Picky Kids

[shirleyb]

How much do you cater to your picky kids?

We've never tolerated pickiness. I don't get when parents won't make lasagna because their kids won't eat it, for instance. Ours have never been given then opportunity!

I don't force them to eat a tomato or mushroom if that's something they don't like, but to turn their nose up at a whole meal, no, so maybe that's a little hypocritical on my part.

We have friends with the pickiest teenager I've ever seen. Won't eat white american cheese, only yellow, for instance.

What about you?

 

[hydster]

No changes here either! You eat what I make or you can have whatever else you can find to make on your own. I make 1 meal...not 5 different ones. I had a friend who catered to her children's every whim when it came to food. She and I had a couple of heated battles when they come over because I put a plate down in front of my kids and they ate it and she accused me of being a really mean person and mother!

 

[janey99]

DS8 is in the 85th percentile for height and the 10th percentile for weight. I suppose I could adopt the old "he'll eat when he gets hungry" philosophy, but I prefer NOT to be able to see every vein in his body through his skin!

I do not limit what I cook to only what he will eat, and I do encourage him to try everything at least once, but I will ALWAYS have food available that I know he will eat if he balks at what I am serving - California rolls, peanut butter and baked beans among other things.

I'm terrified that he doesn't get enough protein.

 

[MareQ]

Hard for me to answer. I cater 100% to what my oldest DS wants. Several reasons for that #1 He has oral sensitivity issues - some textures - peas, mashed potatoes, yogurt, pudding etc make him gag and vomit. SEEING a can of peas alone makes him vomit. #2 He has HORRIBLE dental issues - does not have any oppositional molars - so we must avoid hard crunchy foods for him as well as he just cannot chew them. #3 DS will be 9 years old in March and weighs a big whopping 35 lbs. He is served items I KNOW he will eat.

Now my other two have "learned" from him but I do fight them. For the most part my 5 yo and 3yo are NOT picky but if we're eating steak, mashed potatoes and peas and oldest DS is eating mac and cheese - they get a bit pissy - I just give them some mac and cheese but they have to eat everything else as well.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Pick your battles...

I have 4 kids, have raised them all the same, and some are picky and some aren't at all. My oldest, my only DD was somewhat picky when she was little, but outgrew a lot of it. My oldest son was never picky, but his younger brother is extremely picky. Sure I could battle him about food until my face turned blue, but he's an excellent student, doesn't get into trouble, is in lots of sports, and an all around good kid (is now 13yo), so why battle it? We do talk a lot about nutrition and he is improving, but he's still not good. My youngest has likes and dislikes, but in general isn't too bad (controlling about when he wants something, so a different issue, but loves a variety of food and wants to be eat healthy and try new foods, so in general ok).

I'm not a short order cook, however. We allow the kids to make a sandwich if they don't like what we're having. I'm not going to battle them, but I'm also not cooking a special meal.

 

[Art Vandalay]

I don't cater to my daughter at all. I make dinner and it is what it is. But guess what? She's stubborn and picky. C'est la vie. If she doesn't eat it, so be it. I've never heard of a child starving with good food in front of them I guess my point is, being picky isn't necessarily the result of being catered to.

 

[NMAmy]

I've never been one to force dd to eat what she doesn't like but I don't cater to her either. If you don't like onions, then pick 'em out. I do cut the onions bigger than I used to so she doesn't spend an hour picking out each little tiny piece. I don't really consider that catering to her. She's also allowed to pick and choose from all the stuff I've made for the meal--all vegetables and no meat, for example, is fine by me.

She does eat a wider range of food than a lot of kids I see. Her two favorite foods are artichokes and stuffed grape leaves. Actually, those are two of my favorite foods, too.

My dd is 16, btw. I'm happy to have her slow down and eat with us occasionally so we don't really battle over food. She can make herself a pb&j as long as she sits down at the table with us to eat it.

 

[KimR]

Nope, they eat what I fix or they are on their own. All 3 of mine went through a picky stage but gradually outgrew it. Well, the youngest still hasn't outgrown it, but I'm hopeful.

My sisters step-daughter is the worst I've ever seen though. She only eats mac-n-cheese, hot dogs, and pizza. I've never seen her eat anything else and this girl is 10 years old.

 

[Aidensmom]

For the most part our son has to eat what we make, or not eat. Well, technically, he can't "not eat" as he has to take at least a bite of everything. It's amazing how much of that "yucky" food he will eat.

DH and I both like spicy foods, however, and DS has some stomach problems and that is off limits on his prescribed diet, so on the occassion we make something like that which he can't eat, we do make him a PB&J or something. We also let him have his little idiosyncracies, like he will NOT eat a hot dog or hamburger on a bun, he eats them separately.

Also, I do tend to try to buy vegetables, etc that DS does like more often than the ones that he doesn't, but I do the same for DH. I don't think it is completely bad to not have to eat food you truly dislike.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

My younger DD is picky. If she doesn't like what we make she grumbles for awhile then eats it.
She doesn't like Chinese food at all so we eat that when she's not home.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

How much do you cater to your picky kids?
.......
We have friends with the pickiest teenager I've ever seen. Won't eat white american cheese, only yellow, for instance.

What about you?

Forget the kids, mine will eat pretty much anything but DH on the other hand will NOT eat yellow american, only white and will only drink WHOLE milk no lowfat or skim. He also won't go near "Lowfat", "sugar free" type foods if he sees the label - funny thing is if he doesn't see the box, he eats it and doesn't say a thing Guess it's only a sugar free popsiscle if the wrapper says so I don't cater to it but it will drive me crazy once in awhile.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Ugh. My DD eats almost everything. My DS eats waffles, cereal, spaghetti, meatballs, pizza and PB&J. I can't stand arguing with him so I usully make one of those for him to eat while the rest of us eat a normal meal. Luckily he drinks milk and takes a vitamin every day so I know he's not starving. He's skinny but not off the growth chart so I'm not too concerned. If I try to get him to eat something else we have a lot of drama and gagging. I want My DH is picky so I figure that's where he gets it from. I hope one day he gets bored eating the same old stuff.

 

[4greatboys]

Pick your battles...

I have 4 kids, have raised them all the same, and some are picky and some aren't at all. My oldest, my only DD was somewhat picky when she was little, but outgrew a lot of it. My oldest son was never picky, but his younger brother is extremely picky. Sure I could battle him about food until my face turned blue, but he's an excellent student, doesn't get into trouble, is in lots of sports, and an all around good kid (is now 13yo), so why battle it? We do talk a lot about nutrition and he is improving, but he's still not good. My youngest has likes and dislikes, but in general isn't too bad (controlling about when he wants something, so a different issue, but loves a variety of food and wants to be eat healthy and try new foods, so in general ok).

I'm not a short order cook, however. We allow the kids to make a sandwich if they don't like what we're having. I'm not going to battle them, but I'm also not cooking a special meal.

Sounds like here. 2 of my kids were not picky and 2 were. My 16 yr old has grown out of most of it. My 6 yr old is very picky. I just cook what I want for the family and if he doesnt eat it has a sandwich or something he likes (but not a whole other dinner made).
I was picky when I was a kid and I grew out of it. I dont really see its a huge deal.

 

[mickeyboat]

My kids are not terribly picky, but there are some things they just don't like. Heck, there are things I just don't like, too, so I am not going to cause WWIII because they don't want to eat something.

I don't really cater to them, but I try to cook things we all like. If I am making something new, I will ask them to try it, and if they don't like it, they can make themselves a sandwich (they aren't too young to do this at 6 and 7). I will also hold some meat or pasta out for them if I don't think they will like the sauce I am cooking it in.

Now, when they just don't want to eat or are too busy to eat, there are consequences. We have treat night every other night, and they have to eat a certain amount in order to have a treat. And if they don't eat enough to fill their bellies at dinner, there are no snacks later on. I don't worry about them starving. They can fill up at the next meal, and next time they will remember they need to eat.

Denae

 

[ilovejack02]

I dont cater at all, but i dont battle with DS4 either. I make dinner, if he doesnt like it oh well. Im not gonna fight with him either, but if he doesnt eat he knows he will be hungry and there is no tv after dinner. He is on the thin side, 25% of weight, so i tend to worry about the protein thing also, i just make sure he gets eggs for breakfast and peanut butter sandwhiches, and i keep frozen chicken breasts around for a fast lunch.
My oldest is 17.5 and he eats everything thank goodness. I used the same tactics when he was young too. Now that he is older, he can eat my dinner or get the el cheapo frozen pizzas or hot dogs i keep in the freezer for when all his friends come over. 9 times out of 10 he eats my food. I sometimes cook a big meal for his friends too, and they are all good eaters but goodness they could eat me out of house and home so thats why i keep the cheap pizzas in the freezers.

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

janey--I'm the same way. DS doesn't really like meat, so we usually end up hiding it in something he WILL eat like a roll or mashed potatoes. Or we give him pinto beans (which do have protein, I think) which he loves. Or eggs, another favorite.

Anything to get him to eat his protein. The poor kid would only eat veggies and fruit if I let him. He CRIES if he doesn't get veggies with his meals.

TOV

 

[Becky2005]

I give my kids leeway because *I* am picky and DH is picky but we aren't picky about the same things! Makes dinner interesting! HE would be the one not wanting things I make & I don't like 1/2 the stuff he likes either!

I don't necessarily cater to them but I do try to make them meals I know most of the family will eat one way or another. Otherwise I would be making meals that just possibly 1 or 2 out of 6 people would eat.

 

[rhanditresmom]

No catering here! My kids are required to at least try one bite of everything. If they don't like it, they are not required to eat it. As a result, I have 2 easy-going kids who will eat almost anything! Maybe I'm just lucky....or maybe I'm just mean! We had the same rule in my house when I was growing up and I love everything...well, mostly! My DS does not like mushrooms, so if I am making a dish that has mushrooms in it, I will put some aside before I add the mushrooms...but that is the only accommodation. And this really only applies to one-pan meals, like stroganoff or spaghetti. Most of the time he just picks them out.

They are both very adventurous eaters! Yay!

 

[U2_rocks!]

Mine are still quite young, and the only thing the 2 younger ones can really make for themselves is cereal - but they eat that every morning anyway. I don't want my 5 yo eating cereal twice a day, which would happen if I told her she had her make her own dinner because she wouldn't eat ours! Besides, I'm somewhat picky, and I'm glad DH won't make me eat fish!

I try to make things that can be separated or adapted easily e.g. no mixed up casseroles. It's easy to throw some meat in the oven, some rice or pasta on the stove and some veggies in the microwave - from that lot you can choose what you want, but there has to be at least 1 veggie on your plate. Most times the 5 yo won't eat the meat, but she'll eat all the veggies. My 6 yo will eat most things. The 3 yo is pretty good, but she's sensitive to meat that is even the slightest bit spicy, so often she won't eat the meat that we're having, she'll go vegetarian like the 5 yo. They all love scrambled eggs though, so if we can't figure out what to cook to make everyone happy, scrambled eggs is always an option!

You know, since DH and I have varied tastes, and since I often take food to work for lunch (so we love leftovers in this house!), it is usually not a big deal to have several different things in our fridge to choose from. e.g. right now we have a tuna/pasta/veggie mix-up, some jasmine rice, one piece of mild Thai red curry chicken, a few spaghetti noodles and some broccoli. Tonight we'll divvy that up amoung us all, according to likes what!

 

[minnieandme]

I don't cater to DS8 who doesn't seem to like a lot of stuff. He can either eat it or go hungry. Most of the time he will try to eat at least a bite of this or that. If he doesn't want to at least try to eat it, I tell him he can make a pb&j sandwich. I refuse to fix him something else just because he doesn't like what I originally cooked. Lately he's been going through this phase in which all he wants is meat. He won't touch his sides or veggies, so I have to make him eat at least some of it.