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For whatever reason your child has to eat a restricted diet you need to assess a number of things before embarking on wild cooking or exhaustion and helplessness.
How important is it that your child stays on this diet?
If your child has a severe allergic reaction, then obviously this is something that is not negotiable--however delicious, tempting or well meaning the cook is.
However if it is an intolerance where the symptoms are minor, or a recommendation for general health, then perhaps there is more leeway. You need to decide for yourself.
How restricted is your child's diet?
The more foods you need to leave out of a diet, the harder it becomes. Even with very few foods there are often ways of being inventive, given enough parental energy and desire. You can usually be inventive with what you are allowed. There are exclusion diets that consist solely of pear, rice and turkey. It is not so easy with children, but think that the more you are allowed, the easier it is. Focus on what you CAN use rather than what you can't. Write a list of all the allowed foods, and keep it on your fridge--it might keep you a bit more inspired than the other way around.
Nutrients for Children.
However restricted your child's diet, they still need to have enough minerals and vitamins to grow. Look at government guidelines as to the individual nutrient requirements as they have useful tables for essential nutrients divided into age categories. Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) have been replaced by Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI).
If your child is so picky, or so restricted it is worth thinking about supplementing missing nutrients. There are many drops and powders that can be hidden in drinks without anyone noticing, believe me I am a past master. Please seek professional advice before giving any supplements to a child. You should not give any adult formulations as children require different amounts, and it needs to be calculated by their weight.
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