Not a short order cook!

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tmhdavis22
tmhdavis22 Posts: 3 Member
in Getting Started
Mom of 3....
I struggle to find meals that my kids will eat so I don't need to make 2 separate meals. One for myself and one for the kids. Any ideas? Tips?

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  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,121 Member
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    Kids are like that.

    Add more vegetables for yourself (on the side - no one would suggest your kids eat vegetables. No one.)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    Kids are like that.

    Add more vegetables for yourself (on the side - no one would suggest your kids eat vegetables. No one.)

    This^

    Just make "basically" the same thing, but tweak it a bit. Mac & cheese - they won't miss 1% milk vs. whole milk. Cut back on the cheese a tad. Then add cooked cauliflower to yours. This brings your portion size back up without increasing the calories.

    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Well getting the kids to eat most anything in its own right is difficult.. So prepare them what they will eat for example if its chicken fingers just add sides to your plate. It can be just a steamable bag of veggies, can of corn, beans, etc..
  • stardust73
    stardust73 Posts: 6 Member
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    Welcome to my world!
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I have found that my daughter is perfectly fine with some sliced turkey or chicken and a couple of sides of fruit or veggies, maybe a piece of buttered bread or toast or bowl of oatmeal. (My son eats most things, thank goodness!) It's a very simplistic but healthy meal, and doesn't take too much time to prepare.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
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    If your kids don't eat or like what you make, give them an easy alternative. Sandwich, etc. I make what I like and if my daughter doesn't eat it, then she gets a sandwich or cereal or yogurt. If she doesn't eat that either, then she doesn't eat. At least I tried.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,025 Member
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    My kids and husband are all kind of picky eaters. My daughter has always had trouble gaining weight too (she had to have a feeding tube for a few years) so the whole idea that they will eat what I fix or not eat didn't really work in our situation. Besides, can anyone really make a grown man eat something he doesn't want to? Kids, maybe but not always, but husbands? My solution was just to fix at least one thing at each meal that everyone liked. Sometimes there might be one person that only ate the meat or the side dish but I figured that was their problem not mine. And as they got older there was always cereal or a pb&j sandwich. I don't think that you have to make totally separate meals, just as others said add more veggies to yours and eat a smaller portion (or no portion) of the mac and cheese.
  • liftorgohome
    liftorgohome Posts: 25,455 Member
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    Chicken or beef tacos, kids and adults love them. Or chicken wraps.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    Try checking out http://www.skinnytaste.com/ for a lot of family friendly ideas. Can you make the same things you've always made with tweaks?
  • SLLeask
    SLLeask Posts: 489 Member
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    Sometimes I make what I like, and they have to eat it, sometimes I make what they like and I have to eat it (but maybe a smaller portion or more veg, less potato/rice/pasta). I'm afraid in my house, I make dinner. If you don't like it don't eat it. Full Stop. The only thing that is negotiable is mushrooms, haha. My 8 year old hates them, that's the only thing I don't make her eat because they have a funny smell and a funny texture so I understand.
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
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    I don't know how old your kids are, but see if there is any way they can help make meals. If they're old enough, they can help cut (collect sporks or plastic knives if it makes you feel safer) or measure things while the younger ones can pour some water into the pot (as an example). They might be more willing to eat the food if they felt somewhat involved. Plus, it can also be a great time for them to read recipes out loud and follow the directions.
  • Firefly0606
    Firefly0606 Posts: 366 Member
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    I work full time and have a husband who seems to have no tastebuds, so I prefer to cook. And I ain't no short order cook either. I give them all two options in our house every single night. Take it, or leave it.

    Those that choose to leave it are allowed unlimited access to the fruit bowl and the vegetable drawer in the fridge, and one glass of plain milk.

    Because being completely different in every aspect of life pleases my two children, the nights that my son loves what is served up (usually some sort of meat + 3 veg combo, like sausages, mash and broccoli, or grilled meat of any kind with veggies) my daughter tends to like the fruit bowl for a banana, an apple. Plus she eats like a bird anyway so going without for dinner sometimes suits her.

    On the nights we have something with salad vegetables (think tacos, burritos, chicken caesar salad) my daughter is high-fiving me and complimenting my choice to serve up the best dinner ever while my son pulls faces and prefers the vegetable drawer option over the fruit bowl. Eating raw carrots, mushrooms, string beans and cauliflower hasn't hurt him yet.
    As for my husband, he's a big boy and I actually don't care by that stage in the day what he eats. He can sort himself out.

    Good luck!! The dinner time dance in the kitchen hurt my head for many years!!

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