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?

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5 comments:

  1. I can relate. Dinner is not my favorite time of the day because each and every meal I place in front of my darlings is met with "ewwwwwwww, what ISSSSSSSSS that?" My 7 year old has been taught that if she doesn't eat enough dinner; there will be no snacking that night. She has had to live that lesson enough times to realize that even if she doesn't like what we are eating, she will still eat enough to keep her belly full.
    My two year old is also learning this; yet it's a little more leniant because he isn't *quite* as picky. If he doesn't like something we can usually still get him to eat a few bites if we feed him and encourage him to keep eating. Easily distracted maybe?

    One major thing I have learned is that if you are nonchalant about what's being served, it won't be an "issue". You all sit down to dinner if the kids eat, they eat, if they don't, there will be another meal when it's served.

    I turned this into a book! :)

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  2. I make one meal and either they eat it or they don't. The minute I give Eliza an inch and make something else she takes a mile and starts being very picky. So everyone gets what they get and they don't get upset- and if they do get upset and tell me they are going to throw my dinner on the floor- then they are just a little hungrier that night.

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  3. Just wanted to say I can relate. I've had lots of advice and tried most of it, but my daughter is just not interested in food - unless it involves carbs of some kind - and will gladly go hungry (and lose weight) rather than eat food she doesn't deem worthy of her time. My initial plan was to make meals a non-issue - just present her with a plate full of healthy options and let her eat whatever she wished. But she went from 97+% to about 25th percentile, and I'm just not okay with that. So yeah, I accommodate her (and spoil her by many opinions) to a degree.

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  4. I've struggled with this from time to time...now with my oldest he has to eat it if he asks for it. there will be nights i say what do you want, he will say eggs, i make them and then he doesn't eat them! yeah no snacking after that buddy...most nights they get what i make and ill put something on their plate i know they like(like fruit, peas, or corn) if they dont' eat it they get nothing else. To each their own...

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  5. As young a Avery is, this is beginning to be an issue. She definitely has her opinions when it comes to food. Hopefully someday they will all grow out of it and not be as picky!! We can hope!

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