How do I handle other kids' food issues?

[mcnuss]

We are going to WDW with my BIL, SIL and their kids. We are staying in a condo with kitchen facilities. Our kids get along beautifully - as do the adults - with one exception: food.

My DD9 eats most anything. My nephews eat next to nothing. When my DD does not like something, she sits politely and refuses it. My nephews make gagging and retching noises and keep up a running commentary on the food you are eating that they don't like. For a day or 2, this is merely annoying. For a week, it may become a show-stopper. In addition, while I am pretty flexible on my food rules on a vacation, I am unwavering in my resolve that we start our day with a healthy breakfast. To me, this can be eggs, fruit, cereal, etc...as long as it has protein and fruit, I am satisfied. We eat non-sugar cereal at home. When we go to SIL's house, all she has are Froot-loops, Trix, that kind of stuff. I cannot even imagine what would happen if I presented them with the shredded wheat we eat! LOL! For one or 2 days, I can bend, I know I am a food nazi. But I am not sure I can allow my DD to eat this stuff for a week, and my nephews won't eat anything else. Similarly, I cook "real" food every night, from scratch. They eat pizza, McD's, fast food kind of stuff, 2-3 nights per week. When she cooks, it's a frozen thing. While we are at WDW, we have 2 nights planned to eat out. The rest are eat in for budgetary reasons.

Help me figure out how to handle this? Somebody help me, please!! I just want to have fun, keep the peace, and not have a week-long junk food extravaganza!

 

[welovemickey]

You might want to try shopping together when you get there and try and agree on food. It sounds as though you might need to compromise a bit on that issue or just bite your tongue when her children complain.

Don't let it ruin your vacation.

 

[skiwee1]

Why don't you just let the parents fix their own kids meals. I don't see why you would have to be concerned about what they eat. Since your kid eats everything then just fix for her and let the others worry about their own kids. You can both go grocery shopping and let the other parents get what they want. I have to say that we vacationed with another family similar to your situation. The only thing is it was my kids that are the picky ones. While my friends were going on and on about how healthy it was for their kids to drink Boost I was gagging myself! Thankfully we minded our own kids and it wasn't a problem.

 

[sully301]

why not divide up the nights equally between you. That way they're not eating junk every night.


Take some shredded wheat for your own children and allow them as a treat to have some of the sugary stuff on top. It might help if you try and explain this to them before you go.

It's a really tough one - on one hand you don't want the kids to eat junk every night and on the other you don't want to upset anyone. Good luck

 

[mcnuss]

skiwee1 - I'm a self-admitted food nazi, and I wouldn't drink Boost if you paid me! Ugh! I wonder what's in that stuff, anyway? And I am not the least bit concerned about what the other kids eat, I just don't want the situation where they get something my DD perceives as cool, and then I am the mean old mom telling her she can't have it.

Splitting up the nights for dinner sounds like a good plan, as does mixing the healthy (my DH calls it "sticks & twigs") cereal with the fun stuff.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[PattnFmly]

We vacationed with my friend & her kids last year and she is more into health food than I am. While I cook from scratch at home, on vacation I bend a little. We shopped for our own food, but shared juices, cheeses, crackers, peanut butter, fresh fruit, spaghetti/sauce, chicken - stuff like that. Our fridge was a little full, with both white milk and soy milk, regular lunchmeat & tofu lunchmeat, etc, but we agreed to disagree if you will and do our own thing at mealtime. It worked out just fine!

 

[crisi]

Try for a few compromise meals. Spaghetti and pizza can both be made in creative healthful ways. Lots of pasta dishes can be done the same way. Sandwiches can be made with peanut butter and sugared jam on Wonder, or on whole wheat with lettuce, tomato and turkey lunchmeat. Burritos are another good one - most kids will eat tacos or burritos - and, if you use lean meat (the turkey store makes a good Mexican - if you are a meat eater) not bad for you. Easy enough, too, to have beans, hamburger, fajita style veggies, rice, salsa, cheese - even soy cheese, and let everyone make their own.

Mac n cheese is a kid favorite, and doesn't need to be horrible made from a box stuff. Grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup - most kids will eat grilled cheese and your nephews can turn down the soup.

Let your daughter know that your family does not eat those things, normally, but since it is vacation, she can try Trix after she has her Shredded Wheat. If she hasn't had a lot of it, she may not like it anyway. I have a girlfriend whose children have been raised very "granola" and won't touch the refined sugar junk with a stick - just because it tastes wrong to them.