Moxie Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Not one kid in this house will tell me what they want to eat and not one of them will eat what I cook. This is how they should punish criminals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 By sending them to bed without dinner? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 LOL! I would tell my kids, oh well, you know where the kitchen is and you know where the food is. Just clean up after yourself and no eating after X:00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Same here tonight. So the boys are eating cereal, I ate the last of the deviled eggs and we'll all have strawberries for dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 LOL! I would tell my kids, oh well, you know where the kitchen is and you know where the food is. Just clean up after yourself and no eating after X:00. Ditto. On that kind of day I just ask dh what he wants because he isn't picky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessReplanted Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I love the title of your thread! That's how I feel about dinner every night. I make one thing, try to keep it healthy & balanced, and no one has a choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am so blown away that so many of you give options. If I gave dinner options my life would be sheer hell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I love the title of your thread! That's how I feel about dinner every night. I make one thing, try to keep it healthy & balanced, and no one has a choice. Which is how I grew up. No idea how we got here. Actually, I do know. My oldest has sensitivities so I catered to him when he was young and it just became a habit that the younger ones followed. I want a do-over!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Your younger three are pretty small. I don't think it's too late to start. Food battles are never fun. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I hate this too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ali in OR Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I'm thinking the British upperclass had the right idea--you have bread and milk in the nursery until you're old enough to appreciate something better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Not one kid in this house will tell me what they want to eat and not one of them will eat what I cook. This is how they should punish criminals. I have already warned mine that this summer each one of the other people in my house is responsible for one dinner a week. They will get a budget and be responsible for preparing it, right down to the 4th grader. That leaves me only 3 nights, and I am going to fix what sounds good to ME on those nights! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excelsior! Academy Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Dinner rotation. Today is Tuesday, so Taco Tuesday. Yes, every Tuesday. Actually, tonight it's fajitas because we have an overabundance of bell peppers, but you get the drift. Don't complain or you'll be hungry. Child, if you don't like it learn to cook, then *you* can cook what *you* want. Oh, you don't want to cook, then don't complain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Dinner sucks. All the planned meals requiring effort from me suck. Lunch is the least offensive. Not sure why... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I taught mine to cook very early on. "I'm having this. You can have it or you can make your own thing. Your choice. Shove stuff in the dishwasher when you're done. Don't bug me." I do try to make a point of stocking the cupboards and fridge with things I know they like (though now they also get groceries on their own too). There are usually leftovers in the fridge or some frozen dishes in the freezer for people to pull out. When they were very young, there was always the option of a sandwich, a wrap with leftovers, quesadilla, or cereal... - I would even help them make it if necessary. And they can load up on fruit & veg as much as they want. I do like the 'wednesday is halo night' model of planning out meals for the week/month because it certainly makes things much simpler but we've stopped doing that for some reason.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 In our house, you eat what is put on the table, and you never, ever criticize the cook. The one exception is that my son, who will normally eat anything I give him quite cheerfully, really loathes Greek Lemon Chicken soup. It is literally the only food item he quails at. When I choose to serve that soup, I allow him to eat something else from the fridge. He doesn't whine about it, and he used to soldier through a small bowl because he knew the rules. My husband and I chose to extend grace on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Strawberry Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 It's all crockpot over here. My kids are about tired of soup and beans and rice. But hey. It's healthy, filling and hot. My job here is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Not one kid in this house will tell me what they want to eat and not one of them will eat what I cook. This is how they should punish criminals. Story of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I'm thinking the British upperclass had the right idea--you have bread and milk in the nursery until you're old enough to appreciate something better! Except... the teeth... ack! Moxie it is easy to get into a situation when you have one child who doesn't respond to something, so you end up training all the other kids to act like that. We have our own versions of that. I think it's possible to change, though. Good luck. You have a lot of kids to be catering to whims! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 One of the many reasons I don't cook. I buy groceries that my kids can prepare, and everyone makes their own meals. Fruit and milk required. One dessert per day (though you have to eat an actual meal to have dessert; no, a honey bun does NOT count as an actual meal). Done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 If they won't tell you what they'd like, fix what you fancy and they can put up with it. I don't often bother cooking things 'to order'. If I know all the kids like something - or even if one of them loves it - I'll put it into the rotation somewhere. Or if they want to cook something particular they can (the meal has to include a substantial amount of vegetables and a source of protein, so they can't declare that dinner is ice cream, marshmallows and nothing else). We also don't cook alternative meals. If they have tasted what's on offer and don't think they can eat it, they are free to get themselves something from the Always Available list (fresh unprocessed fruit, vegetables, nuts and dairy products) so occasionally one of them will end up having an apple and a piece of cheese, but mostly they eat whatever we're having. Sometimes I would love to have them upstairs in the nursery, eating with their governess so I can have adult conversation with dh. Only problem is we don't have an upstairs, a nursery or a governess. Darn it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I hate it when every single kid who happens by me asks, "What's for dinner?" This should be a reasonable inquiry, but it just underscores the presumption (well-founded, though it is) that *I* will take care of all dinner-preparing details and all that one meeds to do is show up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Send that Greek Lemon Chicken soup my way!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momacacia Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Dp (Got too excited about someone else making me soup) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I am sick. The kids don't feel well either. I didn't prepare dinner. They each made their own. I did heat up canned chicken noodle soup and make grilled cheese for lunch, so they did have a hot meal. So, two of them made grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches for themselves. The other one roasted garlic NAAN and ate leftover chicken. Don't judge, I am sick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 So, I made burgers with Swiss cheese and fried onions, roasted broccoli and boxed au gratin potatoes (they like Mac and cheese, I thought they would like the potatoes). 13ds and 12dd ate plain burgers but didn't like them. 9ds ate an apple and a cheese covered tortilla. 4dd ate a cheese covered tortilla. 2dd ate half a burger, some broccoli and a bit of potatoes. So, one small victory?? So annoying!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 My kids get one choice for dinner. If they don't like it then they don't eat. I do not cook food that my children don't like so there is never a real excuse for them not eating it other than to be picky that particular day. There may be components of the meal they don't like so they are exempt from eating that. If they want to be picky then they can wait till breakfast to eat. I think each one, minus the 2 year old, has gone to bed without dinner once and only once. They learned quickly that I was playing around. Now lunch is a different story. They get to decide what they want for lunch almost daily. Breakfast they always get a choice between oatmeal or eggs unless it's a day dh make pancakes or waffles. We don't keep cereal in the house because it never fills them up so that is never an option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyoustxmama Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 This thread has me for real lol'ing. As I type while watching ds2 in the tub (thanks iPad) I hear ds1 screaming at his dad that "he wants his food back!". This being the dinner from an hour ago dh is now trying to clean up, a dinner that ds specially requested, that was untouched save 4 bites...and is now likely either scraped into the sink, the chicken scrap pail, or being fed to the very happy dog, whose life is 100% improved by the 20 lbs of rejected meals my oldest son generates monthly. Dinner is painful. I ought to just throw in the towel and serve everyone their own cereal every night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyoustxmama Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I am sick. The kids don't feel well either. I didn't prepare dinner. They each made their own. I did heat up canned chicken noodle soup and make grilled cheese for lunch, so they did have a hot meal. So, two of them made grilled turkey and cheese sandwiches for themselves. The other one roasted garlic NAAN and ate leftover chicken. Don't judge, I am sick! Heck, when I'm sick, my kids (6&1) eat bunny crackers and cheese sticks their dad feeds them while they watch cartoons. (The bunny crackers are organic, if that makes it any better.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I think I've thundered "DO you want to eat baked beans out of the tin every meal FOREVER?" more than once. That's enough to scare her! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I gave mine an ultimatum tonight. I told them that I want a list of ten balanced meals that they will all, including dh, eat. That would give me two weeks of meals, adding one night each week for leftovers, and one for foods I like. I told them that if they cannot give me a list, any further complaints would result in each being assigned a night to cook. So far the only meal on their list is pizza. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I cook one thing and people don't get a choice. Sometimes I ask dh what he wants for dinner that week and he says, "beef stew" and that is the extent of his dinner helpfulness. Note: When I said "beef stew" I wasn't using that as an example. He *always* says, "beef stew." :glare: Sometimes I get in a dinner rut and refuse to cook, then we have sandwiches for several days before anyone notices I haven't been cooking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Make what YOU want to eat. I do this often, as long as there are leftovers that I know hubby will eat. I am not running a restaurant. I do tend to make stuff that makes good leftovers, so I am not having to come up from scratch each day with a whole new meal. Roast beef or chicken can be eaten two nights in a row, then turn into hash or burritos etc. Lasagne lasts a couple day, as does chili or soup. I may come up with a new veggie or other side to go with the main course on the second night. I do have some boxes of Annie's in the pantry, so a kid can make that if they want. My MIL had six kids. Her rule was any kid who didn't like dinner had to make a peanut butter sandwich and peel some carrots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I rarely ask. I make one meal and they eat it. Sometimes a kid will request a certain thing that sounds good to them, and I'll try to work it into the menu at some point. My kids are not picky. They hardly ever refuse to eat what I make..but I don't have anyone with food allergies either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Critterfixer Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Dinner at Moxie's place, everyone! I want a burger with Swiss cheese, fried onions and roasted broccoli. That beats what I had for dinner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halftime Hope Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Moxie, your eldest two are old enough to cook simple meals on their own, although I assigned my budding cooks a night to cook with me for a number of months before making a family meal their responsibility. (For me cooking is a "team sport", so someone is usually in the kitchen regaling me with stories while we cook. It took dh quite a few years before he understood the concept, as he is a "by himself" worker. Before he finally got it, I had always told him I wanted someone in the kitchen to help with cooking and one with clean-up, but it took me quite awhile to figure out that it was the company AND the help I was after.) At any rate, you can set simple ground rules for meal planning (for example: a veggie, a meat serving, and a salad, or something similarly simple), and make it the job of two of your kids to plan meals for a week (they may want to consult with siblings, or not) but the rule is that everyone has to eat. No one has to pretend to be in love with it, but this is what is being served, and the cooks for the day will do their best to make a tasty meal. I think this has to come with an intro given by you and your dh (on the same page), and perhaps with a new family rule: out of honor for the siblings and the parents doing the work, and out of gratefulness for having wholesome food, we will hold our tongues even though something might not be our favorite, we will eat it (or some of it) gratefully, and we will congratulate and thank the cooks for their service. (I would also issue each child several "passes" per month, which they can use when they really would prefer an apple and peanut butter, because they just do not care for X which is on tonight's menu. Everyone will know not to be offended, because they have passes as well.) I'm thinking of this with the long view in mind. Who do you want them to be as adults? In the area of food, I wanted mine to be gracious and grateful for good food and for the cook's efforts. I want them to be adventurous, versatile eaters. I want them to be willing to try things, and I hope they won't have habitual food-pickiness that drastically narrows their diet (like their great-grandmother). I want them to appreciate people and relationships enough that they are willing to extend themselves and not be rude even when something is not their favorite OR not very good. And I wanted my boys to be completely comfortable in the kitchen and able to cook for themselves should they need to, thus breaking some family stereotypes from older generations. I hope that helps a bit. Take what you like and discard the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 My children have two options. Eat what I make or go hungry. No making sandwiches or eggs, etc. If the children suggest something and I have time and ingredients, sure, I'll make it. We're only eating meat out of the freezers this year, so I'm feeling a bit more constrained in the menu department. Two choices--beef or lamb! I did splurge for some peas tonight as beef and snow peas sounded so good. This. It would drive me crazy to have to take a poll about dinner. There would likely never be any agreement anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I never ask my dds what they want for dinner because they always answer with one of four things (that all require a lot of time). I know what they like and don't like and just cook what I feel like. If one of them doesn't want what I've made or don't like it they know how to make sandwiches, eggs, canned soup, fill up on salad/veggies, etc (all which we keep on hand). When we eat out, I feel like pulling my hair out because it's what you've described. It usually takes us forever to decide where to eat when we go out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I have the pickiest eater on the planet. Or top 10. Trust me. I don't make food a battle but I don't cater to him or short order cook or cook whatever he feels like eating that night. Dinner is what is on the menu. Every menu has at least one, usually two components I know he will eat. For instance, if I am making burritos for dinner, I know that he's not going to eat a burrito but he will eat a tortilla, some part of the filling (say the chickpeas or chicken and possibly some cheese. I know that if I am making pasta, he will eat the noodles and a meatball but no sauce. I also set out things on the table I know he will eat like raw carrots and apples. He also helps make the menu and cooks one night. Pre planning and prep is how you slay the dinner dragon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I never ask. I mean, sometimes they make requests and occasionally I honor them, but I never ask unless maybe I'm torn and I say this or that? My philosophy is that I take into account what they like, but I don't cater. If you don't want what I made, suck it up and go make yourself something else. Even a pretty young kid can go get a yogurt and some fruit or make a pb&j or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I ask mine because I get sick to death of thinking about it every single day! Not because I want to cater to their whims. Thinking of the meal is worse than making it, for me. This! I wasn't asking as in "Sweet Fruit of My Womb, what foods would please your darling mouths tonight?" More like "Crap, guys, we have to eat something and I don't want to think about it anymore!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I ask mine because I get sick to death of thinking about it every single day! Not because I want to cater to their whims. Thinking of the meal is worse than making it, for me. I found thinking of it day by day to be too much work. What's for dinner tonight is a stressful thing for me to decide, what's for dinner M-F is strangly easier, perhaps because a plan makes me feel more relaxed, lol. So I mostly plan out 3-7 days in advance based on what's in the fridge and what's cheap at the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 At our house, if they claim they don't like the food (which they often claim randomly, even if it's something they usually like), their leftovers usually go into the fridge for them to eat the next meal (or whenever I remember to tell them to eat it). Little Guy had about two inches of a sausage from Thursday that took him until Sunday, but he finally got through it. He didn't starve in the mean time, I just forgot to make him finish the food several times. I read about people throwing out about 40% of the food they buy and we don't want to be like that because it costs too much. Hence, the kids have to eat the food they didn't finish from previous meals. I have enough other battles with my oldest, so I don't dare let him try to dictate what we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Yeah, I really don't know how I got picky kids. I used to be kind of militant about meals. Nevertheless, my kids got pickier and pickier. Plus we started eating out more, so they got used to the idea that they had a choice. And there are days when they really don't have an appetite for anything, so they don't eat. No point in my laboring over a meal people aren't going to eat. So I figure, they need to learn how to feed themselves sooner or later. Might as well start now. I don't always leave it up to them, but I figure there is no harm in doing it sometimes. As long as they don't expect me to be their personal slave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 So, I made burgers with Swiss cheese and fried onions, roasted broccoli and boxed au gratin potatoes (they like Mac and cheese, I thought they would like the potatoes). 13ds and 12dd ate plain burgers but didn't like them. 9ds ate an apple and a cheese covered tortilla. 4dd ate a cheese covered tortilla. 2dd ate half a burger, some broccoli and a bit of potatoes. So, one small victory?? So annoying!! Hey, if they ate it, that's a big victory. My kids sit at the table and cry (and cry and cry and cry) and steadfastly refuse to eat anything they don't want to eat. Which I would be fine with IF what they would/wouldn't eat was consistent, but it is so not. Something that was a favorite last week is trying to poison them this week. Even when I do let them choose what to eat, they eat three bites, declare that they are so stuffed they can't possibly eat another bite and ten minutes later they are "starving". Ugh. I hate food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Heck, when I'm sick, my kids (6&1) eat bunny crackers and cheese sticks their dad feeds them while they watch cartoons. (The bunny crackers are organic, if that makes it any better.) Organic bunny crackers are actually a vegetable due to their organic nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I ask mine because I get sick to death of thinking about it every single day! Not because I want to cater to their whims. Thinking of the meal is worse than making it, for me. Yes, this. Apropos to this thread, my 7 yo told me tonight that if I made him eat the stuffed shells I made he was going to "die to death." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Sometimes I ask dh what he wants for dinner that week and he says, "beef stew" and that is the extent of his dinner helpfulness. Note: When I said "beef stew" I wasn't using that as an example. He *always* says, "beef stew." :glare: This made me giggle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LucyStoner Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Organic bunny crackers are actually a vegetable due to their organic nature. Reminds me of the best parenting advice I read. Something to the the effect of "want your kids to eat dinner? Realize that frozen waffles can be served for dinner. Want your kids to eat vegetables? Accept the fact that frozen waffles are a vegetable." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 I had three back-to-back-to-back dance classes tonight. Dh was out of town for a company function. My kids got the Meat Lovers pizza from Papa Johns. Blech. Dh finally makes it home around midnight and tells me all about this chef's table food utopia that was his work evening. I WANT to be delighted for him, but I'm exhausted and that pizza did NOT satisfy me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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