Feeding kid's friends real food

thriftlady_2

Got ds2's chum round for lunch and yet again I've run into the same problem - he doesn't like any of my food. I can think of just 2 of my kids' friends who will eat whatever I give them, and one of those has moved away from the area, so we're down to one.

This is what I gave friend for lunch;
Hm rolls
processed chicken slices (bought because I had a feeling real meat would be wasted on him)
Slices of cheese
Cherry toms, cucumber, carrot sticks
Grapes
Hm strawberry yogurt (heavy on the sugar:o )

This is what he ate - a roll :T and half a slice of the chicken.
Tried the yogurt but didn't like it and didn't like anything else, including the orange juice. Needless to say my 3 ate everything going.

Does anyone else have this problem ? What do you do to get visiting kids to eat your lovely homecooked food ? Or do you just stock up on the nuggets and chips ?

liz.._4

I would say 'take it or leave it'! I hate it when fussy kids come round for tea. I once did a birthday party for my daughter and one of the little lads said he was bored. My reply was for him to get his coat and I'll take you home then, he soon changed his tune!

Don't invite them again, the food you have given is probably better then he would get at home.

ana123_2

Most of my daughters friends seem impressed that I can actually cook a meal from scratch which makes you wonder what they get at home! I think that kids taste buds get ruined by processed food - thats why they don't appreciate your efforts!

I always have problems with drinks ( with visiting children and adults!) We only have milk, water or orange juice + tea and coffee. If I offer a cold drink I think people tend to expect a glass of pop or squash. Sometimes I think I should buy a bottle of squash just for visitors!

Andrea

freda

I often get fussy kids to muck in and help making the food, i.e. pizza, chicken nuggets etc. That seems to work miracles - they love eating things they've made themselves.

Even making sure that they are ravenous before they eat, and getting them involved with putting things in bowls, grating cheese, spreading bread etc all helps.

However, if push comes to shove, I'm afraid a child who didn't eat what was put in front of them would just go hungry if they visited my house. (cruel person icon)

loopy_lass

i once had this happen, my DD had friend round around age 8 or 9, and i cooked shepherds pie. this kid says i dont like it and went hungry (shame on me i know). I happened to mention it to her mom the day after and she says oh my kids only eat proper food........ ??????? which is?? i asked... oh you know, fish fingers, pizza, chips, crisps, burgers.. you know, normal food....

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh says i !! sorry i didnt realise..........

IS IT ME?

loops

thriftlady_2

loopy_lass wrote:

i once had this happen, my DD had friend round around age 8 or 9, and i cooked shepherds pie. this kid says i dont like it and went hungry (shame on me i know). I happened to mention it to her mom the day after and she says oh my kids only eat proper food........ ??????? which is?? i asked... oh you know, fish fingers, pizza, chips, crisps, burgers.. you know, normal food....

OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhh says i !! sorry i didnt realise..........

IS IT ME?

loops

:eek: :eek: No it's me too. I don't offer alternatives and to be fair ds's friend has eaten something and he's not complaining.

Drinks are always a problem as all visiting children (apart from cousins) seem to expect squash or fizz.

chocaholic110

On holiday a few weeks ago quite a few families were complaining about the food. Hotel generally had some sort of lamb, fish, beef and chicken dish each day, plus pasta, rice, vegetables, various salads, potatoes, soup, hot and cold sandwiches, plus special one offs and theme nights (barbecue, chinese, french etc) all of which was delicious.
Turned out the people complaining wanted pizza, burgers and chips and sent out for McDonald's each night.

Additionally I work in a school and every so often the DT topic is Make a Healthy sandwich or design a healthy snack. we usually make fruit kebabs or fruit milkshakes (using bananas or strawberries). The number of kids who've said "It's got bits in it", "It's not like Nesquick", "I don't eat fruit" or "I only eat chocolate spread sandwiches". grrr....

loopy_lass

i agree, its no good moaning about the kids when its the parents who allow them to eat such rubbish on a daily basis.Dont get me wrong, i am not averse to the odd junk binge, but on a daily basis its not an option.

My daughter comes back from a junk binge with a ragin thirst n says mommy it all tastes of so much salt, or it was sooooo suggary it was horrible.

next generation is goin to be a nightmare! we wont need fresh food soon just microwave stuff.. what is in those pot noodles???? YUK

loops

astonsmummy

When i lived in my old flat my friend mum lived 4 doors away and my friend was always there with her kids so i used to make them dinner and tell her to bring them round to eat so i knew they were getting some decent food - they absolutely loved it!
I went down there last week as i havent seen them for a while since moving and her son asked me if i would make him spaghetti bonaise!! bless him, he remebered me cooking it for him months ago it was his favourite then.

My DS absouletly adores proper cooked food, his fave is pasta we have it up to 4 times a week! different recipies though!

When i spoke t my friend the other day and she asked me what i was doing so i told her 'i'm cooking me and spud a roast' she was in shock, then proceeded to ask if it was all from iceland - er no!!!!!!!!!
Completely from scratch, apparently i'm too young to be dong that sort of thing according to her????????????
I'm 22 but i've been cooking like this since i was about 16!
You wont find even a trace of chicken nuggets, turkey twizzlers, ready meals in my house, i begrudge spending that much money on such tasteless stuff!
I dont even buy chips, i am soo tight i wont buy any biscuits or crisps - plenty of apples and bannas though, although i wouldnt begrudge ds his fromage frais youghurts in his packed lunch for nursery!

Swan_2

I can indentify with all of the above. my kids are bigger now (youngest's 19) but when they were younger I'd get the same sort of reactions from visiting kids ... 'what? no chips? no juice*? no packet biscuits?' etc etc :rolleyes:
now that they're older, they love coming to me for home-made meals

I'm afraid I'm one of the 'cruel' ones too, & wouldn't pander. when they saw there was nothing else forthcoming, quite a lot of them were quite happy to try what was on offer

and the dreaded 'b' word, taboo in our house ... 'oh you're bored? I know just the thing for you, come & help dig the garden, do some weeding etc' always worked a treat :rotfl:


* their words, they meant squash. it makes my blood-boil when I see the 'juice' aisle in the supermarket full of squash & fizzy drinks & the real juice tucked away elsewhere. & don't get me started on SunnyPee :mad:

Pink.

Hi thriftlady,

I'm with the like it or lump it school of thought.....within reason of course.

I have had a constant flow of children through my home this summer and when I'm making tea, I always ask if they want to stay. I put it in such a way as "we're having shepherds pie tonight, would you like to stay for tea?" so that it gives them the option to say no if they don't want fancy what we're having. If kids have been invited especially for tea, I try to make something that most children like, like homemade pizza or beef burgers and it usually goes down well.

Anyway, there are lots of great suggestions on this older thread that might help you:

Old Style meal inspiration needed for child visitors

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