First of all, please excuse the theme changes. BP and I are trying to get this blog spiffy. We’re not quite there yet.
I need some advice.
Frick is a picky eater. He does not eat veggies (which kills me, because I love them), baked chicken, fish, or ground meat. Anything bad for you is his favorite, which I limit as much as possible. Frack follows Frick’s lead because he is ever the copy cat. Both boys will eat yogurt, fruits, and whole wheat breads. Frick HATES pasta and cheese, Frack LOVES them. I decided long ago that I will not be a short order cook. If they don’t eat what is served, I don’t fix them what they want. The dinner I make is always served with a fruit and yogurt. If they get hungry later, I let them ’snack’ on their uneaten dinner. That usually cures a snack attack at night.
Here are my questions:
When you cook dinner, do your children eat what you make?
How do you go about getting your children to try what you make and avoid a struggle at the table?
If you have never commented before, I implore you to at least comment on this post. I feel as if I am at my wits end with this thing called dinner!
**I wrote a post about that Deceptively Delicious book by that Seinfeld chick. That was a no go. I repeat, a NO GO!**
September 4, 2008 at 8:09 am
I hate to admit, but I am short order cook some days. I do have to say that TheOldest who is now 5 1/2 is getting much better at trying things. And even eating them if she likes them- iike the beets we had at dinner tonight. I couldn’t believe she went back for more.
I do think it is related to her age because she used to be very picky. We do have a rule that they have to try a bite of everything I serve, but like you, I do try to offer something they would like. Tonight I made a crock-pot spicy beef sandwich thing. I knew they wouldn’t eat it because of the spiciness so I first served a half sandwich to both of them, then after they tried it and didn’t like it, we offered them a sandwich.
September 4, 2008 at 8:32 am
Heres my think I make one dinner if they dont eat it they will starve end of story. Dont like pasta? Go without. I know Im mean really mean.
September 4, 2008 at 3:24 pm
I too won’t be a short order cook. However I try to give the kids something they like. So if one likes pasta or rice, I will have pasta and a prtein and a veggie. I will change the veggies and protein around so that someone gets a veggie fairly regularly. There are some veggies my middle one does not like, but even on those nights he has to TRY one spoonful. And guess what, we made him try the fresh corn on the cob last weekend and he loved it! My kids prefer the well seasoned food over the bland stuff so that helps. Honestly, I have never offered them “kid” food so they never really developed a taste for it. Keep having them try stuff because their taste buds really do change! If you want more ideas you can email me!
September 4, 2008 at 4:51 pm
I recently read (I think in Parenting magazine) that the average times trying a vegetable before a kid decides to like it is 16 times. Emma has started eating a lot of stuff that used to not like. So, I think it’s good that you keep offering it. I have to admit that I’m totally guilty of serving what I know she likes to avoid the battle. And also like you, I figure if they’re getting yogurt and fruit, then they are getting some nutrition.
It also seems to make her want to eat it if I let her help prepare it. Some days I have the patience for that… Some, I don’t.
Let us know if you find something that works great
September 4, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I use to make whatever Bubbie would eat…just so he would eat. He wouldn’t eat for the longest time and he was allowed to graze during the day!!! So I had a battle every day…. now that I am at home, I don’t let him graze and he has to sit down at the table with us for meals- whether he is hungry or not. I use to allow him to pick and choose and give him options, but now he eats what we make. He doesn’t get a dessert or anything to drink (sounds bad, but he would live on milk and lemonade if we let him) until he’s had a few bites. I don’t always get everything in him that I want to, but if he takes a few bites of the horrible veggies…then I’m happy. He does not like fruits or veggies. I can sometimes sneak in some blueberries, but he will not eat fruit. Drives me crazy, because I love fruit. He does eat yogurt, so if he eats that- I’m a happy lady some days. I try and I guess that is all I can do! Good luck!
September 4, 2008 at 5:29 pm
I do similar things as the others. I try to serve something (at least one thing) that I know she likes though sometimes this means we have green beans two nights in a row. I do not cook special meals just for her. I try to let her help with the cooking when she wants to. It doesn’t always mean she will eat what she helps cook but it does help sometimes. I also have a problem with the snacks after dinner. Sometimes she won’t eat a good dinner and then 15 minutes later she wants a snack. I try to only offer her fruit or yogurt for these snacks. Thankfully, like yours, she loves fruit and yogurt. Good luck and let me know if you figure something out!
September 4, 2008 at 6:34 pm
well, most days, I am just happy to get my daughter to eat more than 2 bites of something, I don’t even care what it is!
My kids will usually eat at least some of most of the meals I make. There are a few meals that neither one of them will touch (like my fabulous zucchini pie) that I don’t force them to eat, I will make them a hot dog r sandwich or something. I just do the best I can so that they both eat something, and that if some of that “something” is healthy, than I have done my job. Like I said, I do occasionally make something seperate for the kids to eat, but it is nothing fancy.
September 4, 2008 at 7:40 pm
I am not a short order cook. If Alexis doesn’t eat what we have for dinner, she’s out of luck. I might give in, if she also didn’t eat lunch, and give her a bowl of cereal before bed, but that’s the extent of my caving. Although, I do avoid cooking dinners that I know she hates. I do the same for my husband, so that seems fair.
September 4, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Do what Kate says on “John and Kate plus 8″…she’s not a short order cook, they eat what she fixes, and there are NO OPTIONS! Sounds mean and cruel, but if you watch those children eat, they clean their plates everytime! This also is coming from someone whose children are grown, and I don’t really remember what they ate, so…good luck with that, and you’ll be in my thoughts and prayers…I also drank alot,
and took ALOT of pills….
September 5, 2008 at 12:04 am
I too only fix one meal each night. I fix dinner for us and we all sit down together after the boys set the table. They do not get down from the table until everyone is finished and they do not get a treat (Bug Bites, graham crackers in peanut butter, etc) unless they eat their dinner. They do not have to eat everything, but do have to eat most and at least have a spoonful of each veggie. Jack (4) does not like any veggies except for corn on the cob. He knows that he has to have a spoonful of them at dinner though or no treat. Sometimes he opts for no veggies, thus no treat. Also, once they get down from the table there is nothing else until breakfast. That is probably why Jack’s favorite meal is breakfast – no veggies!
Carter (2) eats anything and LOVES veggies!! They both like fruits and yogurt too, so they are getting something healthy. I am hoping that Jack’s taste buds will allow for more variety as he gets older. They don’t get junk food, unless you call one pack of fruit snacks each day junk food.
Just do your best at introducing veggies each day and then hide them when possible!
I blend up broccoli and put it in my spaghetti sauce – they never know and got a very good-for-you veggie! 
Jason even doesn’t mind that one because you can’t really taste it! Good luck!!!
September 5, 2008 at 12:33 am
I wish I had some really great advice, but sadly I am in the same situation!! I have a very picky eater as well. She will eat some fruits and she will eat broccoli and carrots, no fish, and no ground meat!! She will eat some steak but mostly chicken and pork chops. She will not eat foods that touch or in a casserole. My husband and I are the complete opposite so I have no idea where she gets it! So I have come to being the mean mom. I cook and she has to eat it, if not I set the timer o the stove. When the timer goes off and she hasn’t eaten she stands in the corner for timeout, then we sit back down to eat and if not the timer goes back on and we start over. It really has SLOWLY started to work. She ate fish yesterday and mixed fresh veggies the day before. GOOD LUCK>>>
September 5, 2008 at 3:26 am
Thanks so much for visiting me on my special day…I could hardly sleep last night I was so excited!
Lee
September 5, 2008 at 3:41 am
I agree, I am not a short order cook either. I make what I want to eat and you either eat it or you don’t. You can get up and make your own PB&J sandwhich if you want (admittedly harder for the younger kids, but you’d be surprised how fast a 4-year old can learn to do it if he’s hungry!) I have found that with this approach they eventually come around – though it can take a loooong time. My 8-year old will eat most things now and the 6-year old will usually at least try. My kids will eat salad (though not a lot of other veggies) so I try to at least serve that. Anyway, my other trick came about from a trip to Costco. I noticed my kids would eat all of the samples, but if I bought the item and cooked it, it was then deemed “gross.” So one night I cut a stuffed chicken breast, that they had happily eaten there but were turning their noses up to now, into small pieces and put toothpicks in it and said we were having “samples” for dinner. They ate every last bite! As far as I can tell, most kids will eat pretty much ANYTHING on a stick. So we often have “sample” night to try new foods!
September 5, 2008 at 6:05 am
Thanks for the run down. Both Frick and Frack ate meatloaf and mashed potatoes tonight (probably because it was made with ketchup). It’s nice to know what others are doing especially in this particular situation.
September 5, 2008 at 1:52 pm
mandy, I was watching the nanny the other night and I instantly thought of you (sorry). One of the kids would not eat her food that the mom had fixed and they made her sit there at the table until she did. Well the child was stubborn and after 2 hours, she fell asleep at the table. she went to bed without dinner. the mom said later that the child fought a battle that she was not going to win. Sounds aweful, but the child did not fight anymore about food.
Sounds like you got great advice!!
September 9, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Landen is becoming quite the picky little man. Usually if we all put it on our plates he’ll at least try it. Or we are tricky and act like we’re going to eat it off of his plate. I need to read the advice b/c we are having the same issue. I do not make more than one thing.
September 9, 2008 at 3:55 pm
PS. I like the new look.