's food isn't undercooked, but try to steam vegetables - they will cook through as quickly as they do in a pan.
It is very hard not to use phrases like 'healthy' without them sounding 'worthy'. You want to encourage your child's enthusiasm for good eating, but maybe talk about foods building bones to help him jump around the playground, for example, rather than simply saying, 'Eat the healthy bits on your plate before I give you some unhealthy pudding.'
And that's another thing. It is very hard, when you're busy and a slow or 'fussy' eater is making tea time a nightmare. But try not to use sweets or pudding as a 'reward' because this further establishes main courses and savoury dishes as the 'bad' bit before the good sugary thing.
Don't forget that a banana or apple is a pudding!
If you are offering a pudding, bear in mind that custards and sponges can be quite healthy options and don't have to be regarded as 'evil'.

Learn some new tricks
Don't give up trying to introduce new foods to your child. One day he might hate sprouts and another day he might actually try them and find he loves them. A great children's book to share is the Dr Seuss 'Green Eggs And Ham' story, where the determinded Cat in the Hat refuses to eat them under any conditions and then when he gives them a go he can't get enough. You can get to know this book with your child without letting him realise its meaning is aimed at him!
Don't give your child a hard time, but encourage him to at least try something, even if you give him the get-out clause that he doesn't have to eat it all if he doesn't like it.
When your child is an older toddler, get him to help you with the safer aspects of making meals. Making simple sandwiches, pouring cold water into pans or adding the vegetables you've chopped to a colander or pot, are all great ways to get him involved. If he buys into the meal, he might be a little more adventurous. (This is a ploy I still use with my five year old, when his tastes begin to narrow and I need to lure him back to being adventurous again!)
It sounds like a cliche but you need to eat well if you want your child to do the same! Don't label your kid. There may be foods that are an absolute no-no when you go visiting, by try to tell your host this outside earshot of your child. Otherwise the idea that he is 'picky' and should be apologised for will only entrench this idea in him, when there could be a budding gourmand in there just waiting to get out!