my experience is letting him to eat himself, put a piece of newspaper under his table for dirty fall-downs. buy a flat big spoon and flat soup bowl for him, colorful with animal or any cartoon figures on the spoon and the bowl. tell him before he eats that if he finish his meal himself, the animal and the figure will like him very much and will like to be his friends. ofcourse you should turn off the tv and never put toys around him when he is eating. set a time, when time is over, just take away his meal, then he knows what is meal time. remember never give candy or sweets to child, my son eats well as i never give sweets to him. be strict to persisting in meal time. let him have his own meal himself, at the same time, you and your hubby can eat at the same time and never take a look at him. just eat as you two are having a meal. try this method and i wish you will have succeed. :-P