If your children don't eat what you cook for dinner...

two-for-one

My daughter is 3 and I just offer her what I am eating. If she doesn't want to eat it, I never force her. I just say "fine, but there's nothing else to eat" and take it away if she really doesn't want it. Then she will have to wait for the next meal.

In the mean time if she complains to me about being hungry, I just say to her "I gave you lunch, but you didn't want to eat it, there's nothing else, you'll just have to wait till dinner". I have found that being like this has really helped her stop being fussy about food.

She was one of those kids who never really showed an interest in food and eating. Was very fussy about what went in her mouth, but I found perserverance and sticking to my guns has helped her enormously in learning not to be fussy, also lots of praise helps as well.

If she doesn't want something, I never force her to eat it or make an issue of it; I just take it away, but there is nothing else as a subsitute. Kids very rarely starve. I wouldn't worry too much

tiamai_d

DS1 doesn't like tomato based sauces (although he loves my spaggy bolly (whiich is also the lasagne, and meatballs(proper ones, not tinned ones)), so I know that if I put tomato pasta bake infront of him he geneuinely doesnt like it (he hates pizza too). In that case I make him a variation of what we are having.

When I serve a meal and the kids don't eat it, they go to bed hungry. DS2 doesn't eat a main meal every night as he tends to be a day time eater (he can put away 2 rolls or sandwiches etc, a banana, some grapes, cheese and oatcakes, a yogurt, fruit juice or milk and raisins and look for more!) he is 3 and a half, so I know his eating habits and don't worry about it. If however, they refuse a meal they are told they are getting nothing else and usually end up eating after all!

msb5262

I would suggest reading a fantastic picture book with your child - Bread and Jam for Frances, by Russell Hoban. It's been around for ages but hasn't dated at all; the characters are animals and it's very witty. The story is about Frances who wants bread and jam for every meal. Her wise mother goes along with this, and of course by the end, Frances is begging to be allowed to try spaghetti and meatballs. I have a terrific fondness for this book and beg all MSE-ers to request it at their local library...but for goodness sake, don't use it to lecture your children. They will understand the message without you knocking it through their skulls!

affordmylife

what i do is a kind of buffet style tea so that people can choose what they wish.

so i might do a spaghetti bolognaise with homemade bread. there will also be grated cheese and some jacket potatoes on the table. so if someone doesnt fancy spag bol they could have jacket spud and cheese or just bread and cheese.

i usually do some baking to so tonight we had a choice of apple pie, flapjacks or apple buns.

whatever is left will be for packed lunches or recycled to tommorows tea!!

we are a big family but all skinny (apart from me!) lol.

i find this keeps everyone happy.

98sidney

I have 2 children one who is 6 and one who is 10 and both only get one meal, if they dont like it they go without as I refuse to run a cafe at tea times..

remembered_nights

We had the 'one meal, eat it or don't get anything else' and I am one of the least fussy people I know, so glad the parents did that! I feel sorry for my friends who refuse to even try a new thing as an adult, what a loss!

However I have always hated spicy food (any curry above a medium) and continue to. I don't understand eating food that hurts your tongue Mum would just mix mine with yoghurt to make it milder.

Zziggi

MrsTine wrote: »

Zziggi have you had little Zziggi at the doctors to check the reason she's eating so slowly isn't for a medical reason? Always worth ensuring that it's not a medical issue before you decide on how to address it

No i haven't. She is suspected ASD and has food sensitivities and her senses are sensitive (touch/small/strong light/loud noises). I wondered if it was just part of this - the need to have food perfectly smooth before eating it by chewing it excessively. Woe betide me putting mashed potato on her plate with a lump in it.....