I'm trying to reduce stress in my life, but these picky eaters are going to kill me!

[DianeW88]

Ugh.

 

Honestly, I think you're kinda hooped. Your dh has set the example for the kids, and they're following. That he'd walk around w/a towel over his face is just mind boggling to me.

 

Disengaging is about the only hope you have of any sanity, imo.

 

Yeah, I totally agree! Your dh's behavior is completely inexcusable. He's a grown man, right? He should not be acting like a three year old over food. And I honestly don't think your kids will ever outgrow this. Why would they? Your dh is clearly showing them that their infantile behavior can continue into adulthood. They will never have a mature palate at this rate.

 

And honestly, I don't know how you do it. I'm exhausted just reading about it! There is no way I could deal with this nonsense on a daily basis. My hat is off to you...I would be in the funny farm

[Barb_]

I'm sorry, I know this is against board rules but now I'm mad at your husband. He is acting like a spoiled child and he's making your life harder than it should be. Really, the cancer comment was really over the top, especially given then circumstances. If we were friends IRL, I would tell him so! It sounds like you know this, however. Could the power struggle between you have some bearing on why you aren't completely willing to give up on controlling what the kids eat? I wouldn't blame you a bit if that were the case, but it's good to explore hidden motivations for our own actions, ykwim?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I didn't want this to be a husband bashing thread. Yes, his behavior regarding food is childish and utterly ridiculous. He has done worse things than just cover his face with a towel. Eating out at a restaurant with him (or any other event involving food) is embarrassing. But, I knew all of that before I married him, and I married him anyway. On our first restaurant date, he sent back his plain hamburger because he was SURE there was onion powder in it, even though the waiter assured him that the cook said there wasn't. He really has some serious issues about food. It's basically a disability for him at this point. That is not my major concern. In most other respects, he's a perfectly competent and reasonable adult. He can fend for himself.

 

I just basically wanted to vent about the utter frustration of trying to make a meal in this house. Grocery shopping is a nightmare. My kids are getting older, and I am trying to get them to do more things for themselves. I will continue to do so. I guess I just need someone to give me permission to not care so much about the quality of food my kids are getting and just buy whatever is easy to fix for them so that I can concentrate on my own health.

 

And, beside just worrying about their health, I don't want them to grow up with the same crippling disability my husband has. It's really awful. We can never just go out to eat somewhere with friends unless it's a dh-approved establishment, which are few and far between. When people invite us for dinner, they ask, what can I make for Dh? I always say not to worry about it, that we'll feed him before hand or bring something for him, because even if they try to make something for him, he probably won't like it. It's a very limiting way to live. I don't want that for my kids.

 

Thanks for listening.

[2squared]

Your family sounds over the top, but I would be concerned with winning the battle but losing the war. Which is a higher priority for you - varied diet or hormone-free, happy meat and organic fruits? I don't think you can have both at the same time with your family. Which is worse - pizza rolls or deli meat with nitrates? What about only eating one type of organic fruit versus a couple types of nonorganic fruits? Maybe you can meet them half way and everyone's stress level will be reduced and they will eat healthier overall.

 

Also, I don't expect to serve meals in which everyone in the family likes or eats all the food on the table. I serve meals knowing that one person might only eat corn and another only salad. When we were a family of four, I did try to put meals on the table that everyone liked. With our current family size, there's no way I can do that. I serve what I serve, and some people end up eating peanut butter and jelly.

 

 

[Izzy]

I have picky eaters too. My 13 year old had a legitimate reason with his SPD and oral aversions but then it just trickled down. My 7 year old will eat okay, my 5 yo is super picky, and my 3 yo is in a picky stage. But all of them will eat whatever there dad makes. Guess who makes dinner now? :D And I have learned to let them have a PB&J or something simple they can get themselves when they don't want dinner. It's not my original plan but it's working for now. I do try to get lots of fruit in them and as many veggies as they will tolerate.

 

I don't know if that helps but wanted to give you my okay to let them eat what they will. :))

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Your family sounds over the top, but I would be concerned with winning the battle but losing the war. Which is a higher priority for you - varied diet or hormone-free, happy meat and organic fruits? I don't think you can have both at the same time with your family. Which is worse - pizza rolls or deli meat with nitrates? What about only eating one type of organic fruit versus a couple types of nonorganic fruits? Maybe you can meet them half way and everyone's stress level will be reduced and they will eat healthier overall.

 

Also, I don't expect to serve meals in which everyone in the family likes or eats all the food on the table. I serve meals knowing that one person might only eat corn and another only salad. When we were a family of four, I did try to put meals on the table that everyone liked. With our current family size, there's no way I can do that. I serve what I serve, and some people end up eating peanut butter and jelly.

 

 

Well, they'll all eat the organic and healthier versions of fruits, vegetables, and meat and eggs. It's just the healthier cold cuts that dh thinks are gross. And the pre-packaged processed organic food that the kids think is gross. That's not the problem. I'm not going to stop buying organic produce, because they wouldn't eat the stuff they don't like whether it was organic or not. I think they actually prefer organic produce, because it usually tastes better than non-organic. At least from our experience. I don't expect everyone to like everything. I have things I don't like, of course. It's just that their lists of dislikes are SO long and they don't match up with each other, so it's very hard to come up with any kind of meal that even half of us will like. In this regard, they are over the top. And that is why I cook for myself. I just need to get the kids to start preparing more meals for themselves. Or have things already made that they can serve themselves.

[Izzy]

 

I guess I just need someone to give me permission to not care so much about the quality of food my kids are getting and just buy whatever is easy to fix for them so that I can concentrate on my own health.

 

This...I needed permission to not care so much too. It took a while but I finally gave myself permission. I hereby assure you your kids will be okay if they eat what they want to eat. :) and (Hugs)

[Izzy]

Can you buy the healthier cold cuts for the kids and let DH have his own? Maybe DH could do his own shopping?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Can you buy the healthier cold cuts for the kids and let DH have his own? Maybe DH could do his own shopping?

 

 

 

I do this. Only ds1 will eat cold cuts, though. Ds2 won't eat them. So, ds1 picks out what he likes and he'll eat sandwiches or just roll the stuff up and eat it.

[Joanne]

 

. I will continue to do so. I guess I just need someone to give me permission to not care so much about the quality of food my kids are getting and just buy whatever is easy to fix for them so that I can concentrate on my own health.

 

 

 

 

Permission granted.

[Lolly]

I hear you. I empathize. My dh eats meat and meat alone. He does like white breads, but tries to avoid them. His only vegetable is a green bean. All fruit tastes bitter. DD20 is allergic to almost all foods. I feel for her and try to make foods she can eat. She is really good about fixiing her own though, and has become quite a good cook. Dd18a is a plain jane. No sauces. Very texture sensitive. She will try to eat things she doesn't like, but it makes her vomit. Literally. She usually makes her own meals often just plain pasta with fruit on the side. Dd18b will eat almost anything but a nut. She just grabs a little of whatever someone else has made. Funny thing happened today, she wasn't hungry at lunchtime and waited to eat. When she did get hungry, she tried to cook, but didn't know how to turn on the oven! (We do have a fairly new oven.) Ds15 likes to eat most foods, but seems to have IBS. He has to really watch what he eats or he gets really sick. Dh is just picky. He can't stand the smells of a lot of foods too. They make him ill. His taste buds are exceptionally sensitive. Given a taste of a food, he can usually tell you every ingredient in it. Fortunately for me, I am not in the overly concerned about healthy foods group. It makes it easier.

[kwg]

 

I just basically wanted to vent about the utter frustration of trying to make a meal in this house. Grocery shopping is a nightmare. My kids are getting older, and I am trying to get them to do more things for themselves. I will continue to do so. I guess I just need someone to give me permission to not care so much about the quality of food my kids are getting and just buy whatever is easy to fix for them so that I can concentrate on my own health.

 

 

Thanks for listening.

 

 

Take care of yourself- feed the kids as best you can, whatever they will eat. Do not even stress about it right now.

 

This is the airplane-oxygen mask scenario for sure! Later, you can tackle the picky eating thing.

[Clarkd]

We are a family of six, not terribly picky eaters, but with six people it becomes complex. For lunch and dinner we have a protein (we're vegetarian), a starch, a veg, a dairy, and a fruit. The person who cooks gets to choose (currently that's only me and my partner, but in the near future, my oldest will start cooking some meals.) No one likes all of the selections. If you don't like it, don't ask for it/take any. You don't have to eat it. If you want to try something you take one spoon as a "try" if you like it, take more, if not then that's fine, at least you tried it and not much food wasted. You eat what you have requested/taken or you can't have seconds of anything. If there is no item that you will eat, yes it does happen, you can get yourself cheese, nuts, or crackers. That's it. We have three meals and two snacks each day. You can eat more at the next meal if this didn't work out. Our kids mostly (with assistance) get their own breakfast, toast, pbj, cheese, yogurt with granola, nuts., etc. but we sit down and eat breakfast (albeit different foods) together. On Sundays we make a full hot breakfast. Maybe we're just lucky, but so far, no one makes a big deal out of it.

[Jenny in Florida]

My solution: modular family meals= a meat, a starch (rice, pasta, potatoes), separate veggies, sauce in a separate little pot. No casserole-type dishes or mixed-in sauces. I make sure that in each meal there is ONE thing my picky eater eats. Sometimes that is the meat, sometimes it is plain pasta or rice (he is free to get cheese or pasta sauce from a jar in the fridge). All serving bowls are on the table, everybody takes what he wants.

 

We're a vegetarian/vegan family, but this is more or less how I handle it, too.

 

These days, my oldest usually feeds herself, since she's on her own schedule and is watching her weight. She occasionally joins us to be social at dinner time and might nibble on a snack from the table, but she sits down to eat with us for real only once or twice a week.

 

For most of our years as a family, though, my strategy has been to make meals that allow for a lot of customization from the same basic components. So, I make black bean tacos, which means I set out on the table bowls of seasoned black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, corn niblets, diced onions and bell peppers, a couple kinds of salsa (from jars), rice, cilantro, taco shells, etc. Each person assembles tacos the way he or she likes and eats until full.

 

Another favorite meal here is baked potatoes with assorted toppings and sides. Again, everything is set out in bowls, and each person fills a plate to his or her own liking.

 

Last night, we had falafel, and I set out two kinds of hummus (store bought), couscous, the falafel, carrot strips, diced celery, pita chips and some sliced apples.

 

We also do what someone else described as a European meal, with a couple loaves of nice bread, sliced cheese (for my husband), assorted fruits and veggies (raw, sliced), olives, nuts, etc. We especially like this one for nights when we're watching a movie, since it feels like snacks but is reasonably healthy and filling.

 

I try to rotate so that each person gets something he or she really likes every few meals while making sure everyone has at least one or two things they will eat each time. I also try to plan the order of meals so that my son -- who will eat pasta with tomato sauce for two meals a day for weeks at a time left to his own devices -- has left-over pasta makings in the 'fridge for nights when I'm making a meal that I know doesn't otherwise feed him. He's responsible for heating up his own portion and getting it to the table so he can sit with us.

[Jenny in Florida]

I also agree with the person who said it sounds like your kids' diets are reasonably healthy, just not varied. That is how mine have always been, too. Each of them liked a reasonable number of healthy foods -- and because of the vegan thing, didn't eat a good number of unhealthy ones. There just wasn't a lot of variety.

 

But I comforted myself with the research which shows there's nothing (or very little) a kid would get from a vegetable that isn't in a fruit. So, if my kid would eat apples but not bell peppers, I fed apples and tried not to worry.

 

If I were in your situation, I'd just buy the healthiest versions of the stuff you know each person will eat, make it available and try to focus on your own health.

[Heather in Neverland]

Dh would eat celery and carrots, and one son would eat carrots, but the other would eat absolutely nothing from that tray except fruit.

 

Last night I made plain grass fed hamburger patties. Plain boiled potatoes. Plain peas. Dh ate some of everything. Ds1 ate potatoes. Ds2 at 2 bites of hamburger and peas.

 

Seriously, check out my blog. I have TONS of healthy and delicious food in this house, and on the table. The don't get used to the sights and smells. They run away screaming. I'm not kidding. If I dare to make myself some Chinese, Indian or Mexican style food, or anything with onions and garlic, all three of them run around like they are being murdered and turn on fans and open windows. Dh has been known to walk around with a towel over his face to avoid my cooking smells.

 

First, it sounds to me like they ARE eating, it's just not what you would eat. If all they like is plain chicken, plain rice and plain peas, then make that for them every night. If they are fine with it every night, what do you care? In fact, I'd make it in huge batches so I don't have to cook it every night, just reheat. Or even better, teach THEM how to make these simple foods.

 

Then proceed to make something for yourself that you love and ENJOY it.

 

As far as the last part about them making comments about the way food smells and your dh putting a towel over his face....

 

Well, there's picky and then there is RUDE. That is RUDE. You don't want to eat something? Fine. Don't eat it. But anyone who makes a negative comment about the smell of the food I make can starve. Cooking takes EFFORT and you are dealing with enough already. They need to stop being so selfish and try cooking for YOU once in a while.

[DawnM]

I have some of this here at my home too, but I am not dealing with all that you are dealing with.

 

There are some things they will all eat without an issue: Hamburgers, pizza, turkey.

 

But much of the rest of it I have one or two that like it and one or two who don't. One hate PB&J, one hates turkey and cheese sandwiches, DH won't eat salmon, one hates baked potatoes, one won't touch tomatoes, and on and on it goes.

 

I pick my battles. Vegetables HAVE to be eaten. Although I don't make the one eat tomatoes, but he has to have salad. We all like rice!

 

I feel for you.

[2squared]

My solution: modular family meals= a meat, a starch (rice, pasta, potatoes), separate veggies, sauce in a separate little pot. No casserole-type dishes or mixed-in sauces.

 

This is what I do, and I didn't know there was a name for it. I serve mostly modular meals, but I call it pasta bar, taco bar, etc. Everyone eats what they like, and I don't worry about what goes on their plates.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

This is what I do, and I didn't know there was a name for it. I serve mostly modular meals, but I call it pasta bar, taco bar, etc. Everyone eats what they like, and I don't worry about what goes on their plates.

 

At request of ds1, we did a baked potato bar. I was the only one who really liked it. The idea appealed to ds1 because he found it in his cookbook. He wanted to try the ham cubes that were pictured on the potato in the book. Afterward, he told me he just wanted separate ham and potato.

 

A pasta bar at our house would mean plain noodles for 3, sauce or other topping for me. A taco bar at our house would mean shredded lettuce for dh, empty taco shells and shredded cheese for the boys, and tacos for me.

 

It's just plain no fun to cook for my family. I used to really enjoy cooking and inviting people over for dinner.

[Jenny in Florida]

 

At request of ds1, we did a baked potato bar. I was the only one who really liked it. The idea appealed to ds1 because he found it in his cookbook. He wanted to try the ham cubes that were pictured on the potato in the book. Afterward, he told me he just wanted separate ham and potato.

 

A pasta bar at our house would mean plain noodles for 3, sauce or other topping for me. A taco bar at our house would mean shredded lettuce for dh, empty taco shells and shredded cheese for the boys, and tacos for me.

 

It's just plain no fun to cook for my family. I used to really enjoy cooking and inviting people over for dinner.

 

Oh, I feel your pain. I truly do. My kids are older, and I kept hoping it would get better, which it has a little. But I've been trudging through this for a long time.

 

And the thing is that I'm picky, too. So, I can't even get snooty about it.

 

All I can say is that the modular meals some of us mentioned were just examples. The trick -- and I'm not saying it's easy -- is to find the combinations that do work for your family and then serve them . . . over and over if that's all that works . . . and then try not to worry too much about it.

[Jenny in Florida]

 

At request of ds1, we did a baked potato bar. I was the only one who really liked it. The idea appealed to ds1 because he found it in his cookbook. He wanted to try the ham cubes that were pictured on the potato in the book. Afterward, he told me he just wanted separate ham and potato.

 

Also, there's nothing wrong with him just eating the ham and potato separately. I know I said people here "assemble" tacos, but for several years, what actually happened was that my daughter ate rice (on which she insisted on putting soy sauce, despite the fact that it didn't go with my intended Mexican theme) and some corn niblets while my son dumped salsa on top of his rice and broke the taco shell into pieces like chips and used that to scoop up the rice/salsa combo. I had each one drink a glass of fortified soy milk and got on with my life.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

Oh, I feel your pain. I truly do. My kids are older, and I kept hoping it would get better, which it has a little. But I've been trudging through this for a long time.

 

And the thing is that I'm picky, too. So, I can't even get snooty about it.

 

All I can say is that the modular meals some of us mentioned were just examples. The trick -- and I'm not saying it's easy -- is to find the combinations that do work for your family and then serve them . . . over and over if that's all that works . . . and then try not to worry too much about it.

 

That's the whole thing. I do this. I make the same plain crap over and over, and they eat whatever they want from it. I can't take eating like that, so I make completely separate food for myself. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of making 2-3 separate lunches, dinners, breakfasts every day. I don't know why this is such a huge deal for me all of the sudden, but I can't take it anymore. I'm drained from the stress of trying to please everybody all the time. I want the food responsibility to be off my shoulders. Dh is never going to take it over. He doesn't feed the kids when I'm gone for a scrapbooking getaway. He either takes them to his mom's for a meal, or they eat cheese sticks, yogurt, crackers, etc. until I get home.

 

For the past two years, I've tried to get meal planning and preparation to be more a part of the kids' lives. We got kids' cookbooks from the library, and we'd go through them and try to plan out meals. Of course, they never agreed on any recipes, so we'd do one kid's meal one day, and the other kid's meal the next day. I kept hearing that kids would be more inclined to eat things they had helped to prepare. Yeah, right. There was never a recipe that both of them liked, and of all the recipes we tried, I can count on 1 hand the ones that one or the other of them wanted to try again.

 

Sorry, I know I'm just a big, whining baby at this point, and this probably doesn't seem like a big problem in the grand scheme of things, but it's a major stressor for me.

[Jenny in Florida]

 

That's the whole thing. I do this. I make the same plain crap over and over, and they eat whatever they want from it. I can't take eating like that, so I make completely separate food for myself. I'm tired of this. I'm tired of making 2-3 separate lunches, dinners, breakfasts every day.

 

First, for what it's worth, I "retired" from making lunches when my kids were not much older than yours. I made sure there were easy, kid-friendly items in the 'fridge and pantry that I knew each kid liked and could prep, and then I told them it was their responsibility.

 

Second, each of my teens eats more or less the same thing for breakfast pretty much every day, and each has long been capable of fixing his or her own breakfast. I usually do make their breakfasts, because I enjoy starting the day with each of them by doing sometime nice. But I do that on autopilot, since it's the same easy things every day. So, there's no negotiation, no arguing or discussing. There's a default for each of them, which is what they get unless they ask for something different.

 

Keeping breakfasts simple and consistent and off-loading lunches means I've long been responsible for only one meal per day, which made life much, much more pleasant.

 

I also think some of the suggestions here to pre-prep foods so your husband and kids can manage their own stuff are really smart.

 

Second, in order to save my sanity, I decided some time ago that I was going to try and relax about the whole food thing. I shifted my focus from worrying about what they ate to making sure they weren't filling up on junk and making sure I was provding the healthiest possible versions of things knew they did eat. And then I tried to let it go. If they want to eat yougurt and sliced apples every day for lunch, there's actually nothing wrong with that. As long as high-sugar/high-fat cookies and bags of potato chips aren't pushing healthy calories out of the way, I vote you do your best to disengage. Make the food you want for yourself and your sister. Provide healthy, simple foods your husband and kids will eat. Hope for the best, and devote your energy to getting better.

 

I really, honestly, truly do understand how frustrating and exhausting this can be. I wish you the best as you try to find a coping strategy that works for you.

[Truscifi]

I don't think you're being a baby. You have a lot going on, and this is one thing that doesn't have to be there. I can tell you care a lot about making sure your family is healthy and that is a wonderfu thing, but I think you need to let go of that worry for now. :grouphug:

[LibraryLover]

This sounds like a good and fun read about why people are picky eaters.

 

http://www.grubrepor...arte/press.html

[nmoira]

Sorry, I know I'm just a big, whining baby at this point, and this probably doesn't seem like a big problem in the grand scheme of things, but it's a major stressor for me.

 

You can set a good example for your children by looking after your own health, and stress management is a big part of this.

You can make help your children grow into adults who don't expect every little whim to be catered to, but who are willing to make their own accommodations AND are aware of the time and energy required to do so.

 

And remember, making ingredients touch (what most of us think as cooking) and plating do not add to the nutritional value of a meal. :D

[kitten18]

 

 

 

Permission granted.

 

I agree. You have permission to Let. This. Go.

You can tackle this next year.

For now, let them eat pizza rolls and whatever else they will eat.

 

They may not always be as picky as your DH. When I met my bil, he was 10 years old and he ate: peanut butter crunch cereal, chicken nuggets, cheese pizza, and chocolate milk. That was it!

He is now a 32 year old man that eats a pretty large variety of foods. Including Chinese, Thai, Indian, etc.

[Alexigail]

I've just been reading that picky eating can be caused by zinc deficiency. It makes normal food taste "off". I have no idea if this applies in your case but you could look into it. I know there's a test kit you can get online.

[Katy]

Our rules are: No snacks or junk food for children over age 7 except for apples and carrot sticks. Nothing to drink except water between meals. Milk and juice with meals.

 

If Dad wants junk he can have it (along with options including gluten, kept in the extra fridge in the garage), but not in front of the children.

 

Serve family style meals with several separate courses, everyone can dish their own, and everyone must take THREE bites of each option. They don't have to like it, but they do have to try it. This doesn't apply to Dad, but it DOES apply to kids. I remember reading in that book about how the french raise their kids that it often takes multiple times of tasting something to develop a taste for it.

 

If they don't eat three bites of everything, they must not be hungry, so they do not get dessert. If they don't eat their meal fast enough to eat dessert with the rest of us, their siblings can split their portion. Nothing but water after dinner until bed.

[2squared]

A pasta bar at our house would mean plain noodles for 3, sauce or other topping for me. A taco bar at our house would mean shredded lettuce for dh, empty taco shells and shredded cheese for the boys, and tacos for me.

 

It's just plain no fun to cook for my family. I used to really enjoy cooking and inviting people over for dinner.

 

I think the rest of us have similar families. When we have pasta bar, some people eat noodles with butter. When we have taco bar, some people have tortilla shells with shredded cheese and some people just eat the meat. Isn't that how it works in most families - different people have different preferences? For lunch I fix four different plates (2yo, 4yo, 6yo, mine) and my 8yo and 10yo fix their own lunches.

 

I think you are stressing over too much here. I honestly think you serve food as modulated as possible (b/c that's what I do, so it must be the best way :D ), let them eat, and not stress about how or what is eaten. Truly. Serve the food and drop the stress. The kids sound like they are eating healthy foods, they just aren't eating the variety you would like or how you would like it prepared. Not a big deal.

 

Cooking isn't fun when you have to cook three meals a day every day of your life for a family. I used to have fun cooking, but not anymore. Now it's a chore.

[msjones]

Yeah, we do have family meals. I'm trying to tell you they don't eat the stuff I make and serve. DH was 43 when we got married. He's 54 now. He's not changing. If I make some plain baked chicken, plain rice, plain peas for dinner, dh will eat all of that. One kid will eat peas and maybe a couple scoops of rice. One will eat the chicken and rice. That's about the only family style meal I can serve where at least some of the food will be eaten by everyone. Try having that dinner 7 days a week. It gets really old, really fast. If I try something new or any food with any flavor whatsoever, Dh will drive to the store and get cold cuts if he doesn't like it. The kids just won't eat.

 

I don't think I can describe the level of pickiness. I've gone through phases where I will let the kids pick whatever they want from Trader Joe's. One likes TJ's frozen pizza, one doesn't. One likes the chicken nuggets, one doesn't. One only eats green apples, while the other only eats red apples. One only eats green grapes, while the other only eats red grapes. I'm freaking exhausted by this.

 

Ugh.

 

I'd be exhausted too.

 

I'd prepare servings of the best quality food (i.e. chicken, rice, peas) that they will eat and keep several day's worth in the fridge. They can serve themselves and heat in the microwave. They can eat the same thing every day if they wish, but you don't have to.

 

I'd also try hard to keep snacks out of the house so hunger is more likely by mealtime.

 

Good luck.

[Reya]

Cook something you like and someone else in the house does, too. If they don't like what's served, they can make themselves a sandwich!

 

They can cook their own breakfasts. My kids start microwaving oatmeal at 6 years old.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

What should I get to have on hand for them for breakfast? The one who likes oatmeal doesn't like the little packet kind, only the old fashioned oats I cook on the stove. He's only 8, so I'm not sure I want him cooking oatmeal like that. The almost 10 year old's armpits are level with the cooktop, so I don't see how he can cook anything either without standing on a stool or something. He likes scrambled eggs, but the other one doesn't. Neither of them like frozen waffles or other frozen breakfast items. I do make extra pancakes and freeze them, so they could heat those up, but other ideas?

 

ETA: I did try buying cereal at Trader Joe's before, too. I'd be willing to buy it if they would eat it, but they don't like the same kind, and they have never eaten more than two bowls before they decide they don't like it anymore.

[Laurel]

What should I get to have on hand for them for breakfast? The one who likes oatmeal doesn't like the little packet kind, only the old fashioned oats I cook on the stove. He's only 8, so I'm not sure I want him cooking oatmeal like that. The almost 10 year old's armpits are level with the cooktop, so I don't see how he can cook anything either without standing on a stool or something. He likes scrambled eggs, but the other one doesn't. Neither of them like frozen waffles or other frozen breakfast items. I do make extra pancakes and freeze them, so they could heat those up, but other ideas?

 

ETA: I did try buying cereal at Trader Joe's before, too. I'd be willing to buy it if they would eat it, but they don't like the same kind, and they have never eaten more than two bowls before they decide they don't like it anymore.

 

Will your oatmeal-eater eat cooked steel cut oats? As they take so long to cook, I usually make a batch in the beginning of the week (or whenever) and keep them in the fridge and they are good for several days. I imagine you could do the same with regular oats, I just haven't tried it.

 

Muffins? Those freeze well.

Hardboiled eggs? (Did you already mention that no one eats them?)

Yogurt?

Smoothies? (Either make themselves, or storebought yogurt smoothies?)

Fruit and toast?

[fraidycat]

What should I get to have on hand for them for breakfast? The one who likes oatmeal doesn't like the little packet kind, only the old fashioned oats I cook on the stove. He's only 8, so I'm not sure I want him cooking oatmeal like that. The almost 10 year old's armpits are level with the cooktop, so I don't see how he can cook anything either without standing on a stool or something. He likes scrambled eggs, but the other one doesn't. Neither of them like frozen waffles or other frozen breakfast items. I do make extra pancakes and freeze them, so they could heat those up, but other ideas?

 

ETA: I did try buying cereal at Trader Joe's before, too. I'd be willing to buy it if they would eat it, but they don't like the same kind, and they have never eaten more than two bowls before they decide they don't like it anymore.

 

 

Both oatmeal and scrambled eggs can be batch cooked and refrigerated, then microwaved each morning.

 

I used to hate the microwave, until I hated cooking. Now, it is a lifesaver. My 10 yr. old and 6 yr. old are in charge of their own breakfast and lunches. DD10 can cook on the stove (I supervise) - her specialty is scrambled eggs LOL, and both of them are very proficient in cooking their own microwave "meals". (burritos, pizza rolls, corn dogs, etc.) DS6 also uses the toaster for toast or waffles.

 

I used to feel guilty about not "feeding my family" (ie: cooking every meal from scratch). Now...I frame it as "lessons in self sufficiency". :laugh:

[2squared]

Breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast foods. My 8yo doesn't like many breakfast foods, so he often eats leftovers or nuts for breakfast. I don't care as long as I don't have to hear about it or fix extra things.

[kitten18]

 

 

I think you can still do the old fashioned kind in the micro. Or, what about the oven?

 

My 10 year old cooks. And he is short.

I cook regular oatmeal in the microwave. I just put the oats and water in a stoneware bowl that is plenty big and microwave.

[GoVanGogh]

I think that some food issues are actually a way of the body trying to protect itself against allergens.

 

My DH was very thin and always ill as a child.

As an adult, he is a decent eater but certainly has some foods that make him turn ten shades of green.

When our son was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, the allergist asked which one of us parents had extreme food allergies as a child as it tends to run in the family. Neither one of us was ever diagnosed with food allergies as a child - but we grew up in the '60s in a rural community. Testing and general knowledge of food allergies wasn't what it is today.

The interesting thing, to me, is that our son tested allergic to every single food that my DH cannot tolerate. Our allergist said that DH probably isn't just being picky about those foods, but is allergic and that is his body's way of staying clear of those foods.

 

My husband's sister was one of those children that had an extremely limited diet - frozen cheese pizza, french fries and orange flavored drink. She grew up to be a very good eater.

But as her diet expanded, so did her health problems. She has since been diagnosed with several GI issues and food allergies.

 

 

If there are little things you can do to expand their diets and you have the energy that day, fine. Otherwise, I would push a good multi-vitamin and move on with life.

[AdventureMoms]

You can do old-fashioned oats in the crockpot or microwave (crockpot overnight or microwave 5 minutes on 50% power). Or get him a stool. My 4yo can cook eggs on the stovetop and her nose is level with the the burners (she uses a stool). Scrambled eggs reheat nicely in the microwave too.

[ladyinthegarden]

You know, I just remembered something I use to do a few years ago. My oldest kid loved mac and cheese, we had a newborn at the time. Out of pure frustration to make him eat a vegetable I mixed puree carrots into his mac and cheese, several times. It's the same color as the box cheese mix. You could not taste it because the cheese flavor was so strong. I imagine you could use your creative mind with this idea. You could use a juicer, and juice your leftover veggies, then put enough fruit in they can't taste the veggies. I buy the V8 stuff at the store occasionally, but I've been told it's easy to make at home.

[JenC3]

Just wanted to say HUGS! I can't believe all you have to go through:(