Help getting my kids to eat HM/OS way please

kiwichick

Wow, so many replies, thanks to one and all.

Rading them reminds me of what a fussy eater I was as a child. And the thing about textures too, its horrible textures in meat that made me go veggie at the age of 8. So, taking that advice on board I have made a HUGE batch of spag bol portions for freezer, all have been pureed with hand blender first to remove lumps. It also contains vegies-he he he.

I'll try it tonight and see how we go.

They are OK at breakfast time, weetbix, muddles, shreddies are the norm. DS and DD2 will happily tuck into a banana and DD1 an apple. They like cheese toasties for lunch or a peanut butter or marmite sarnie. Always have apple with lunch too.

They wont at eggs though, and will only eat cheese in the toastie because I call it "special butter".

It will take some working on but I will do it, slowly but surely.

Thanks to all,
Al.

Sarahsaver

will they eat eggy bread? dd who is as fussy as stink likes to drink milk with an egg and sugar in it ! :rolleyes: 'lait de poule' it is called.
Kids can be very surprising.

Penny-Pincher!!

My DD used to be sooooo fussy! She is now 10 and will try anything once. We used to eat alot of convienance foods, take aways etc but over the past 18 months ahve really knuckled down and cook everything from scratch and she pretty much eats it all I am quite strict though and if she doesnt eat her dinner and at least some of her veggies-she is not allowed anything except water for the evening-but this has only happened a couple of times, so it must work..lol.
Have you tried putting the dinner in serving dishes and letting them try and serve themselves...quite fun for them. Abit more washing up though :rolleyes: Involve them with the cooking and shopping-ask what they would like or give them a choice of veggies/fruits. If your kids eat brocolli already, you are doing well...my DD hates it. DD's fav dinner is either Full Chicken Roast (roasties, mash, HM yorkies, carrots, cabbage & gravy) or toad in hole and mash/roast spuds and carrots.

Good Luck

PP
xx

SuiDreams

My dad had terrible trouble when we were kids we're all fussy but in different ways. The only Veg I'd eat was potaoes and carrots, My Eldest sister wouldn't eat carrots or gravey, my middle sister wouldn't eat peas, or any dairy (unless it was in the form of eggy bread or Pancakes) se even ate dry cereal. He used to spend ages cooking to make sure we all had something we liked. His favourite trick with me was Mashed carrots and turnip (which I was told was mashed potatoe and carrot).

On the plus side we're all a lot better now (but we still cause problems when we get together for a family meal, we just don't seem to like the same things). I eat loads more veg than I used to and won't leave anything without at least trying it 1st. I'm also trying one new veg every week.

I don't have any kids, but my Neices and nephew are all fussy eaters. But remember when they go to their friends houses they eat what they are given as they won't want to make a fuss, I used to eat alsorts when I went to friends houses as I'd be too embarrassed not to eat it.

competitionscafe

Sarahsaver wrote:

that shop sells lovely coffee, pine nuts, walnuts, feta cheese, honey soaked cakes... mmm!

Sounds like a shop that was at the top of the road from my sisters house in London - loved going in there as it was always an adventure and they would also tell you about stuff and let you try a wee bit if you did not know what it was. They also did great olives and I was addicted to the honey soaked cakes.

Still looking for a shop like that in Edinburgh - there is one on the other side of town (near the University), but it's a bit of a trek when you don't have a car. I do have a good local Spanish deli/cafe though who do gorgeous sourdough bread and great hams, cheese, olives, etc + 3 other good delis - Italian, Spanish and French/Meditteranean, so can't complain too much.

competitionscafe

ahmilligan wrote:

All they eat is chicken, broccoli and gravy. No other veg or fruit at all, no other meat.

Well broccolli is one of the best veg of all - one of the 'superfoods' so at least they will eat that.

'Superfoods' from : http://my.webmd.com/content/Article/81/96952.htm?printing=true

# Beans
# Blueberries
# Broccoli
# Oats
# Oranges
# Pumpkin
# Salmon
# Soy
# Spinach
# Tea (green or black)
# Tomatoes
# Turkey
# Walnuts
# Yogurt

I wouldn't worry too much about not eating other meats - as long as they get protein, iron etc from elsewhere. As for fruit what about getting a smoothie maker or blender for fresh juices/smoothies?

Curry_Queen

When my boys were little I could never remember their individual likes and dislikes, which would often change from one week to the next anyway :rolleyes: ... so I used to just put a little of everything we were eating on their plates, or for roast dinners it was a self-serve with bowls on the table, and they were told they could leave what they genuinely didn't like but that I'd like to see them make an effort to at least try one mouthful.

I found that worked quite well and it avoided all the usual mealtime battle scenario, and they also learnt from a very early age that they needed to eat at least something from each food group on their plate, i.e. protein, carb, veggie, otherwise there would be no dessert after

It's a case of trial and error and the trick is not to make a big issue of it otherwise kids will dig their heels in and refuse point blank to even try anything new! I think mealtimes should be fun and a little encouragement goes a long way, even if it does mean getting creative in how you cook and present the food, to making up special names for certain things, as long as it gets them eating it

Savvy_Sue

Curry_Queen wrote:

When my boys were little I could never remember their individual likes and dislikes, which would often change from one week to the next anyway :rolleyes: ...

Oh tell me about it! Still happens now, some will eat broccoli and some cauliflower and I always forget which is which! Can't remember who likes spinach and who doesn't, etc etc etc.

Savvy_Sue

Lillibet wrote:

Pureed sweetcorn with cheese makes a great healthy cheese sauce, pureed courgettes/marrow makes a fab white sauce, the green bits of skin are obviously ..ahem...."herbs".

Herbs? Herbs? You're allowed to put herbs into your child's food?

My eldest is very suspicious of anything like that, he knows I've tried to hide things in other things before.

And he has not yet found a commercial pizza he likes because they all put herbs on top! Can make home-made as long as no herbs are involved!

Petal_3

I've been reading this thread with interest. I have a 3 yr old son who will try ANYTHING! He asked "Mum,what are you eating" Mum says "squid" He says "I'll try it" Mum says "OK..but I'm not sure you'll like it" He says" I'll try"...then he says "Yuk, I don't like it!" He's had raw onions, olives and all sorts.....it never seems to put him off...he still wants to try whatever we're eating before he decides he doesn't like it. :cool: