Insp by Imsorry---do you make your kids try everything?

[TheOtherVillainess]

Or do you just let it slide and say "Well if you don't like it,there's always a PB&J" or whatever?

My parents made us take two Girl Scout (or in my DB's case Boy Scout) bites of everything before we decided we didn't like it when we were in elementary school.

Once we hit middle school/high school age though, it was pretty much free-range. We could have what she was making for dinner or we could make our own dinner if we felt like it. DB often ate whatever MOm made and then made himself some cereal.

They were also pretty lax on breakfast. In elem and MS, we had free breakfasts, so we usually ate whatever they were serving that day. When I was in HS, the bus I rode didn't get to school until about 5-10 min before first period, so I would eat breakfast at home and it was usually whatever was leftover in the fridge (casserole, etc).

I can't ever recall being forced to eat something I didn't like. I know I don't make DS eat anything he doesn't like and we try to give him at least 3-4 servings of veggies a day. He really likes his vegetables (green beans are his faves)and isn't so hot on meat right now, though we do try to get him to eat at least 1 serving of meat per day.

TOV

 

[Minnesota!]

No I don't. DS is only 18 months, so I put a scoop of everything on his plate. I figure he will try it all anyway, and whatever he doesn't like he won't eat. He will eat until he is full. And if that means he fills up on green beans (which he does), then so be it. I don't give him unhealthy foods - meaning, he doesn't get fries every night, etc. He does get them, but they are a treat - 1 - 2 times a month. His favorite? Spaghetti, green beans, chicken, lunch meats, and bananas. And the fruit cocktail stuff in the tins...

 

[Planogirl]

I had to.

I remember forcing DS to try Italian ice cream once. He refused to because it didn't look "right". He was very upset until he actually finally tasted it. Then he grabbed the cup and just about inhaled it.

He was always like that so I made him taste things. I don't do it so much any more now that he's 12 though.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

DS also loves the fruit cocktail in cans/tins.

We try to give him a little of everything we're having and sometimes he eats it, sometimes he throws it right back at me like "Are you insane,woman?".

We're also really big on not giving him unhealthy foods except as a treat. I think he's only had fries a handful of times in his short life. He's never had Chicken McNuggets (gah! A crime against childhood I know!) and we rarely eat fast food anyway.

TOV

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I encourage my kids to try everything, but I don't force it. I'm not a short order cook, though, and I do not make special meals. I do let the kids make a sandwich if they truly don't like what we're having for dinner. That doesn't mean if they just don't happen to be in the mood for it, but a true dislike.

Eventually most of my kids have tried things and have quite a varied diet. The exception that proves the rule, though, is my 12yo. He's so smart that he can tell by looking at something whether he will like it. He is improving, though.

I do not want food wars with my children. Just not worth it. My 18yo DD used to be a picky eater, but has really come around. My 15yo has always been a good eater and my 6yo is great at trying new things, especially if we tell him that it's healthy and that it will help him grow (he has the YCS--youngest child syndrome...and always wants to be taller than what he is).

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We are just coming out of a phase with DD where she wouldn't try anything so we made her take 2 bites. 98% of the time she liked it and ate it. The other times, if she didn't like it, we did not make her eat it. There was always something that she would eat at dinner. Now her favorite snack is carrots and dip which were "yucky" 2 months ago.

 

[barkley]

my kids were (are) always willing to give something at least a try (if they did not like it i did not press the issue). i think at least with veggies i managed to pull a couple of fast ones on them-i make homemade soups and pasta sauces which they love, i purposly don't tell them what is in them (and it can vary greatly depending on what i have on hand). there have been times when my kids have said "eww i don't like...eggplant, okra...) at which point i smile and say "but you love the eggplant lasagna we ate last week" or "you had lima beans in the soup yesterday and did'nt seem to mind them". they're always like "oh, was that this?" and then they go ahead and eat it.

with my kids (and allot that i taught in preschool) they have a very narrow viewpoint on what is edible. because they are'nt exposed to different foods they don't want to take the chance trying them (and i used to die laughing when the preschool would do a pot luck and some parent would say "little jimmy won't eat any of this, all he eats is mac and cheese". well, little jimmy relished everything on the table (in large part because sadly some parents only offer mac and cheese and pbj-the project their food likes/dislikes on the kids).

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

LOL JennLynn...we're coming out of one of those phases now. DS used to refuse to eat hamburger. Didn't matter if it was ground, meatball shaped or in a small patty. Would NOT touch it.

Got a bite of DH's hamburger pizza about a week ago and now all he wants is hamburger! Go figure.

TOV

 

[skiwee1]

No way! I wouldn't want anyone to make me try something I don't want and won't do that to my kids. To do so makes food into a punishment and THAT is silly!

 

[NMAmy]

We had to try everything and my parents were both very adventurous (and really good) cooks. Unlike a lot of my friends, when I was growing up my favorite foods were artichokes, lobster, and stuffed grape leaves. Mom & Dad would have Chinese night, Italian night, Indian night, or German night. They did do me a huge favor by exposing me to many different foods.

We had to eat a few bites of everything but still make a meal out of whatever was there. I've always hated roast beef but, even as an adult, I can work around it without it being a problem--I'm happy to fill up on other stuff. I've always dealt with dd the same way--as long as she tries it, I'm ok with it. My parents used to tell me that your tastes change as you get older and they were right but I will still never like asparagus or steak.

I see my student employees at work who will refuse to eat anything that's unfamiliar or from a different ethnic background. It's sad, really, that they're missing out due to preconceived notions and a lack of experimentation.

Now, dd's father and I have always differed on the whole clearing your plate issue. He and his wife are big-time members of the clean plate club. I, on the other hand, say if you try it and don't like it, don't eat it or if you're not hungry, don't eat. It's confusing to dd--not to mention that I think it's contributed to the fact that all my ex's stepdaughters and dd's half-sister are overweight. Since the kids' plates are filled by the adults, it's no wonder they are overweight just like their parents. They think I'm dead wrong on this issue but dd's stepmother has commented on how dd is perfectly proportioned. Ummm...wonder why that is.

 

[crz4mm2]

No I don't. I was a very picky eater when I was a kid. I hated a lot of things and remember vividly spending the night at my uncle's house and being forced to try something and puking all over the table. I never did that to my kids.
If they didn't like what I fixed, they could have PB&J or cereal or whatever, but I usually tried to make dinners that they liked too. I didn't like fussing over food.
Just not worth it.
I also remember going to girl scout camp and being told I had to 'try two bites' of everything on my plate. BET ME....

I like almost everything now so I became not so picky as I got older.

 

[Nancy]

No I would never force someone to try a food. I wouldn't want it done to me (and it was when I was a kid) so why would I do it to them. I make all kinds of things because DH likes them...my kids can eat them or not, I choose not to eat most of them. My DD's are way more adventurous with food then I am. Middle DD even tried steamed clams this summer! Oldest DD will try anything and everything. Youngest is a bit more like me but she will try more things than I will.I didn't even try chinese food until I was in my 40's. I wouldn't use mustard on burgers or hotdogs until recently. (I'm 47) I still won't eat anything unless I know exactly what is in it.

 

[damo]

No, I figure that there is enough time in their lives to try different foods. It isn't one of the battles that I choose to fight. Food is not a focus in our family.

 

[coliebird]

I always offer, but if she doesn't want to try it, I don't force it.

However, there are some things I will make her eat. I know she likes chicken cutlets, but there will be nights she'll tell me she doesn't like it and doesn't want to eat it b/c she is hoping I will let her have snacks instead. In that case, I tell her if she doesn't eat it she gets nothing else. Of course, she eats it and she likes it. She is at the age where she is testing me on everything.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I think kids should have to TRY everything. Not giving new foods a chance and just handing them PBJs all the time has turned today's kids into the I-won't-eat-anything-but-chicken-fingers-and-pizza generation and it is so sad.

 

[mcnuss]

No way! I wouldn't want anyone to make me try something I don't want and won't do that to my kids. To do so makes food into a punishment and THAT is silly!

I don't understand how someone can know they won't like something unless they try it. Would you let them not bathe bc they don't like it and it becomes a "punishment"? How about learning to tie their own shoes, use the potty, and all the assorted other things kids would not learn on their own unless we as adults taught them how? It's not like most of us are out here forcing liver and onions on our kids; I am talking about regular foods.

DD was always asked to take one bite. That's it. If she said she did not like it, we did not go back to it. However, there was no other option. She had to eat the rest of the meal.

DD even tried steamed clams this summer!

Are steamed clams so unusual for a child to eat!?

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't have kids, but I can recall my mother not getting crazy about what we ate. She usually cooked stuff we liked, so it wasn't too much of an issue.

She didn't make any other meals however. If you didn't like what she made, you could make yourself cereal, a sandwich or whatever.

 

[Nancy]

Are steamed clams so unusual for a child to eat!?

I guess not in your house, but in mine YES! Since neither my husband or I ever eat them and not one other teen at the party would try them, I would say it is unusual.

 

[mcnuss]

I guess not in your house, but in mine YES! Since neither my husband or I ever eat them and not one other teen at the party would try them, I would say it is unusual.

Living in New England pretty much my whole life, steamed clams (and fried clams too) have always been very standard fare.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

Yes - we strongly encourage, not force our DD to take "no thank you" bites - after that she is free to turn it down. Nine times out of ten she loves whatever it is. I fail to see how this mean or abusive. If she totally refuses - we don't fight with her, but let her know we are dissappointed.