I would consider seriously that the sensory issues ARE the problem. I would also not turn food into a control issue ever.
Our eldest daughter refused all solids until well over 2, it took us until nearly 9 yrs old to get her reliably eating a decent array of healthy foods and to teach her appropriate food manner with other people (never commenting on the smell or appearance of other people's food, how to politely refuse, etc). And then we put her on an elimination diet and she lost almost every "healthy" food she had never wanted to eat in the first place and was left with a diet that we would previously have been appalled by, that she loves and on which she is healthier and better functioning than she has ever been...
Thus with child #3, who has extreme food problems and was sick and in pain her entire first year of life, we do not push any food ever. We are well aware that if she refuses a food (from the very limited list of foods that she theoretically CAN eat) it's probably just toddler pickiness, but we never ever push any food she refuses now, for fear that we will teach her to eat food that is actually bad for her, as we did her older sister. We do keep offering food we believe to be safe for her, but never force it.
Oh and they will both eat sugar and fat like it's going out of style. Ghee with a spoon... Gag.
