Do you let your kids go hungry or force them to eat it?
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We have a special circumstance. My 4 yr old daughter has CF so not eating is not a choice. Additionally, fatty foods are actually beneficial for her. But that doesn't mean I want to raise her on sprite and cheetos. I mean my greatest hope is they cure CF and I don't want to leave her with an eating issue if they do. So here is what we have done.
Each month we look over the school lunch calendar and she picks 3 meals per week to eat at school. This means breakfast, lunch and 2 snacks. She will eat at least 3 bites of each of those foods at school without complaint. 2 of the days I will pack her meals and snacks with her help and she will eat all of everything we pack. She will also try 3 bites of whatever her dad is eating for dinner since my dinner is typically not high enough in fat or protein. Each new food she must try 20x per year before she can refuse it for the rest of the year. She starts over each year. She has a notebook to track her new foods. She has drawn a picture of each new food and for each new attempt gets a sticker on the page. (we also started writing the food name on the page this week.) I told her that what she likes is constantly changing because she is growing. I used an example of how she didn't like going under the first day of swim lessons but now loves it. I said it's okay to like different things and change your mind so we have to constantly check if we have changed. Some of it she got and some she didn't but for now it is new challenge that she enjoys.
I am trying to teach my daughter to embrace change and challenges, to view the unknown with excitement and to be flexible. I don't want food to be about power or control.0 -
I guess it depends on how picky they are. I am not a mother yet, but I hope that when I do become one my children will not be as finicky as I was. I refused to eat meat, fish, peanut butter, lots of fruits, the list was very long. My mother tried the you can't get up from the table until you eat your food and I would sit there all night, fall asleep at the table. She would give me the same plate the next day, still wouldn't eat it. Eventually she took me to the doctor because I would go full days without eating. The doctor told her to give me what I wanted and she started cooking separate meals for me. As an adult my palette has evolved, but my stubbornness about food as a child was bordering unhealthy and I'm sure you don't want it to get to that point with your children. Some will eventually give in to what's on the table, but some won't. I suggest protein shakes/smoothies since they taste like a treat and are healthy, so wish those were popular back in the 80s, probably would have made life easier for my mother.0
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My 2 older boys weren't picky eaters but our youngest decided when he was in 2nd grade that he wanted to be a vegetarian. He's always been a picky eater and meat was never something he enjoyed. In fact, the smell of meat made him sick to his stomach. Plus the thought of him eating what was once a living animal was too much for him. He had actually done research before he approached me about this. I respected his decision, and started feeding him vegetarian food. He still ate eggs, cheese and dairy. I've never understood how anyone can stomach "smart dogs" but he loves them. He's always been very healthy with a slim build and even though his dad and brother weren't very happy about it, he stuck to what he believed.
After about a year, he decided that he wanted to start eating hamburgers from in n out because they are one of the few restaurants that are humane to their animals. Plus when you eat a hamburger it's not from 100 cows.
He's now in the sixth grade and he decided this year that he wanted to start eating more beef and also on Thanksgiving he wanted to eat turkey. This was a huge step for him and he's been trying new foods quite often.
As the mom of 3 boys, I've learned to pick my battles. I've actually learned more from our youngster about food and am thankful that this was a battle I decided not to pick. Because of him, we steer clear of pork......plus we've watched the movie "babe" about 50 times!0 -
You aren't going to get turned in for providing a nutritious meal that your kid refuses to eat.
If my daughter doesn't eat what I make, she doesn't eat. End of story. I'm the grown-up, I make the rules and decide what is good for her. If she were in control, we'd be eating Lucky Charms and Nutella morning, noon, and night. Kids are not developed enough to make decisions like that.
If she is hungry later, she can have a piece of fruit. There is no access to junk food for her to "pig out" on.
*Edit to say that I always make sure there is something she likes on her plate - some apple wedges, yogurt, etc. And some nights, we have something I know she enjoys (whole wheat spaghetti & marinara for example). But, I don't make seperate meals, and I'm not a short order cook.
Was going to write something VERY similar to this!! I went through the 'OMG MOM! WHAT IS THIS?' for a fair few months before they realised that chicken nuggets and burgers were OFF THE MENU! Now they'll both eat whats in front of them and enjoy it. Kids take their own sweet time adapting to new foods but eventually the mealtime battle will be over. You are setting her up for healthy adulthood so stick at it
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I make each of my kids take the number of bites of each food as their age. So, my 4 year old(who is my picky one) has to eat 4 bites of each food. We started this when he was 3 as dinners became painful. He doesn't like vegetables but we make him eat them every night at dinner because they are healthy. He has no problem eating breakfast or lunch it's dinner that's always been a struggle. It has made dinners easier to sit through with him knowing he has to take a certain amount of bites.0
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I'm going to reply without reading the majority of responses, so if I'm saying something already said, I apologise.
Option 2 shouldn't exist. Forcing a child to eat against their will and appetite is putting them on the road to eating issues later in life. I know for every negative there'll be someone telling you it didn't do them any harm and someone telling you that it did, but why take the risk of causing them issues alongside the misery for you & them in the current time?
Option 1 I hate too. Why do some people think children are there to be bent to our will? What happened to letting them discover the world for themselves? If they're offered stuff they don't like, and don't want it, and there's not junk in the house as an alternative, let them choose something they would like from the options available. My kids range from 9 to 17 now, but have been cooking for themselves since the eldest was old enough to not burn the kitchen down. They cook sausages, eggs, toast, porridge, beans, make cereal, sandwiches, eat carrots and tomatoes out the fridge. My 15 yr old daughter now makes Cottage Pie and curries too, and they make smoothies with bananas, yoghurt and milk pretty much every day.
I have had, and still do, plenty of 'I don't like that' but if it's part of a meal they know they can push that ingredient aside and eat the rest. And they're just as likely to reject something 'unhealthy' so I know they're genuinely not enjoying the taste of things. Got them all eating brocolli ages ago, still working on Kidney beans!
I guess the issue for you sounds like it's the transition for them, from junk to sensible. I'd say in that case keep making the healthy stuff, experiment, get them choosing recipes they like the sound of - even if they're not the most healthy (you can try Skinnytaste.com for healthier versions), get them cooking and experimenting too. Taste and try, if it's not great, try again with some changes you fancy and if it's still not popular abandon it for a while, and make some other new things instead.
What about soups too? Loads of ingredients to throw in and experiment with, disguises veg, has variable textures to try them out with. Can be served with sandwiches or other side dishes too and fills you up nicely cos a large bowl can still be low cal if it's not got cream etc. in it. Then have some junk afterwards if it's still necessary as a wee treat.0 -
There is a beautiful but quiet scene in the animated movie Kung Fu Panda which actually expresses a piece of great wisdom. It reminds us of the art of balancing belief in our work with the illusion of our need for control.
The wise old kung fu tortoise, Master Oogway, is speaking to his disciple, Shifu, a red panda who is charged with training the unlikely Po, a giant panda, to become the next great kung fu Dragon Warrior. They are standing under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. Shifu is at a moment of crisis of faith, unable to see the potential in his overweight, clumsy protege.
Master Oogway points to the peach tree, with its lovely branches and its colorful, plump fruits. He picks up a peach pit, and explains to Shifu: “My friend, the panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours until you let go of the illusion of control. The essence of this seed is to become a peach tree. Within this bumpy, hard-shelled pit is the potential for this entire tree, with its flower blossoms and branches filled with ripe fruit. I can plant the seed in the ground, cover it with soil, and nurture it with water and sunlight. But I cannot make the tree blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time.”
Shifu insists, “But there are things we can control: I can control when the fruit will fall, I can control where to plant the seed: that is no illusion, Master!”
Oogway replies, “Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will only get a peach.”
Shifu, anxious to produce a “winner” immediately out of his young Kung Fu Panda, says, “But a peach cannot defeat the evil Tai Lung!”
Master Oogway, while gazing into the starry night, replies, “Maybe it can, if you are willing to guide it, to nurture it, to believe in it. You just need to believe.”
How often in our lives do we try to force an apple or an orange out of something whose essence is a peach? Master Oogway reminds us that we cannot become so attached to an outcome that we imagine in our minds. Everything has an essence – a true nature that is immutable no matter what kind of influence we try to exert.
On the other hand, if we ignore a seed, giving up just because it is ugly on the outside, or seemingly hard and dry without signs of life to give, we may miss the opportunity to create an entire tree, bearing both blossoms and fruit for years to come, and changing the landscape forever. In order for the seed to fulfill its potential as a tree, it must be planted in the ground, covered with soil, and provided water and sunlight. Once we do these things, we must let go and trust nature. We cannot incessantly dig into the ground to check on its progress. We cannot speed up the germination process by force of will. We cannot even guarantee that each seed we planted will take root and survive the full journey to become a fruit-bearing tree.
So why do we plant the seed? Why do we care for it, provide for it, and nurture what we can only believe in our hearts to be its full potential?
If we are only nurturing for the sake of our own egos – to see the resulting apple or orange, which we might prefer over the peach – we will never be satisfied with our work. We will be unhappy even though we may have a beautiful peach, instead of the apple or orange we craved.
We must do the seemingly paradoxical work of nurturing, and believing, and guiding, AND letting go of our need to know what kind of fruit the tree will bear. We may need to accept that some seeds will not survive. Those seeds, once broken down, may serve another purpose that supports the tree, as fertilizer for other seeds, or as food for a passing animal. Every seed is valuable in some way, but not every seed will reach the same potential.
In Kung Fu Panda, Shifu’s grueling training enables his student Po to learn eventually to believe in his own potential, and to find the courage to fulfill his ultimate destiny as Dragon Warrior.
Master Oogway’s parting words under the peach tree remind the teacher in each of us that our most important duties as cultivators are the promise to believe, the willingness to guide, and the wisdom to let go. Simply profound, Master Oogway, but not at all easy to do.
The moral of this story is that you have to nurture the peach on the inside despite wanting them be an apple or orange. If you like my mentality on this, look earlier in the thread about my answer to this problem.0 -
Eccentric Dad, I appreciate your opinion and the parable.
I just don't understand why people force their kids (or their guests for that matter) to repeatedly "try" something they don't like.
I'm the most un-picky eater in existence. I'll generally eat anything at anytime in large amounts regardless of it's health benefits or my hunger. Let me tell you, it's not a virtue.
Nor is being "picky," or having a more sensitive palate, a moral crime. Some people just don't like stuff. Healthy or not. Why do they need to be forced to eat it? Why can't you just substitute another healthy thing that they like?
My answer -- ego and power and control... parents who need to force their picky child to be unpicky to make themselves look morally superior.
Wouldn't it just be easier to accept an individual's preferences and try to honor them if it's possible. Don't we all, regardless of our age, have a right to eat food that tastes good to us if it is available?
Some people would argue the health angle -- that picky eaters are somehow less healthy because of their limited diet, but "unpicky" eaters like myself are actually far more likely to be overweight or obese, in my observation.0 -
Eccentric Dad, I appreciate your opinion and the parable.
I just don't understand why people force their kids (or their guests for that matter) to repeatedly "try" something they don't like.
I'm the most un-picky eater in existence. I'll generally eat anything at anytime in large amounts regardless of it's health benefits or my hunger. Let me tell you, it's not a virtue.
Nor is being "picky," or having a more sensitive palate, a moral crime. Some people just don't like stuff. Healthy or not. Why do they need to be forced to eat it? Why can't you just substitute another healthy thing that they like?
My answer -- ego and power and control... parents who need to force their picky child to be unpicky to make themselves look morally superior.
Wouldn't it just be easier to accept an individual's preferences and try to honor them if it's possible. Don't we all, regardless of our age, have a right to eat food that tastes good to us if it is available?
Some people would argue the health angle -- that picky eaters are somehow less healthy because of their limited diet, but "unpicky" eaters like myself are actually far more likely to be overweight or obese, in my observation.
I'm not sure what your angle is on your post. But the point I was getting at is our children are not apples, oranges, pears, or plums. They are peaches.
If you domineer them and force them to make the right decision, how do you think that's going to teach them to be a strong leader when you are forcing them into submission? The mentality of our children is more than just taught in school; it's monkey see monkey do too, By forcing your children to be put into submission, you are teaching them that the way to win arguments is to be aggressive and make their opponent (future wife/husband) into submission so they can get their way.
By allowing them to be picky but dressing it up, you are teaching the children assertiveness and compromise. Neither of these traits are considered "weak" in our society and neither of these traits lead to spousal abuse or delinquency. If you can promote a healthy eating habit early in life, they won't struggle with obesity and have to join websites like myfitnesspal.
Children are little people, not possessions. So be nice to them! They are going to bury you one day afterall, wouldn't you rather be known as a loving parent instead of a tyrant? :flowerforyou:0 -
Eccentric Dad, I appreciate your opinion and the parable.
I just don't understand why people force their kids (or their guests for that matter) to repeatedly "try" something they don't like.
I'm the most un-picky eater in existence. I'll generally eat anything at anytime in large amounts regardless of it's health benefits or my hunger. Let me tell you, it's not a virtue.
Nor is being "picky," or having a more sensitive palate, a moral crime. Some people just don't like stuff. Healthy or not. Why do they need to be forced to eat it? Why can't you just substitute another healthy thing that they like?
My answer -- ego and power and control... parents who need to force their picky child to be unpicky to make themselves look morally superior.
Wouldn't it just be easier to accept an individual's preferences and try to honor them if it's possible. Don't we all, regardless of our age, have a right to eat food that tastes good to us if it is available?
Some people would argue the health angle -- that picky eaters are somehow less healthy because of their limited diet, but "unpicky" eaters like myself are actually far more likely to be overweight or obese, in my observation.
100% agreed.0 -
Eccentric Dad, I appreciate your opinion and the parable.
I just don't understand why people force their kids (or their guests for that matter) to repeatedly "try" something they don't like.
I'm the most un-picky eater in existence. I'll generally eat anything at anytime in large amounts regardless of it's health benefits or my hunger. Let me tell you, it's not a virtue.
Nor is being "picky," or having a more sensitive palate, a moral crime. Some people just don't like stuff. Healthy or not. Why do they need to be forced to eat it? Why can't you just substitute another healthy thing that they like?
My answer -- ego and power and control... parents who need to force their picky child to be unpicky to make themselves look morally superior.
Wouldn't it just be easier to accept an individual's preferences and try to honor them if it's possible. Don't we all, regardless of our age, have a right to eat food that tastes good to us if it is available?
Some people would argue the health angle -- that picky eaters are somehow less healthy because of their limited diet, but "unpicky" eaters like myself are actually far more likely to be overweight or obese, in my observation.
I understand what you're saying now. I think a picky eater should be given the choice to avoid foods that a parent can't make tolerable. But for a picky eater like my daughter who hates a MAJORITY of veggies and MOST fruits, how is she going to get her micronutrients? Her Vitamin A's, D's, C's, B's? Without fruits and veggies, all we would be eating IS what makes people obese! So the solution is a compromise. The cook learns how to cook food to taste better, have better texture, and/or have better smells. I mean, in a perfect world, spinach would taste like cookie dough, brussel sprouts would taste like pizza, cauliflower would taste like cotton candy, and asparagus would be like twizzlers. But you and I both know that it doesn't work that way.
My final point I want to say is as much as we don't like bruised egos, most picky eaters are picky because they don't like our cooking. My daughter won't eat crunchy carrots, but she will eat steamed soft ones just fine. So, find a new recipe and start thinking outside the box if your little ones won't eat (or your big ones like my wife).
But to empathize with what you're saying. I hated spinach as a kid (like I said) and despite the power struggle my mom would have with me, I was NOT going to eat it. But if she made green beans I would eat it just fine. The real problem is the vitamins carried in those two veggies; they are not comparable by any means. So to get ALL the vitamins they need they would need to either be snuck the bad veggie unknowingly; or they would have to take an extensive multivitamin that covers everything they are neglecting their body... With my kids, I do both.0 -
Kids don't ever go hungry. (unless they are doing a hunger strike) They'll find something to eat. Every time.0
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Eccentric Dad, I appreciate your opinion and the parable.
I just don't understand why people force their kids (or their guests for that matter) to repeatedly "try" something they don't like.
I'm the most un-picky eater in existence. I'll generally eat anything at anytime in large amounts regardless of it's health benefits or my hunger. Let me tell you, it's not a virtue.
Nor is being "picky," or having a more sensitive palate, a moral crime. Some people just don't like stuff. Healthy or not. Why do they need to be forced to eat it? Why can't you just substitute another healthy thing that they like?
My answer -- ego and power and control... parents who need to force their picky child to be unpicky to make themselves look morally superior.
Wouldn't it just be easier to accept an individual's preferences and try to honor them if it's possible. Don't we all, regardless of our age, have a right to eat food that tastes good to us if it is available?
Some people would argue the health angle -- that picky eaters are somehow less healthy because of their limited diet, but "unpicky" eaters like myself are actually far more likely to be overweight or obese, in my observation.
I understand what you're saying now. I think a picky eater should be given the choice to avoid foods that a parent can't make tolerable. But for a picky eater like my daughter who hates a MAJORITY of veggies and MOST fruits, how is she going to get her micronutrients? Her Vitamin A's, D's, C's, B's? Without fruits and veggies, all we would be eating IS what makes people obese! So the solution is a compromise. The cook learns how to cook food to taste better, have better texture, and/or have better smells. I mean, in a perfect world, spinach would taste like cookie dough, brussel sprouts would taste like pizza, cauliflower would taste like cotton candy, and asparagus would be like twizzlers. But you and I both know that it doesn't work that way.
My final point I want to say is as much as we don't like bruised egos, most picky eaters are picky because they don't like our cooking. My daughter won't eat crunchy carrots, but she will eat steamed soft ones just fine. So, find a new recipe and start thinking outside the box if your little ones won't eat (or your big ones like my wife).
But to empathize with what you're saying. I hated spinach as a kid (like I said) and despite the power struggle my mom would have with me, I was NOT going to eat it. But if she made green beans I would eat it just fine. The real problem is the vitamins carried in those two veggies; they are not comparable by any means. So to get ALL the vitamins they need they would need to either be snuck the bad veggie unknowingly; or they would have to take an extensive multivitamin that covers everything they are neglecting their body... With my kids, I do both.
Try giving them those gummi bear multi-vitamins. That's what I did when my kids were little.0 -
I still cant eat raw tomatoes as I was forced to eat them as a child they still make me vomit. Food is a pleasure and so it should be I am a fussy eater I did make the mistake having been forced as child by my parents of forcing some foods on my kids they still as adults wont eat stew or casseroles although they are not fussy eaters now. My granddaughters I dont force feed I dont buy unhealthy food everything is cooked from scratch from fresh ingredients now we all eat healthy food even if it makes for a boring diet in some peoples mind I cook what we like I cook what they like and they eat well. they have a small plate full to start with and they can come back for more if they want it. The younger one is permanently hungry she eats fruit, raw veggies and oatcakes but would eat until she was sick given the opportunity The only choice of food in this house is healthy food. No candy no cookies no chips. Ice cream is a treat. If they eat a fair amount of their meal, on the odd occasion0
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I let my kids eat when they are hungry, I do try to get them to taste all new foods, and NEVER EVER FORCE THEM TO EAT!!!
I tend to make foods that everyone likes though so that it's a non issue. My kids both have their fave veggies and such so if I make those with a "new" or possible not likable item, I know they will get to eat at least 1/2 of their meal.
I do tend to tell them though, no dessert (aka the fun stuff like icecream or cake etc) if you don't eat dinner, but they are welcome to have fruit or yogurt later if they are hungry.0 -
There is a beautiful but quiet scene in the animated movie Kung Fu Panda which actually expresses a piece of great wisdom. It reminds us of the art of balancing belief in our work with the illusion of our need for control.
The wise old kung fu tortoise, Master Oogway, is speaking to his disciple, Shifu, a red panda who is charged with training the unlikely Po, a giant panda, to become the next great kung fu Dragon Warrior. They are standing under the Sacred Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. Shifu is at a moment of crisis of faith, unable to see the potential in his overweight, clumsy protege.
Master Oogway points to the peach tree, with its lovely branches and its colorful, plump fruits. He picks up a peach pit, and explains to Shifu: “My friend, the panda will never fulfill his destiny, nor you yours until you let go of the illusion of control. The essence of this seed is to become a peach tree. Within this bumpy, hard-shelled pit is the potential for this entire tree, with its flower blossoms and branches filled with ripe fruit. I can plant the seed in the ground, cover it with soil, and nurture it with water and sunlight. But I cannot make the tree blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time.”
Shifu insists, “But there are things we can control: I can control when the fruit will fall, I can control where to plant the seed: that is no illusion, Master!”
Oogway replies, “Ah, yes. But no matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will only get a peach.”
Shifu, anxious to produce a “winner” immediately out of his young Kung Fu Panda, says, “But a peach cannot defeat the evil Tai Lung!”
Master Oogway, while gazing into the starry night, replies, “Maybe it can, if you are willing to guide it, to nurture it, to believe in it. You just need to believe.”
How often in our lives do we try to force an apple or an orange out of something whose essence is a peach? Master Oogway reminds us that we cannot become so attached to an outcome that we imagine in our minds. Everything has an essence – a true nature that is immutable no matter what kind of influence we try to exert.
On the other hand, if we ignore a seed, giving up just because it is ugly on the outside, or seemingly hard and dry without signs of life to give, we may miss the opportunity to create an entire tree, bearing both blossoms and fruit for years to come, and changing the landscape forever. In order for the seed to fulfill its potential as a tree, it must be planted in the ground, covered with soil, and provided water and sunlight. Once we do these things, we must let go and trust nature. We cannot incessantly dig into the ground to check on its progress. We cannot speed up the germination process by force of will. We cannot even guarantee that each seed we planted will take root and survive the full journey to become a fruit-bearing tree.
So why do we plant the seed? Why do we care for it, provide for it, and nurture what we can only believe in our hearts to be its full potential?
If we are only nurturing for the sake of our own egos – to see the resulting apple or orange, which we might prefer over the peach – we will never be satisfied with our work. We will be unhappy even though we may have a beautiful peach, instead of the apple or orange we craved.
We must do the seemingly paradoxical work of nurturing, and believing, and guiding, AND letting go of our need to know what kind of fruit the tree will bear. We may need to accept that some seeds will not survive. Those seeds, once broken down, may serve another purpose that supports the tree, as fertilizer for other seeds, or as food for a passing animal. Every seed is valuable in some way, but not every seed will reach the same potential.
In Kung Fu Panda, Shifu’s grueling training enables his student Po to learn eventually to believe in his own potential, and to find the courage to fulfill his ultimate destiny as Dragon Warrior.
Master Oogway’s parting words under the peach tree remind the teacher in each of us that our most important duties as cultivators are the promise to believe, the willingness to guide, and the wisdom to let go. Simply profound, Master Oogway, but not at all easy to do.
The moral of this story is that you have to nurture the peach on the inside despite wanting them be an apple or orange. If you like my mentality on this, look earlier in the thread about my answer to this problem.
I admit, I got a bit lost on this one.....but that said man did this make me hungry for a peach and an apple.....or even an orange!!! lol0 -
**This coming from a mom of a almost two year old who throws tantrums and throws his cup when it just has water in it. and refuses to eat most veggies .
He gets only water (pure filtered water) in his cup all throughout the day. (he gets 1-2 cups of milk in addition) Every single time I hand him a cup and he sees it comes from the water filter he throws it down and throws a tantrum. I ignore him and he eventually gets thirsty enough to pick it up and and drink it. I do not give my son juice or anything with a ton of sugar in it. At the most I would ever do is dilute it with some juice as flavoring, but I wouldn't even want him to get used to that.
As far as food goes I cook it, he either eats it or he doesn't. I always make him take one bite of everything that's on his plate. and it amazes me how after he takes one bite he will realize he likes it and eat the rest of it. but he fought me soooo hard on taking the one bite! I do find it odd that things he used to like alot now he acts like he doesn't. he used to love carrots and now he spits them out and wont' eat them. I just keep offering a variety of healthy stuff to him for meals. When he is done eating he hands me his fork. (that's how i know) sometimes he eats it all, and sometimes, he barely eats anything. Considering I have a healthy 35 lb 22 month old, I don't think he's malnourished at all! Never will I cook a seperate meal or seperate foods to make my child happy. I've seen the "end" results of this. I have a friend that has a child that only eats chicken fingers, pizza, spagettios, or pizza rolls. and no matter what she cooks, that kid always get one of those said items for dinner. a) she's overweight and will probably be dealing with health problems in her future which is sad considering she's 12 b)she is freakin spoiled and has no respect for her mother. not saying that this is the case for all mothers that do this for their kids, but just what I've seen from my experience.
As far as forcing a kid to eat (past that first bite) and making them finish what's on their plate, I think that is ridiculous. I was made to finish what was on my plate growing up and now i'm overweight b/c I overeat. Parents hate to see kids "waste" food. I'd much rather put some food back in the fridge or down the drain then for my child or me to stuff ourselves after we are full or if we dont' feel like eating. Parents are solely responsible for teaching kids how to be healthy and the parents are to blame for overweight children. (unless it's caused by a medical condition/medication they are on) Sorry, if you can't tell this is one of my pet pieves!! carry on
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and for the people that don't understand why I make my baby try one bite of everything on his plate every single time, it is because it does take a long time for them to figure out what they like and don't like. (experts say 10-20 times) Their taste buds are constantly changing. I know this from experience. He would eat some things one month, but then hate them the next, and so on and so forth. I will continue to keep offering a variety of all fruits and veggies to him and making him at least try one bite until he is alot older. and when he's older he will have a pretty good grasp of things he just doesn't like and he wont' have to eat them.0
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To the OP,
Fresh veggies, and some fruits
are dirt cheap if you grow them from seed.
but you are right, otherwise, it can cost more to feed a family of 4 fresh produce vs. box of processed crapola.
IF ONE KEEPS THEIR HOME FREE OF CRAPOLA AND JUNK FOODS.
there is less competition for the child's appetite.
I raised my kids in a mostly junk-free home. If my kids wandered into the kitchen, i didn't have to worry what they were going for,
cuz there was
NO koolaid,
NO soda
NO candy
NO poptarts
NO bright red colored sugary cereals
NO cookies
NO cake
NO pies
NO fatty salty crackers
NO chips
NO ice cream
on and on...................my kids actually thought plums WERE CANDY.
They just didn't know any better. My kids never even tasted candy and junk til they were older.
IT'S NOT THAT HARD to get kids to try new foods, IF IF IF the kids tastebuds aren't already ruined by crappy fatty sweet foods,
and if the food is well presented,
IF the parent is seen eating it and raving about it regularly
and IF the food is NOT competing with a nearby bag of chips.
IT HELPS IF YOU RAISE THE CHILD TO EAT RIGHT, from the birth on. Don't be having junk food in your home, don't act like candy is such a big deal, act like plums are!
BUT NO ONE SHOULD FORCE KIDS TO EAT ANYTHING THEY DO NOT WANT TO EAT.
Provide several healthy items per meal, encourage, but do not force a kid. ENCOURAGE, YES, force
no!!
If the kid doesn't choose any of the items at all, he can have a pieces of fruit or a fresh raw veggies instead. It's all in the presentation for kids, imo. My kids ate all veggies, all of 'em, but were NEVER ever forced, never.
My kids shopped with me, and we spent a lot of time in the garden, or in the produce section. They helped pick out the produce, and prepare it, etc.
On busy nights, often the veggies were raw, just cut up in cute shapes, with sometimes with protein laden dip, and/or a protein source. My kids are both fit as fiddles to this day, one is a runner, one is a vegetarian athlete.0
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