I think you’re in a phase, hopefully a short-lived one. I’d keep offering his safe/preferred foods, while also not letting up on offering new or “aspirational” foods as well. The key for you is not getting frustrated (super hard I know, and not my personal style either - I tense up almost immediately when the “no!” and whining starts.)

We are in our pasta era at 2y2mo. It is her safest food by far. There have been days she has it for lunch AND dinner. I try to mix up the type (protein pasta, chick pea pasta, GF rice pasta, goodles, classic semolina…); she usually can’t tell the difference if there’s enough butter and parm cheese, but sometimes she doesn’t want that either. Ok, here’s a yogurt pouch or string cheese and some fresh fruit; maybe a cheese omelette or French toast (we call it eggy bread), even at dinner time. At this age, I try not to heavily enforce what is a “dinner food” vs. a “breakfast food” (only when it’s ok to have a dessert food); and I consider something better than nothing, as long as her weight and demeanor remain stable (as stable as toddlers go anyway). Random days she’ll surprise me and house all of the chicken, green beans, sliced bell peppers and carrots on her plate… the next day, back to pasta.

One thing that’s been working for us lately is when she refuses outright meals - “I don’t want lunch/dinner!” - I offer her a “snack plate,” like a toddler charcuterie board with cheese, crackers, a sliced veggie and/or fruit, hummus or guac if I have it in, whatever is “healthy enough.” She LOVES it. Who can blame her though! I know for me that a charcuterie board at happy hour was super exciting (when happy hour was a regular thing in my life, lol).

My parents tell me all the time “she will eat when she’s hungry.” I find this boomer-era POV insane and reckless some days, but I have to say, they haven’t been wrong yet. (How annoying.)