Time to kick out his picky eating habits

I have so had it with T's eating habits. He has always been a bit of a picky eater from day one and I had always thought in time his appetite would improve and he would start to eat a lot more of the food we put in front of him. We eat quite a diverse range of food and cuisines; Italian, Mexican, Indian, African, Northern American, Thai, Chinese, vegetarian... you name it! I wouldn't say T was keen on any type of cuisine in particular however he always finished his plate of rice, pasta, couscous and chips whenever we made those. Lately however the story has changed and his eating habits have gone from bad to worse. Now the only item in his plate he ever seems to finish is chips, oh and not forgetting a bland Nigerian staple called garri which I introduced him to a few months ago. These days when we make pasta or couscous he is too busy picking out the extras added in to give it flavor he pretty much doesn't eat any of the food. He doesn't like any kind of red meat. He doesn't like fish at all. He doesn't like chicken. He doesn't like potatoes unless it's chips or crisps; jacket or mash potatoes are vile as far as he is concerned. He used to like raisins but these days he doesn't. He doesn't care much for toast and if I dare put anything on his toast in the morning without consulting him, I am taking a chance I might regret. He hates mayonnaise with a passion. His eggs have to be boiled (never fried) and the yolk removed. Depending which way the wind is blowing he'll eat corn or certain leaf salads. Broccoli and cauliflower have to be sauteed and retain their crunchiness otherwise it's a no. I could go on and on but I won't. Anyways today he barely touched his breakfast, lunch and dinner and after each one he had the nerve to ask for a treat or dessert which always comprises of an after meal yogurt or mini chocolate bar. He has been doing this for quite a while and had managed to turn meal times into a battle of if you eat then you can have dessert and before you know it we are still sitting at the table an hour later with me begging him to swallow the food in his mouth and him screaming at me not to take the plate away when I have just about had enough because he is still eating.  Anyway tonight I realised enough is enough after yet another meal time where I am sitting with a spoonful in hand waiting  for him to finish the mouthful he had been chewing for almost 10 minutes. I marched him down from the dinner table, took him into the kitchen, pulled out his bag of treats and desserts and told him to wave bye bye to them because that's all he ever seems to want to eat when in fact they are not the food he needs to grow and develop. He didn't think I am serious of course but he'll see. From now onward when he asks me for a treat, I will thrust a bowl of raisins, nuts or dried fruits in his hands. He can still have his favorite Petits Filous chocolate or vanilla yogurt of course, those are full of calcium and milky goodness. But instead of the mini-chocolate bars, he will now get offered a choice of fruit. That way if he still doesn't eat he can at least get the nutrients he needs from the fruit. That's right, I am going commando on him until he sorts out his non-eating at meal time ways. When he starts eating, then the treats can return.
Before anyone judges me as mean, let me explain where I am coming from. I grew up in a country and culture where food was valued and respected. Though my parents weren't poor, they didn't have the luxury of Western standards either and food was limited to mealtimes only. We had no snacks or treats in between meals so when I had food in front of me, I knew to eat it because if I didn't I would  have to go hungry until the next meal. I was one of the lucky few that knew the next meal will eventually come, some of my peers who lived just a few houses away weren't so lucky. The whole idea of fussy eating was alien to me back then as was the idea of having coke or orange juice during every meal. We had lukewarm water and at least I can say my water was pure unlike some of my friends down the same street. Coke, orange juice, dessert after food... all that was saved for when the rich neighbours were throwing a party and we were invited; not very often. So when I'm trying my best putting diverse types of food in front of T and he wouldn't eat 98% of them, I am thinking he is not hungry enough or he only wants to eat junk food. Poor thing doesn't understand how lucky he is and I cannot blame him because he is too young to process what is good and what is bad but I can guide and empower him to make the better choice. There is nothing like a fussy eater as far as I am concerned. What there is, are people who have a wide choice of food to eat but are too picky about what they eat. No one is born a picky eater, parents create picky eaters by giving their kids that option. It is simple, if you are starving and there is nothing else to eat, you will eat whatever is available, end of discussion.
Anyways back to the point of this post, If T is hungry I will gladly give him an apple or a banana. The days of him telling me he is hungry and he doesn't want an apple but he wants a bag of crisps and me indulging him are so over. When he nags me now I will remind him of the time he didn't eat his scrumptious dinner and I made him wave goodbye to his bag of treats. If I give him an apple and he doesn't want it, then he can go hungry until that apple will do or until the next meal time. Being mean to your child to teach them a good lesson comes with being a parent. I would be doing him a disservice otherwise.