Making Multiple Dinners

**Jackie** - posted on 03/28/2012

Sometimes I make altered meals. In other words, if we have pork chops and my husband only wants mashed potatoes then he will get them but everyone else will get veggies. I just buy the frozen Bob Evans ones in that case and the steam in a bag veggies. Not that big of a deal.



It may be easy to put a dry erase board on the fridge and let everyone know what is for dinner every night. That way if you hear a "oh noooo meatloafffff" groan,....you know it has to be addressed lol

Aleks - posted on 03/28/2012

My kids love a fruit and vegetable juice frozen in an icy-pole container to be an ice-cream. And the love it to bits too...lol (but they also get what "real" ice-cream is and love it too...lol)

Rebecca - posted on 03/27/2012

Yep, my daughter thinks frozen fruit and almond milk blitzed in the blender is "ice cream". I'm happy to let her believe that.



Not that she hasn't had real ice cream, she just like frozen raspberries out of the bag almost as much as the ice cream.

Stifler's - posted on 03/27/2012

You can get these pouches of mashed fruit here that's apparently just fruit and nothing else... my 2 year old thinks they are a treat and him and my 10 month old eat them for afternoon tea even though they are a baby food meal. It's also getting fruit into him because he refuses to eat cut up apples or home made stewed apples.

Rebecca - posted on 03/27/2012

My husband and I tend to have a variety of staples in the fridge. They are things like homemade chicken stock, cooked brown rice, a rice pasta dish, some roasted meat (we make a roasted chicken or beef once a week), washed greens, homemade kamut flatbread etc. Meals are loose in our house, I don't eat unless I'm hungry and my daughter (who is two) tends to eat big in the morning with her father, then eats from the staples in the fridge when she is hungry.



Since my husband works most nights, we'll make a proper dinner like two nights a week, but we usually do it after my two year old goes to bed. She usually eat the leftovers in the morning.



In my own life, I had bad issues with eating disorders and the pressure of family meals. I really didn't want to put pressure on my daughter to eat when she was not hungry, just for the sake of having a set meal time. By always having those basics on the go in the fridge, she can eat her meals/snacks without pressure and when she is actually hungry for them.



I know this doesn't make sense for everyone, but it is how we roll and we never have much issue with getting her to eat new foods, veg, fruit, spicy food - she loves it all. People are always impressed by what she'll eat.



The only thing I've set some rules about is, if there is juice (no sugar juice) in the house, she is only allowed one small glass or one juice box and that there is only one "treat" a day (if they are around at all...she thinks dried fruit or grapes are a treat).

Stifler's - posted on 03/27/2012

I think people are thinking that mum makes a roast with potatoes and pumpkin and gravy and the kids want something entirely different btu jsut as time consuming so she cooks it then there is 5 hours worth of washing up to do.

Sapphire - posted on 03/27/2012

My son is getting better, but he is showing interest in making his own meals. Lately he likes to warm up a tortilla & cheese in the microwave, and I'll add a handful of grilled chicken or sliced tomatoes, whatever I have. And like I said above, he likes to make his own sandwich now, pour cereal, peel some hard-boiled eggs, etc. Trust me, the kid won't starve! But I also know that if I am intentionally planning a meal that hubby & I will eat, but my son won't, I do need to think of an alternative. Quite honestly, I pick and chose my battles. Some meals, not all, I pick my battles with.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/27/2012

Actually, my kids have a pretty broad appetite. I think giving them the option of what they want to eat....some control over it, helps them NOT be picky eaters.

Happy - posted on 03/27/2012

I never said they were, or my children for that matter. I think all families have certain things they like and certain things they don't. I have a friend who literally makes 4 meals EVERY NIGHT because hubby only eats....and DS only eats...and DD only eats....and she only eats....!!!!! Really!?!?!?!?! Y;all can;t find 3 or 4 things you ALL agree on? Sorry, I have better things to do. Maybe I'm just weird. :)

Minnie - posted on 03/27/2012

See? They're not PICKY, like some people insist they will turn out if I make them what they want. I call them particular, they know what they like, but look at the things they like! Most kids won't eat those things.

Happy - posted on 03/27/2012

Lisa- my children would revolt like the French during the Revolution if I put that stuff on their plates. LOL Diffrent strokes peeps!

Minnie - posted on 03/27/2012

LOL, who's slogging away in the kitchen? It takes me five minutes to cut up an orange, stick it on a plate for the girls, steam some mussels or open a can of sardines and plop some olives on a plate for them. Slogging? No. Happy, -not picky, but particular kids-? Yes.



Mind you, I also make larger batches of food they can eat throughout the week. Today they had pan fried chicken breast coated in unsweetened shredded coconut. That'll last them the week, takes a minute to stick it on a plate and cut it up.

Sapphire - posted on 03/27/2012

Wow- I forgot I posted this!



My family rule is that my son always has to try whatever I make. Then if he doesn't like it, he can make himself a PB & J sandwich, or pour a bowl of cereal & milk. Tonight I'm making salmon for me & hubby, but my son won't eat it. I'll make him spaghetti & veggies. Hubby is a great cook as well. We share making the meals.

Kelly - posted on 03/27/2012

Aleksandra, We did consider those issues. He was on a meat based formula for a little while which was extremely expensive but didn't help. He was also put through a ridiculous amount of testing until we just decided that it was just better to live with it. He was deemed "failure to thrive" too, He also suffered with insomnia which altered his growth as well.



Your method of cooking is pretty much what we do--he eats plain veggies, and I just always make sure to cook at least one he likes. He is 7 now and has a pretty wide variety of veggies to pick from, as well as apples and bananas (his only fruits thus far). I don't mind doing that, and at lunch, I don't mind giving him apple sauce or raw veggies, but thus far I do not have the need to actually cook him a separate meal, despite his limited palate.

Aleks - posted on 03/27/2012

I never said that I force anyone in my family to eat what they don't like. Fact is, everyone pretty much likes what is being cooked/served for dinner - my fiance doesn't like plain boiled/steamed vegetables, so we rarely have them, instead, I do same vegetables in different ways rather than never serving, for example, boroccoli. So no one ever said about giving something to eat that someone does not like. Also, eating certain vegetables (in particular) is a learned thing. If one allows a child NOT to eat by not even serving them this food, they will never really learn to eat it. And all it teaches them is that they can be picky for ever, never really experiencing or *experimenting* with food. Which just leads to picky eaters as adults, which is quite off-putting really.



And yes, this is my choice. My choice to teach my children how to eat and about food and how it can taste, and how taste changes depending on how things are done, and the great variety of available foods and flavours, etc etc.... but also how one can compromise to fit other people in with ones dining without necessarily missing out one self. But like you, it is my choice....



However, I am also allowed not to essentially "understand" why others choose what they do. That is all that I stated... I just don't get it, when there are other ways to go around things.... rather than slogging away in a kitchen doing extra meals. I prefer to use that time in the kitchen to make my own stuff, from scratch, for example, rather than relying too much on store bought over processed and over filled with useless and harmful things ingredients.. again, my choice. No, not everyone will understand that either.... but just sayin....

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/27/2012

Just an idea of what I do. Or I make a big fresh pot of beans, and a couple of side dishes, and a main thing for my husband. For the most part, everyone can eat the sides. It is the main dishes that differ, and of course I don't eat any of it. You don't like that, don't do it. I don't mind. I truly enjoy watching my family enjoy the food I prepare for them. I used to be a horrible cook. Now I am good, and it is a sense of accomplishment and pride for me.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/27/2012

Aleksandra....that is YOUR choice. I have been a vegetarian for 18 years, and have NEVER had to taste a dish with meat in it to know if it is good. Most of the time, I make the meat seperate...make the dish that needs the meat without....taste BEFORE adding the meat...then add it. Or i make a stew whatever. I am a decent cook, and my husband raves about my cooking....and yet I have never had to taste test a meat dish.



I don't mind making more dishes to please everyone. THAT is MY compromise. And no, I do not cook 5 differnt dishes a night. It will usually be at the very least 2. At the most, 3. If you do not want to cater to your families likes, that is your decision. I like to give my family food that they enjoy. THAT is MY choice, and I am happy with it. Ask me 6 years ago, I would have laughed in anyones face that said I would be doing this. I have changed, as a mother and wife....and not wanting to compromise my own eating. There are plenty of times I don't cook more than one or 2 meals. This is not a HUGE dinner or 3 every night.



For instance,



Me= salad or some vegetarina cuisine...usually pretty simple

Husband= Mexican dish with rice

kids= rice with chicken or something random

Aleks - posted on 03/27/2012

@ Kelly,

Sounds like your son may have some food sensitivities, which may be causing silent reflux and/or indigestion which frequently leads to food refusal and super pickiness (also very poor weight gain - formula being dairy based may have been causing the problems which may have snowballed from then). Have you investigated that side of things?



Just a suggestion. My girl seemed to be really picky with food and was an early food refuser. Only because of the intestinal and digestive problems she suffered as a result of ingesting foods she had intollerance/sensitivity to, not to mention poor weight gain (deemed "failure to thrive" by her pediatrician at 12mths of age).

Aleks - posted on 03/27/2012

Ok... See this is where I don't get Little Miss. I for example do not eat red meat. But my fiance and kids do. Now because I don't eat it (I don't like it anymore either to be honest and haven't been eating it for over 18yrs - long story...lol) and I refuse to cook what I cannot try because I like to know if something tastes good when I cook it so I have to at least taste-test it. So, I don't cook red meat. That doesn't mean that my fiance doesn't eat red meat. He does, though probably not as often as he used to. But there are ways to compromise without having to cook 5 different meals each night. For example, he will cook beef or lamb sausages when we have a BBQ, or some beef steaks while I have chicken sausages or chicken fillets on the barbie. No biggie. He also can have ham or roast beef for lunch too.. again, he gets his meat that he likes without me having to cook another dinner. He also gets to have his red meat when we go out (if he so choses) to dinner as a family, or when dining at other family members house (which do eat red meat).



True I am not on a diet (never was on one in my entire life :-) .... luckily never needed to medically either), but heck because of my little girls food intollerances WE ALL tend to avoid some foods to some extent. Seriously.... if family isn't willing to sacrifice/compromise a little bit for another family member... then.... ?????? Its not like they are not allowed to eat that particular food EVER. For example, there are no or very little dairy type foods in our dinners (occasionally I make cheese sauce to go with broccoli or cauliflower that can easily be held out for my little girl - she just gets plain vegies). I don't add soy sauce to our stir fries for her benefit, but if another member wishes to add to their meal after then that is ok. Sometimes I will take out her portion of the dinner and THEN add the soy sauce, for example. We ALL STILL EAT THE SAME FOOD essentially for dinners. If a recipy asks for soy sauce to be added in middle of cooking specifically, then I do not cook that food. Same goes for dairy. If it cannot be substituted by other things then I don't cook or bake that food.



BTW my fiance does not like certain foods (well, he doesn't hate them, but let's just say these are not his favourites) but he will still eat them (ok, we talking certain veges here... ah men and their dislike of veges...sigh) for a number of reasons. He knows he has to eat them for vitamins/health and also so the kids eat these too... and don't themselves start picking and choosing what they *want* to eat or not. We as parents basically show our kids a united front in eating together at the table pretty much everything that has been cooked. We don't force our kids to eat anything. We do however strongly encourage them to "try" at least once a food they have deemed not to their liking. If they try it and still refuse it, then we are happy for them to leave it. But we haven't had much issue with that. It is a rare occurance for them to try and then not eat it. Though it is also a rare occurance for them to not want to eat something....



The fastest way to kids being picky eaters is having picky eater parent/s, IMO.

Kelly - posted on 03/27/2012

Aleksandra, we did consider that it may have been texture--I tried "watering" foods down to make them extra runny (By adding formula), and thickening them up, but none worked. Actual solids (when he had teeth) fared even worse.



He started solids at 6 1/2 months. We tried for about a month, then laid off until he was about 9 months and tried again. He was 10 months and already walking when we discovered the 3 foods he would eat. Unfortunately, I had to stop breast feeding around 7 months and he was just not gaining weight on the formula like he should have, so he needed solid food or at least food laden smoothies, but he wouldn't eat those either.

Happy - posted on 03/26/2012

You eat what I make or you don't eat! With that being said, there are a few things that I do to make my meals more likely to be eaten. If I know I am serving a vegetable that 1 or 2 of my children do not like, I will prepare 2 for that evening and allow them to choose which one. Most of my family does not like dark meat poultry, I don't buy it, done. One child despises beef in any form, that's fine, you can eat vegetarian tonight. I try to be accomodating but it will be a cold day in hell before I make more than one meal for dinner. With ONE exception, IF we are haivng company and I am serving an elaborate "fancy" meal (filet mignon or lobster or the such), I usually order pizza for the kiddos.

Stifler's - posted on 03/26/2012

My kids eat earlier than us most nights (if I make logan wait and give him snacks he won't eat anything so I just serve him up a meal) and it's usually a different variation of what I am making for dinner. Such as if we have corned meat he gets some corned meat, bbq sauce because he hates white sauce and a corn on the cob and renae will get some cut up meat and steamed vegetables pureed out of the freezer. Then when damian gets home we have meat, white sauce, cauliflower and pumpkin. I've never had a problem with damian refusing to eat what I serve him but I will say that we like the same things. Marina and her man don't like the same things e.g. she doesn't eat meat. Everyone's situaiton is different but if my kids get older and I'm making spaghetti bolognaise if they ask for chicken schnitzel and chips, I will say no.

MeMe - Raises Her Hand (-_-) (Mommy Of A Toddler And Teen) - posted on 03/26/2012

I think it is up to the family.



In my home though, we ALL eat together. It is a family rule at supper. We all sit down and eat at the same time, the same food and altogether. This is something many families no longer do, I did not have that growing up. I ate in my room. I did not have a good relationship with my Mom or any for that matter. It is important to me (and my family) that we sit down once every single day and talk while enjoying food.



Now, I love spicy food. So when we have that, I do make my daughter something different. Even though she is 13.5, she does not like spice. Know what she gets when we have that? Alphaghetti's or KD, sometimes scrambled eggs. It is maybe once a month, so no harm done there.



I also, always take everyone into consideration. I make meals I know we ALL like (well not always me but I don't care, I HATE taco's, they love them, so I make them and eat the nasty things too--BARF). For instance my husband despises perogies, my daughter and I love them. So, her and I eat them for lunch sometimes, this makes sure it is not given at supper. My daughter does hate rice, so she gets more veggies or bread and butter in place. I don't think anyone can truly force something one hates but I do think it is crazy to make a bunch of meals. To each is own, there. ;)



My kids love a large variety of foods and I think it is because I do not and will not fix something diffferent. I just make sure we ALL somewhat, like it. Sometimes, some like it more than other's but as I say, we ate what you really like last night, tonight we eat what "so and so" really likes tonight. It is never anything anyone hates or cannot palette. Other than rice, perogies and too much spice. LOL



I make all my boys meals on Sunday, when I prepare 4 suppers for the week. These are things like chicken/gravy with potatoe or pasta, sheppard's pie, spaghetti, lasagna, meatballs/gravy and rice, stri-fry, homemade macaroni and cheese, homemade beefaroni.... healthy things. I make 4 on Sunday, so my husband can finish preparing them during the week, so supper is on the table no later than 6pm. We do feed our boy earlier, since he is hungry by 5:30pm and I am not quite home yet. Although, he sits down with us when we eat too (in the big chair) and gets a little yummy snack, since he already ate his supper.



ETA:

Never fighting to get my kids to eat in my home... *shrugs*

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/26/2012

Oh man Lisa, I HATE fighting the kids to eat dinner. It is not worth the headache for everyone, and the kids feeling like they are being forced to eat. I didn't like it as a kid, so why would I do that to them? I mean there is always the occasional struggle...but every night like i hear others have? I think it is easier and less stressful to just make them a different meal. It takes more energy to fight.

Minnie - posted on 03/26/2012

Yeah. I guess I don't have to be a hard ass in the food department. *shrugs*. I mean, just because the girls and I don't eat grains, should my husband perpetually never eat them? And I know Marina has a particular diet, should her family only eat the way she prefers? All of us are hungry at different times as well.



It warms my heart to have happy eaters, myself, my husband, our daughters, ALL of us. Not just what I decide we'll eat.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/26/2012

@ Sarah "who is the adult here? "



I am the adult, and I know what my kids will and will not eat so I do not tend to force food on them. I like to make my husband something different, cause quite frankly he would get sick of the food I feed the kids all the time...but yeah sometimes they eat the same thing. I don't eat most of what they will, because I don't eat meat, and I am on a diet......so what......should I just make them a salad every night that I eat? No..I think I will make them some food. THAT makes me an adult, a mother and a wife.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/26/2012

I guess I don't mind catering to my families needs when it comes to food.

Christina - posted on 03/26/2012

i am not a short order cook. if we want spicy and i know the kids wont eat it i will leave that off. no biggy but they eat the same thing we fix. the only time i fix anything different is if my kid is sick cuz obviously im not fixing a vomiting kid some greesy pork chop. for the most part my kids dont complain about what they ate unless its something they just dont want but they still eat it regardless if its what they want for the night or not. they will get over it before they get married. now i know some of my kids along with me dont eat onions and peppers so we will cook all together then add that afterwards for the few that do eat it.

Brittney - posted on 03/26/2012

If I make my family something and my husband doesn't eat it, he can make something else. (he can't use the stove, oven or grill, he never learned so its usually a sandwich or something microwavable), Sometimes I will be hungry a few hours after dinner so I make another dinner and eat again with the family.

Sarah - posted on 03/25/2012

yeah cos being a busy mum just doesnt give you enough of a challenge. if your husband doesnt like what you make well he is big enough to make himself something else, as for your children i dont know how old they are, but it sounds to me they are pushing you to their limit. who is the adult here? stop it now before it goes on and on. you know your children like what you make they are just trying to see what they can get you to do for them. if you dont stop it right now they will walk all over you before you know it xx

Minnie - posted on 03/24/2012

I do the same thing.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/24/2012

Tracie, I am not sure if you are talking directly at me or the OP "That's so sweet that you're working extra hard to make everyone happy, and you may not mind it now, but be careful what you are getting yourself into. Five years down the road you may be over the whole "3 dinners every night" routine."



But I will tell you....it is actually 6 years later and I am still fine with it. Just like you doing the pasta different ways, i am also catering to what my family likes and will eat. Plus, I do not eat half of what I make for them, so if I can make a different meal for myself, i can certainly whip up some mashed potatoes or something else for the kids. This way they are NOT to picky. I make what they like, and healthy. I don't see the problem, and i am fine with it.

Aleks - posted on 03/23/2012

Kelly, I wonder... what if the flavour wasn't the problem with your son when you started him on solids? What if it was the texture???? He only accepted the very few things ONLY because he found them tasty enough to "look passed" the texture?

May be he just wans't mentally ready for solids (I am just guessing and making suggestions other than pure "pickiness", since I know very little except what you just mentioned here).yet, even though he may have been ready phyiscally??? I find it odd to hear that a baby that young, without the experience of even tasting anything was already refusing foods? Though, no I am no expert ...lol But it kind of makes little sense to me. The other thing may have been his sense of smell... may be he didn't like the way things smelled so he refused to eat them...lol

Mommy - posted on 03/23/2012

Yeah, I REFUSE to do that. You can either eat what I made, or you can have a sandwich. You don't need to starve, but I'm also not a slave. I also try to be mindful of what my family likes and does not like, so I don't put something on the table that 1 or more of them can't stand. My mom used to do that with asparagus...which I never understood because we all hated it and it would just cause a big fight and end up with us getting punished. There were a bunch of other verggies we liked, but somehow the asparagus made its way to the table every few months lol.

Kelly - posted on 03/23/2012

J has been picky since before he could even talk. When we first started the pureed baby foods, I was told to start with veggies because he wouldn't take them if he had fruit first, he turned most of them down anyway--clamping his little mouth shut with the force of a vice! We were limited to squash and carrots. Moving on to fruit, the refused all of it except for apple sauce.



I pureed EVERYTHING I could think of, in all the different combinations I could think of, and still, his palate remained shut to all but 3 foods.



Once he could eat some soft solids, I would give him what we were eating, but he refused it. I started to give him what we were eating with a dab of apple sauce, squash, or carrots as well, which he would eat, but still refuse the rest. Eventually he learned to like sweet potatoes around age 2. Cheese and occasionally bread around age 3. Very, very gradually, his palate began to open up. He now (7 yrs old) eats lots of things--including things that are mixed together like grilled cheese sandwiches, and sometimes pizza. He also tried bacon and liked it.



My advice for Sal's friend, just keep offering them other foods over and over again. Eventually they'll eat it. All the books say that if you offer a food to a kid 16-20 times they will eat it, but I've found in real life it takes a lot more than 16-20 tries. I know I offered J sweet potatoes at least 100 times before he ate them.

Sharon - posted on 03/23/2012

I always gave my babies/toddlers the same food as we had. I never pandered to them at mealtimes and they pretty much ate anything and everything. But now they are quite different indeed. My daughter has gone through a stage of not liking anything except spaghetti, but with persistence from us, she is now beginning a phase where she is willing to try new foods without fuss and she is developing tastes for many different foods. My son is going through the "I hate vegetables" stage. He likes meat, meat and meat! We will just continue to encourage him to try everything on his plate until he, too develops a taste for different things. I think some kids just love their food no matter what it is and some get fussy. It's how we deal with the fussiness that is important. My husband, on the other hand, is a grown man and I cannot force him to eat meat (and nor would I want to.) so I do make an effort to make sure he is catered for as well!

Sal - posted on 03/23/2012

we were on the run yesterday and had to go to maccas and my daughter ordered a salad!!! she's 4, and she choose and helped prepare dinner tonight, when we were shopping she found a fresh ginger, and insisted we bought it, so i let her choose how to use it...we are having ginger honey and soy chicken, zuccini and pumpkin skewers...i just love envouraging them to try a big variety, and even though having a 4 &5 year old help in the kitchen isn't exactly help,it makes them keen to try anything

Aleks - posted on 03/22/2012

I don't know Sal, I am like you.. and so are my kids. They were always (well from as early as was possible and realistic) exposed to what we ate. Hey, my 18mth old son wanted to sample the chicken curry laksa we were having at one stage. So I gave it to him... HE HAS LOVED IT EVER SINCE - he ended up eating half my (well may be a 1/3) serving at the first tasting of it. My daughter got it served up one night and ate it as well, now with the gusto of my son, but still. No we did not make it super spicy (we have turned down the spice for the kids for now, but they still get a lot of the flavours of variety of foods).

We cook all sorts of stuff. Typical western anglo-australian types of food, to Italian, Greek, Indian, Thai, Chinese, middle European, (westernised) Mexican, etc etc.... They eat most of their veggies (both not happy with basic mushrooms, but my daughter reacts physically to them) including broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage, beans, and green beans, asian greens, pumpkin, zucchini, sweet potato, carrots, peas, beetroot etc etc.... Oh yeah, they don't mind the occasional green salad too.



:-)

Sal - posted on 03/22/2012

i'm curious here, a friend of mine has been going through the fussy eater stage with her 2 little ones and asked for advice as my girls usually just eat dinner, i feel (from my own experiance anyway) is to not make special baby food or toddler meals as such, my kids and babies just get our food, blended, cut up or adjusted to suit, so there was a big variety, and they saw everyone eat it ....this friend is super organised and has a freezer full of beautiful baby meals and she makes wonderful meals specially for her 3 year old, but they just fuss for her and she is so frustrated, does anyone have experiance here,

Tracie - posted on 03/22/2012

That's so sweet that you're working extra hard to make everyone happy, and you may not mind it now, but be careful what you are getting yourself into. Five years down the road you may be over the whole "3 dinners every night" routine.



I have two selective (I don't like the term "picky" - sound pejorative) eaters and a diabetic husband. Cooking in my house is a major chore! That said, I still only make one dinner every night. Everyone eats what they want/can and that's it. I do try to keep everyone's needs and tastes in mind when planning the menu, but one dinner per night is more than enough work for me.



If I'm making a meat dish, I make sure to have sides that will appeal to at least one person each (salad, veggies, potatoes, bread, apple sauce, etc.)



Sometimes I make a pasta dish and I'll give it to my kids with just butter, mine with just sauce and my husband gets only a little pasta with a lot of meat sauce.



Certain accommodations have to be made (how would you like to be served something you hate for dinner every night?) but you should only be making one meal, in my opinion.



Also, if you never put anything new in front of your children, they will never learn to branch out their tastes. My oldest is the most selective eater EVER. For six straight months (no lie) all she would eat was frozen waffles. Made me nuts!! Now, at age 10, she eats lots of different things. Her newest discovery is crab legs! If you had told me this during her waffle phase, I never would have believed it. :-)



Don't give up on your selective eaters and give yourself a break from all the cooking!! Good luck!!

Momof2 - posted on 03/22/2012

dh does the cooking around here and most of the cleaning since he is so picky and redoes my work if it isn't good enough for him so i don't bother anymore... anyway he doesn't like my cooking at all and says its too hard to clean the pots/pans when i cook...



so dh usually makes one meal for everyone. however if he is making something he wants and knows i don't like or cant eat he will usually make me something he knows i like. for example the other day he wanted some hamburger helper so he make me a couple of hamburgers and him and ds had the hamburger helper. he knew i was a picky eater when we met and usually plans around that but once in a while he just wants something i wont eat.



I am gestational diabetic though so if he is making something for himself high in carbs he has to make me something else to keep my sugars in range (so far i am diet controlled and we are really hoping i wont need to be put on insulin so its extra important he sticks to the rules of my diet when he cooks)

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/22/2012

But when I make spicy dishes for him, the kids cannot eat it, so yeah I make different meals for everyone all the time. So be it. My choice. I know my husband is grateful for anything that I make, and will eat whatever I give him. I just like to see everyone enjoying their food. We have battles all day long (as you do with kids) and I have had a lot of success not making meal time a battle. I am sticking with what I am doing, cause forcing a child to eat something they don't want to is just not worth it to me.

~♥Little Miss - posted on 03/22/2012

I am a vegetarian, and losing weight so I eat differently than the rest of my family. My husband likes his meat, and most of the time my kids eat what he is. I have been know to make 3 different meals, one for him, me, and separately for the kids. It can get exhausting, and sometimes I refused to do it, but really it is my choice. No one is asking for that. I ask my son most mornings what he wants for dinner, and usually I go with that. Most nights, I will make 2 different meals.....one for everyone else, one for me.

Amanda - posted on 03/22/2012

Hell no not in my house. I make one dinner, if you dont like it, tought shit. Dont eat. :0)

Sal - posted on 03/22/2012

i always tell the kids 'you don't have to like it you have to eat it' if i cook something special (ie expensive) that not everyone likes i'll make a substitute, like chicken or cheap fish for fresh salmon or prawns for scollops....but thats my budget not my ideals tested

Aleks - posted on 03/21/2012

NOPE. Nope and nope.....



I have food intollerances in the family. So many things are off the menu for either me or my daughter. The boys (my son and fiance) in the family just have to put up with eating what we can eat. If we go out then they can splurge on items off menu at home.

However, sometimes I have made small changes to how I cook, so that I can omit the "bad" item for my daughter's sake which can then be added later by others - say soy sauce when I cook stir fry. Or cheese on a pasta. But no way would I cook seperately for everyone. Thats just too hard, too time consuming, and pandering to pickiness which just solidifies and justifies it for them. Learn to like what is on your plate, I say. It doesn't have to be your favourite, but one has to eat stuff... for all sorts reasons, not just cause we like something. That is one of the silliest things I have heard of.

Minnie - posted on 03/21/2012

I make whatever everyone feels like having because myself included, not one of us is hungry at the same time, or available for every meal.



Now, if someone wants something and THEN turns her nose up at it...tough cookies, child.

Sherri - posted on 03/21/2012

Oh heck no!! I make one meal for my family of 6. I refuse to please everyone. If someone doesn't like what is served they can wait till breakfast to eat. I find they quite often will eat what is put in front of them because of this, it is a long time from dinner till breakfast.

Joy - posted on 03/21/2012

Since I'm not a short-order cook, everyone eats what I cook or they don't eat. The ONLY time I cater to anyone is if they're sick. For breakfast, I offer a few choices and let Jacob pick, but once I make it and he says he doesn't want it, too bad buddy.

Daniela - posted on 03/21/2012

Well, I'm a vegetarian, my partner is a total carnivore and my 2.5 year old will eat nothing that's not totally plain (which I think is kind of to be encouraged...), so if I don't cook multiple meals at least one of us is going to be seriously unhappy at dinner time. I generally have one or two veggie days during the week, and I will try to cook for two days at the time. But: I decide what I cook and once it's on the table, that's it. My partner does complain at times, but I really don't care. Be happy, you are getting meat at all!