You let your kids eat what??

Shanna_Inc86 · March 2012

To my parents out there: do you enforce all of your eating habits on your children?

I've been having this conflict because there are things my 5y.o. simply will NOT eat...so I still let her eat things, that I have cut out of my diet for various reasons (usually b/c they upset my stomach).
Example: I think frozen dinners are gross unless it's Amy's brand. Also notta fan of pizza rolls, lunchables, boxed mac'n'cheese, tater tots...you get my point. My daughter, being 5, loves these things. Now she also loves salads, including spinach, and healthy food. But she's not all about my Quinoa as much as I keep trying to get her to try it. Most nights, we're eating different meals.

Just curious to what the rest of you do and ideas to switch her over to more of my food w/o making dinner time horrific

PearsPeppersandPeanutButter · March 2012

Heck my husband and i eat different meals almost every night too. I figure he'll come around eventually, but just make sure that your daughters meals are as healthfully made as possible, but if you don't ever let her eat those things she'll probably ate healthy food eventually too.

kris4chloe · March 2012

last night my entire family ate spaghetti with sweet italian sausage and i ate chicken and zucchini.

some nights we eat the same but there are alot of things i can't get my family to eat. they like chicken and zucchini too (but we had it the night before).

I do try to make everything myself and use whole foods, even if it is something i prefer to not spend my calories on. there are alot of things that i just will not buy anymore and since i do the shopping, they have no choice, they have to eat what i bring in the house.

amyniceneasy · March 2012

This has been an issue at my house for years. You see...I've always been overweight despite eating much healthier than most of my friends and my daughter has followed my path. The crazy thing is ...we eat so much more healthy than her skinny friends and their families do. Since she's overweight, when its just us I enforce the heatlhy choices, however, when her friends are around I'm not as strict. I don't want to single her out for having to be more careful in front of her friends. Being a kid is hard enough. When her friends come to our house..they know they will not get the junk and will be expect to at least try everything that I give them at meals. That doesnt mean I've banned all unhealthy foods from the house. I have chips, cookies, ice cream etc. in the house..but both my girls know they can not eat from the box, they get only one serving, and they both know how to use the scale to weigh it out. They are allowed one treat per day. When we go out and they want the chicken tenders (like every kid)...they get to choose chicken tenders OR the fries...not both. Only one thing can be fried. So more often then not...they will get those darned chicken tenders with a salad or broccoli. I'm trying to teach them that nothing is off limits. To be honest though...it's not working to help her take off weight. She's as overweight as she ever was. It makes me want to cry.

Bulldogmama1 · March 2012

I try to incorporate healthy eating with my boys. They are 3 and 18 months. They both eat whole wheat pasta, most veggies, and fruit. They do get the mac and cheese, tator tots, and sweets here and there. I have always pushed the healthy foods with them. My friends always comment about how I can get them to eat fresh veggies instead of chips. One of the many resons I need to get myself healthy so I dont feel like a hypocrite

SoDamnHungry · March 2012

That sounds like a pain, but at least she eats some healthy foods.

Smuterella · March 2012

If I didn't eat what my mother gave me she would serve it up to me for my next meal. I'm not a parent, so I'm probably going to get flamed here, but when did parents start pandering to kids like this? I'm just curious, did the parents of this generation do that? Mine didn't and certainly the previous generation couldn't afford to.

scraver2003 · March 2012

I used to think I would just make my kid eat what we ate. That I would sit him at the table and say it's this or nothing. Now that I have a three year old = HAHAHAA! He won't touch meat. Sometimes we will ahve him "try" a bite and we tell him he can spit it out if he doesn't like it... of course, he sptis it out. BUT when I pick up our CSA veggies from the farm, he begs for "leaves" (aka, spinach) or green beans, etc. He loves carrots and broccoli. He eats a lot of dairy. And is a fruit monster. He eats popcorn and whole wheat pasta (though - I better not dare try to put sauce on his pasta).

So - he isn't going to sit down to steak and green beans... but he will sit down to just the grean beans. He won't touch mac 'n' cheese or other foods that most kids love... so while he is usually eating something somewhat different from us... he has somehow come out a pretty healthy eater.

If only I could get him to eat some nuts or beans...

rml_16 · March 2012

Balance, moderation. And make sure she's active.

ItsMeRebekah · March 2012

Since i am not a short order cook, nor do i buy the other stuff, yep, they eat what i eat and they like it.

rml_16 · March 2012

If my parents were having something I didn't like, my mother always made me buttered noodles. I can tell you if my mother did what yours did, I would have starved to death.

phillieschic · March 2012

With me eating healthy and everyone else being EXTREMELY picky, I feel like a short order cook most nights. My saving grace is that my boys ask for steamed veggies every night and my youngest (9) son takes kiwi and grapes in his lunch everyday for school (along with a cosmic brownie and a sandwich!).

So, yeah...I feel ya!

Smuterella · March 2012

We were very poor, there is no way my mother could have afforded to put two different meals on the table. I don't know, times change. It seems junk food is so cheap now as you can bulk buy it. I sound old, ha!

TKHappy · March 2012

I try to incorporate what I eat in the meals I cook for the rest of my family, however, I still end up cooking multiple dinners. My husband and step son pretty much eat the same things (my husband has more 'fresh' stuff do to his diabetes), my daughter would rather have salad and fruit....so a lot of times she has a different dinner; my son is low functioning autistic with serious sensory issue and food has always been a difficult thing so he eats "his" foods; and then there's me.

We rarely all eat the same thing, and when Pizza Friday rolls around....Im always eating something else!

veganbaum · March 2012

I think that when food is more plentiful, it's easier for a culture to slip into those types of behaviors. Add to that companies marketing "kid" food, and there you have it. Suddenly it starts to become a cultural norm that some things are "kid" food and some things aren't (which is pretty silly when you think of the amazing variety of foods that different cultures eat - e.g. traditional Korean food would probably not be seen as "kid-friendly" in a lot of minds, but their kids eat it). My mom was the same - ate it or nothing, and we didn't have the money to be picky. You ate or your belly was hungry. I do think it's especially strange when parents don't eat things when their reasoning is that they don't consider them healthy, but then allow their kids to eat them.

OP - Maybe those things can be phased out? Like she can only have it on Saturday for a treat or something? Sounds like you've helped her to develop generally good eating habits, so maybe allowing it as a treat wouldn't be too difficult?

qtiekiki · March 2012

^This. Dinner is always a home cooked meal, and they eat what is served. Lunches are mostly leftovers from the night before, but sometimes there's mac & cheese from the box and ramen. That's ok with me since they eat pretty well most of the times.

rml_16 · March 2012

I think we're about the same age. When I was really little, we were pretty poor because my dad was still in grad school. But once he got a full-time teaching job (at a prison, no less), it was better. We weren't rich. But even so, a serving of buttered noddles isn't expensive. And since she knew ahead of time I wouldn't eat what she and my father were going to have, it wasn't like she was throwing food away because she just didn't make any for me.

I was a very difficult child with food. But I would have starved myself before I would eat something I didn't like the taste of. I've gotten much better about that, but I have sympathy for picky eaters because I remember what it was like.

mooglysmom · March 2012

I had to get my kid off chicken nuggets. You know, the frozen kind? I don't know if its Autism related, or what, but he wouldn't eat anything else. Ever. He would simply NOT EAT. For days.

Eventually, I just stopped buying them. We had a rough week, but he finally got off the nugget kick.

He's still beyond picky. There are plenty of night where he doesn't eat dinner. Gotta pick your battles!

mgmlap · March 2012

It depends...but my kids are older and will eat what I tell them to eat...They have a varied palate..from sushi to raman noodles. I will buy frozen stuff for them..and cookies..but I wont partake. But at the end of the day..I make sure they have enough of their macros..

scraver2003 · March 2012

We do that sometimes, too. If we give him something for dinner and he doesn't eat it, we pack it up for lunch at daycare. I try not to pander to him (though, sometimes we do). I actually try to learn from him. He doesn't eat if he isn't hungry. He turns down cookies if he isn't in the mood for them. He eats veggies and fruits everyday.
Compairing us to my parents - my mom didn't work when I was three. We all sat down to dinner together. I think a lot of families don't get the chance to do that every night. We do on the weekends... but weekdays are rushed. I commute 40 - 60 mins to work each way. work all day, race to daycare. By the time hubs and I co-ordinate cooking dinner and bath time and all that - it would just be TOO late for us to all sit together. It is usually us preping something quick for him (last night he had some ravioli - sometimes he will have pasta and broccoli - he preffers his veggie raw) then while I gave him a bath and put him in bed, hubs grilled us up some chicken and asparagus.

veganbaum · March 2012

I think times started changing post Depression/WWII. The economy started booming, you had the whole nuclear family expansion, spread of suburbia, no more rationing, etc. Pre WWII it just wouldn't have been likely that most families could have afforded different meals. And even if they could have, given the family relationships of the time, it seems unlikely that mom (as the homemaker) would have made several different meals, especially when she had so many other household things to do. But that's just an idea, I think it would actually be an interesting thing to study.

BruteSquad · March 2012

I am with you. I remember leaning to eat what Mom served.

jcpmoore · March 2012

I have to confess, my older son who is 7 is incredibly picky. I mean this kid likes almost nothing. He likes chicken nuggets (ew), mashed potatoes with cheese, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and applesauce. Now most of this can be incorporated into a meal but doesn't stand on its own as a meal. So we compromise. He'll eat ramen noodles (ugh) and grilled cheese (ugh) or tomato soup if I let him have mashed potatoes as his entree when I fix grilled chicken.

I do have rules that if he hasn't tried a thing he has to try it before declaring he doesn't like it. If he has tried it, he has to try it again. And again. They say a kid has to be exposed to a thing up to 10 times before they realize they like it, so I go with that. If he doesn't like it, then he can have his other things.

Last night we had shrimp with whole grain linguini, steamed broccoli, and steamed corn. He ate the shrimp AND pasta. :noway: I did agree to let him have cheese sauce on it, but hey-he ate it. And his corn. So, it does eventually happen apparently.

In the meantime, I thank God my kids don't like pizza and burgers every night and they're not fans of french fries. They do eat fruit. My youngest will take fruit and yogurt over pancakes or broccoli over mac and cheese any day. Both are active, so I guess it's all good.

*ew means I don't like it and ugh means I hate fixing it.

Vegetablearian · March 2012

another one here! If I refused to eat the food on the table I would not be allowed to leave the table for around 2 hours or so ... then it would get served up for the next day ... lets just say there wasnt many foods I would never eat! There were some I never liked and would never eat and would rather go hungry so my mum let me avoid them (raw tomato or anything in a creamy sauce like lasagne, spaghettie carbonara, chicken pie, mac n cheese etc) other than that id eat anything

BAMFMeredith · March 2012

My son is insanely picky as well. He gets on these kicks about what foods he will eat and which ones he won't. For a good long while it was chicken nuggets and chicken nuggets only (as a previous poster said). So I began making my own which cut up pieces of chicken breast and egg whites with mashed up corn flakes as the breading. Then I slowly started weaning him off of the nuggets and now he'll pretty much eat any kind of chicken. But that's about the only meat he will eat at all.

He won't eat rice or quinoa, he only likes certain vegetables (occasionally), so I've kinda tailored dinner time to meet both of our needs. I'll eat the things he won't eat for lunch or snacks (his school provides a balanced breakfast, lunch, and a healthy snack), and for dinner it's usually some variation of chicken and a veggie or a salad. It gets boring for dinner, but if he'll eat it and I'll eat it, it works.

One thing I've found with my son, if I tell him "you can have what the rest of us are having for dinner, or you can have nothing and go to bed" eventually, he'll give in and eat. It's what my parents did for me and my sister, and I figure he is just trying to test his boundaries. I read somewhere that a child has to taste something up to 20 times individually before being able to accurately decide if he or she likes it. So we have a "one bite" rule. He has to take one bite of something, and decide if he wants to eat the rest. He can either eat the rest, or eat nothing.

Good luck, kids are pretty much all picky at one point or another!!

Aleciajones · March 2012

This is what I do with my kids. The only change I will tolerate is one doesn't like cooked carrots so tonight's sautéed carrots with be changed to just raw carrots for her. If they don't like something they eat it with a bite of whatever else they have that they do like or they are left to choke it down.
I was morbidly obese as a kid because I was allowed to eat any time and anything I wanted, I will not let them end up a I did. They do get ice cream, and candy but it's only on days when we have been active enough to deserve it and it's always a measured serving.

carrie1013 · March 2012

That is too funny, my parents were the same way. If I didn't finish my cereal for breakfast, i had to eat it for lunch :sick: I make my kids atleast try everything I make... and not just once, I continue to make them try it. They've come around pretty good.

TKHappy · March 2012

I want to add too!! There are things my kids eat that would surprise most adults and that is because after seeing me eat it so much they eventually "want a taste". Even though I have only been in my stepsons life for four years, he has 'tried' and grown a liking to a lot of new foods he was not exposed to before I came along.....my husband he's a toughy on trying anything other then steak and potatoes.

So I think leading by example will definitely help!! Especially when they wanna be like their mommas.

It also doesn't hurt to look up healthier versions of the things kids like....my kids love homade cookies, I found a recipe for pumpkin raisin cookies they love, its better then chocolate chip.

I also find that if you let them help with making meals they are more likely to try it. I ask them to try just one bite of new foods and that helps too....my daughter finally grew a taste for asparagus, my stepson-brussel sprouts....they beg for baked potatoes over french fries.

I say as long as they are active and exposed to healthy options and your being a great role model....your doing something right!

shalinimunjal · March 2012

Growing up we didn't get a choice. Everyone ate the exact same meal. If one kid didn't care for/want a side, they did without that particular side but still ate the remaining.

Now, when I had my firstborn, he was picky and we were lenient as parents. Plus he went to the daycare and got served mozzarella sticks, chicken nuggets, etc. Finger food like that is easy for toddlers to eat so he started eating that and still eats it, very occasionally now. Now his palate has increased to trying new things and eating the same food as us but if he doesn't want something occasionally, we let him have the above.

Along came my second born. This time around, we were more experienced so we did things differently. Since the day she started eating solids, we started her on real food. NO PUREES!! She is 22 months and will eat everything on the table with me, as long as I eat the same thing. And she has been this way since around 10 months age! This past weekend at the food court, she sat at the table and ate fried rice and steamed veggies much to the amazement of a fellow diner. Then she moved on to DH's kabob plate LOL
For any moms reading this, I highly highly recommend the 'Baby Led Weaning' book for introduction to solid foods. It opened my eyes and change my outlook on solids for babies.

katzav · March 2012

my kids (4 & 6) eat what we eat, every night, no matter what is served. i actually cook, nothing out of the box for the most part, and my kids eat it with minimal complaining. my eldest doesn't like 'slimy' stuff, such as sauteed onions, or mushy zucchini and eggplant, but she eats most of what she's served even still.
i have no suggestions for how to make your kids start, but know that they are completely capable of doing it, just like we all did. my mother NEVER would have made a separate meal, and frankly neither would I. no dinner=no dessert...even if that dessert is an orange!

Jesea · March 2012

I try to add new recipes to our family meals several times each month, then we decide together if they are "keepers" or not. I typically serve one meal that fits into my calorie goals, and let my sons (2 yrs and 7 yrs) decide how much they want to eat. If a recipe completely bombs, they can choose yogurt or carrots or something else that's healthy, but most of the time they eat some of it, even though they may pick out parts they don't care for. Usually, you eat what I make and if not, you'll catch up at breakfast. Both boys like a lot of healthy meals, and we're always trying something new.

You let your kids eat what??

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