What's for dinner tonight?

When I first became a parent I had this vision that I would make one meal and everyone would like eat it, or at least eat enough of it to call it a meal. I did realize there would be times that I had to alter the meal for my children depending on the heat level of the meal. I was willing to make slight alterations, but was steadfast that I would not be a short order cook for my kids.

Then reality sets in when you actually have children who are eating real food. My kids don't eat a lot of junk, but they are not heath food nuts either. Veggies... yeah well those are pretty much off the list for both of them. Blake eats apples and bananas. Colby eats apples, grapes, freeze dried strawberries, and is often willing to try other things once.

Blake eats meat! Steak, chicken, meatballs, pork, fish, bacon. Yes, Yes, Yes... feed me more and more. He will eat pancakes, waffles, cereal, bread, peanut butter, cheese, french fries, hot dogs, pizza (oh wait that again is meat), sandwiches, and a few other things.

Colby eats pasta, rice, couscous, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, honey, rice cakes, bacon, turkey(every once in a blue moon), ketchup, maple syrup (yes he likes condiments)ummm not much else.

Notice there is no much that over laps between the two of them. So there aren't many meals that meets the needs of everyone. The boys eat dinner before Richard gets home during the week so I make dinner for the boys and then make dinner for Richard and I later. I try to come up with a few meals that I can make for the boys and re-heat for Richard and I later in the night. This works from time to time, but not often. I hate that I have to do this, but if I did not I'd have two children who would not eat. If you don't give Colby something he likes, he will OD on milk. If you don't give Blake something he likes he will binge on bread or peanut butter right before bed.

I keep trying. I try to make their plates with the same items so they each have something that they like, and things they aren't crazy about. Blake has to eat a bite of each food on his plate. We will start that with Colby soon too. I can only hope that some day they will at least eat the same things even if it's not all the things that Richard and I eat.... right?