Help getting my kids to eat HM/OS way please

kiwichick · 11 October 2005 at 10:46AM

Hi All,

I am having a bit of trouble with my kids, its entirely my fault as they have grown used to shop bought rubbish instead of HM. All they eat is chicken, broccoli and gravy. No other veg or fruit at all, no other meat. I am worried they arent getting the nutrition they need.

I do puree fruit and hide it in custard or rice pudding and always offer other veg at a meal but it never gets touched.

Any ideas on how I can get them to eat HM dinners like spag bol or shepards pie etc?

They are 3, 2 and 1. My 1 year old eats it all as she is the only one to have been raised without so called conveniance food.

Any suggestions welcomed.
Al.

Gingham_Ribbon · 11 October 2005 at 10:52AM

Well done on making a start with this!

My advice is to get them involved in the food buying and preparation as much as possible. Depending on how old they are this could range from finding things in the supermarket and helping mash potatoes to helping plan menus and making home made burgers.

Have a sit down talk with them when you feel they'd be responsive, and without forcing the issue, find out what they'd like to have and see if you can work from there.

And it's not a democracy. You're in charge and you're doing it for their own good. When this generation coming up have a life expectancy less than their parents because of their diet and lifestyle, this is one to stick to your guns about. But you catch more flies with honey than vinegar, so try to keep them on side with it.

Good luck.

squeaky · 11 October 2005 at 10:54AM

Straight from the MEGA Index:-

Fussy Eaters:
[post=551126] - Hiding vegetables[/post]
[post=533643] - Meal ideas for picky kids[/post]
[post=70695] - What can I feed the fussiest eater in the world?[/post]

Lucie_2 · 11 October 2005 at 10:56AM

You can hide an awful lot of veg in shepherds pie & spag bol! Grated carrot virtually disintergrates & can't be spotted. Add veg & whizz up in a blender to get rid of the "lumps".
Make it fun - pizza faces are classic for this.

culpepper · 11 October 2005 at 11:37AM

My MIL got one of my nieces eating brussels by calling them baby cabbages

I used to pretend we were giants eating the trees and fields when we had shepherds pie with cauliflowers.

taplady · 11 October 2005 at 12:31PM

You're not the only one with very fussy kids! I have 2 who wont eat any fruit or veg fullstop! :eek: but since converting to OS I have had a few successes with food.My youngest loves HM pizza (cheese and tomato) but it is possible to hide some veg if you use the stick blender(doesn't like lumps)he also likes spag bol after making it at an afterschool club so the getting them to take part in the cooking can help! however my eldest wont eat either of them.Its hard trying to find something they both like(my own fault I'm sure).

The eldest likes HM fishcakes and i use good quality cod so that at least he's getting some goodness!

I try and get them to try something new each week but its not easy, i think i left it too late as they're 13 and 15.I also make my own bread using unbleached organic stoneground flour and they both love it! :j
I think if I tried the take it or leave it method there would be a mutiny! :eek: but I am trying to do it gradually so that its not such a big change for them.I'll be interested to hear of anyone elses successes in this area!

Edinburghlass_2 · 11 October 2005 at 12:42PM

Going by my own memories of being THE fussiest eater I would say they are very young to go pushing too much meat at them if its very chewy. I well remember lumps of meat in my mouth trying to chew through it, and there are many foods I won't touch just because of the texture and that includes bananas and peaches.

I won't eat vegetables but do like a well pureed vegetable soup. I would pick the chopped onions and carrots out of mince, there was no disguising them for me and there still isn't

Nowt wrong with chicken, broccoli and gravy just don't make meal times a battle ground and try to introduce new things gradually.

megasaver · 11 October 2005 at 12:48PM

ahmilligan wrote:

Hi All,

I am having a bit of trouble with my kids, its entirely my fault as they have grown used to shop bought rubbish instead of HM......
Any suggestions welcomed.
Al.

Hi ahmilligan, don't despair and take heart - you are not the only one with children who refuse to eat hm food! There is a thread where a very similar problem being discussed on OS right now which you might find useful and is well worth reading for some suggestions (look towards middle and end of thread). It certainly helped me….

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=100536

mega

MATH · 11 October 2005 at 1:01PM

When confronted with the "Urgh what's this?" try to make it an adventure discovering new foods. What does it taste like, where does it come from, where in the food groups does it fall. My 8yr DD can slit her plate like a pie chart and catagorize her meal by food group and also knows more than I do about the GI index:eek:

More often than not in the begining the upbeat jolly hocky sticks "lets try something new" approach will not work and you will be met with flat refusal folowed by a stoney silence. This is when you switch to the eat it or starve technique once you are on this path do not allow any junk, sweets, chocolate, pop etc for the rest of the day. Yes they will complain, whine, moan and threaten to call Esther Rancid but I find the retort "WHATEVER!" or "AM I BOVVERED" covers most of these objections. They always come round well before social services need to become involved;)

I am really lucky that my kidz were fed OS the minute they exited the birth canal and eat anything but some of my friends has succesfully converted their kidz with a bit of partience, humour and when that fails stubborn determination.

savingpennies · 11 October 2005 at 7:14PM

I agree that getting them involved in the cooking helps. HM pizzas are great for this. Adding grated veg like carrots/courgettes to spag bol usually works. Why not try introducing one new food at a time, accompanied by something they already like, for instance cauliflower with broccolli, then try cauli/broc with cheese sauce, then pasta shapes with cheese sauce. It's not going to happen overnight but even getting them to like one new food means you've started on the road to success.

taplady · 11 October 2005 at 7:21PM

MATH wrote:

When confronted with the "Urgh what's this?" try to make it an adventure discovering new foods. What does it taste like, where does it come from, where in the food groups does it fall. My 8yr DD can slit her plate like a pie chart and catagorize her meal by food group and also knows more than I do about the GI index:eek:

More often than not in the begining the upbeat jolly hocky sticks "lets try something new" approach will not work and you will be met with flat refusal folowed by a stoney silence. This is when you switch to the eat it or starve technique once you are on this path do not allow any junk, sweets, chocolate, pop etc for the rest of the day. Yes they will complain, whine, moan and threaten to call Esther Rancid but I find the retort "WHATEVER!" or "AM I BOVVERED" covers most of these objections. They always come round well before social services need to become involved;)

I am really lucky that my kidz were fed OS the minute they exited the birth canal and eat anything but some of my friends has succesfully converted their kidz with a bit of partience, humour and when that fails stubborn determination.

I like your style Math!!

had me in stitches !

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Help getting my kids to eat HM/OS way please

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