What can i feed the fussiest eater in the world?

tiptoes

I've got two very fussy eaters DS 7 and DD10. Given their way we would live on chicken nuggets HM, Chips, spag bol or fish and chipshop bought fish. Lunchers fine as wil have something on toast,sandwhich or soup but dinner time has become a battle ground, know they will eat diffrent stuff as when eating in other people homes they will eat a more varied diet .

All suggestion gratefully excepted

Jet

tiptoes wrote:

know they will eat diffrent stuff as when eating in other people homes they will eat a more varied diet .

All suggestion gratefully excepted

I think if they are prepared to eat more variety at other peoples houses, the problem is that they know they can "get away" with being fussy when they are at home.

Most children would live on chicken nuggets and chips given the chance, but it's up to us parents to ensure that they have a varied, healthy diet.

Personally, I would cook their dinner (something you know they have eaten in the past, either at your house or at a friends) and if they refuse it or make a fuss, simply throw it away and tell them it's not a problem if they don't want it but there will be nothing else for them until the next meal. I know it sounds tough but it really does work. My son started to tell me that he hated every dinner I put in front of him, so I started the above tactic and within 2 days he was quite happily eating everything put in front of him. :rotfl:

tiptoes

We've been doing this for about a year I cook one meal for all and if they don't eat it there is nothing else. Though every meal time is a battle zone as they will sit crying and refusing to eat as ("I know they don't like ....") Got to the the stage I dread mealtimes as OH complainng about the cost of the food wasted and the children moaning about the food on their plates it become unbearable stressful.

thriftmonster

If mine won't eat and I know it's somethingthey have eaten before, I put the plate in the fridge at the end of the meal and if they want something to eat in between before the next meal I offer to reheat the meal. At the next meal they get the new meal (and the dog gets the one from the fridge).

This way they get nothing in between the meals because they haven't eaten the meal but if they are really hungry they can still have the meal

You have to try to be as calm as possible - notice I said try

If they eat spag bol, will they eat other mince recipes eg HM meatballs, shepherds pie etc

tiptoes

Hi thriftmonster
That what is so fustrating :wall: they wont even eat lasagne and use the same ragu recipe for both dishers. Both will eat carrots and Broc but no other veg ( though do hide some others in ragu sauce ). Pretend other meat chicken to get then to eat that. Both like mash potatoe and sausage so buy organic sausages from the farmers market. Both like quiche though DS only likes cheese. No beans or pulses other than baked beans. Nothing spicy though DD has been Known to eat curry. Son is the most frustrating as he has been know to try squid and mussles etc when staying with his dad

squeaky

These older threads should help with ideas too:-

Fussy Eaters:
[post=624623] - easy meat recipes to beef up underweight teen[/post]
[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]

comping_cat

thriftmonster wrote:

If mine won't eat and I know it's somethingthey have eaten before, I put the plate in the fridge at the end of the meal and if they want something to eat in between before the next meal I offer to reheat the meal. At the next meal they get the new meal (and the dog gets the one from the fridge).

This way they get nothing in between the meals because they haven't eaten the meal but if they are really hungry they can still have the meal

You have to try to be as calm as possible - notice I said try

If they eat spag bol, will they eat other mince recipes eg HM meatballs, shepherds pie etc

This is exactly what i do, if its a new food we are trying, i dont expect them to eat it if they dont like it, but if they have had it before i do. Since i started doing this, it has worked wonders!!!!! DS decided he didnt like the look of lasagne, until i showed him exactly how i made it, by making spg bol one day, which he loves, and then showed him that i made the lasagne with the left over bol!!! So maybe get them involved in the cooking might help as well!!!!

thriftlady_2

tiptoes wrote:

Son is the most frustrating as he has been know to try squid and mussles etc when staying with his dad

Hi,tiptoes,
Those are really challenging foods for a child to try!Could it be that they might be playing power games with you and OH?Just a thought.

Strepsy

To be honest I've never forced my kids to eat, though I guess that might have been different if they weren't very good eaters for the majority. If there is ever something that they don't like, or they just don't want to eat then I just gently encourage them to have a few mouthfuls of it (or of each thing) for me so that I know they have a little something in their tummies as I want them to feel healthy. I would much rather them have a third of their meal down them than a battle ground. I also have to trust that sometimes they're just not hungry, the same as I or anyone else isn't sometimes.

Mind you they know they wouldn't get anything else if they left their food but I would probably let them have a slightly more substantial supper.

Another thing that has helped little one eat up, as she's so slow sometimes, is (you're going to think I'm mad) I put a daft voice on and pretend I'm the food talking. Lol! I say things like 'no, no don't eat me, eat my friend the carrot' or similar and she gleefully sticks her fork straight into it and scoffs it down. This also helps with getting dressed - cardigan wanted to go on first this morning, she enjoyed making it wait till last. I'll just listen out for the men in white coats now. :silenced:

I also praise equally for any food I've put in front of them when I think they've eaten what they can, whether it's vegetables or chocolate cake. I don't want to be the mum forcing sprouts down them with the threat of no dessert. Imo that just makes the main meal feel like a chore instead of everything just being nice good food.

Corr, I've waffled on a bit but here's a very simple idea to get kids to eat veggies. We had it with carrot, courgette and swede lastnight which was a lovely combination or you can have whatever you like. You can pretty much leave the kids to do this on their own and for some reason they don't seem to have a problem with a grated vegetable like they would with a lump of one. Just get a glass bowl/microwave proof bowl and grate 2/3 carrots into it. Flatten down, then do the same with the swede. You've guessed it, flatten down, then do the same with the courgette. Then add a few blobs of butter and a little seasoning, cover with cling film but make holes in it and microwave for approx 6 mins. Really simple and yummy and as it only takes 6 mins to cook they can be in the kitchen doing that while you're put everything else on.

thriftmonster

What about a sausage casserole with just baked beans and chunks of sausage and gradually introducing onion, tomatoes, peppers etc

Kids seem to like choosing the bits of their meals - so in HM pizza put out a selection of toppings including b.beans or sweetcorn or broccoli and let them compile their own. Chicken wraps are a favourite here in the same way - I put out the chicken strips and the onions and peppers all cooked separately in different bowls and then bowls of lettuce, grated cheese, plain yoghurt, hoisin sauce(don't ask!!) and the kids make up their own wraps. They aren't very adventurous to start with but they do get better

PS I was thinking about this thread earlier whilst putting some washing and nearly put milk in the dispenser instead of washing liquid!!