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If you spent 4 hours making cereal


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And in the morning whie you were getting ready for the day, your child poured it all into a bowl poured tons of milk on it took 2 bites and put it in the fridge would you be livid?

 

DS did just that.

 

Then he declared that he could not drink any milk (local, organic not cheap) because it was in a coffee cup and the cup smelled like coffee. The same cup he has been using for 4 years that he got from my parents.

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I make homemade cold cereal. I refuse to spend an arm and a leg on packaged cold cereal. This last batch took a lot longer then normal because I decided to try something.

 

Not for anything, but if you're spending 4 hours making your own cereal, it's costing you a lot more in time and effort than the "arm and a leg" you'd pay for packaged cold cereal. Your time is worth money, too, and spending 4 hours of it to make some cereal doesn't seem like a money-saver (or a great use of your time) to me.

 

Honestly, if you were only spending an hour making the cereal, that would seem too long, as well.

 

Sorry to sound so critical, but I'm just not understanding the rationale behind this. :confused:

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Not for anything, but if you're spending 4 hours making your own cereal, it's costing you a lot more in time and effort than the "arm and a leg" you'd pay for packaged cold cereal. Your time is worth money, too, and spending 4 hours of it to make some cereal doesn't seem like a money-saver (or a great use of your time) to me.

 

Sorry to sound so critical, but I'm just not understanding the rationale behind this. :confused:

 

 

 

That's what I was thinking. And it doesn't look that good either. One recipe called for a mix of flour and water to be baked. Not saying that is what she's making, but ick

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would you be livid?

 

DS did just that.

 

 

 

No way would I be "livid", it's just cereal.

If I invest the time to try a new recipe, I have to know that it may not be a hit with everyone... heck, I might not even like it myself!

 

Move on, there are much bigger things to get upset over than a bowl of cereal and a mug of milk.

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I don't get mad when my kids don't like my cooking experiments. There are lots of coupons out there for cereal. I have a couponing friend who says she never spends more than $1 for a box of cereal. Four hours is a crazy amount of time to invest in something like making cold cereal. I could *easily* make ten different hot breakfasts in four hours.

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I get upset when my kids overfill and then "don't want it anymore." They have a bad habit of doing this. I try not to be livid, but instead reteach, lecture, demonstrate, reteach...

 

We have to purchase or make special foods due to allergies so I do get frustrated when something is wasted. The soy milk that is safe for my kids only comes in half gallons and 3 of them drink it daily. I have to pick up about 8 of those containers at the store each week! When we start to run low, it is very stressful for someone to pour a huge cup and then throw it out. I don't really want to have to run to the store at 10 p.m. so that people can have their morning drink. :glare:

 

But again, it's a reteach situation. This is what you (child) did, this is how you should have handled it, let's do better next time.

 

Maybe DS is coming down with a cold or something and is more sensitive to taste- I have one who does this, suddenly everything doesn't "taste right." Very difficult to deal with when foodstuffs are limited to begin with.

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I would be pretty ticked because it's rude and wasteful.

 

However, we have a standing rule here that if you are trying it or don't think you will like it - then you only take about 3 bites worth on your plate/bowl. That way it's not wasted. And of course, if you find you like it, you can come get more.

 

If your normal house policy is to just pour whatever and waste whatever, then I wouldn't presume he should think that just because you spent an excessive amount of time making it that it should change his standard behavior.

 

For me, it wouldn't matter how much time I spent making it or how cheap it was. Rude is rude and waste is waste.

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I get upset when my kids overfill and then "don't want it anymore." They have a bad habit of doing this. I try not to be livid, but instead reteach, lecture, demonstrate, reteach...

 

I put away all my big bowls and plates and started making them use small side bowls and plates that came with the set for just that reason. It was really ticking me off that half of every bowl or plate was in the sink when I went to do dishes. Multiplied by 10 kids, that almost another meal! Grrrr!

 

So I put away all those big dishes and now they have the tiny bowls. It sorta ticked them off, but too bad. I don't care if they pour four bowls as long as they actually eat four bowls. I don't mind them using a gallon of milk a day as long as it goes down their throat and not the drain.

 

And yes, for those on a food budget, it IS a big deal. I cannot afford for a fourth of our food budget to be spend on throwing food away. And even if I could afford it, I'd still think it a r

money that I'd prefer to spend elsewhere.

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I get upset when my kids overfill and then "don't want it anymore." They have a bad habit of doing this. I try not to be livid, but instead reteach, lecture, demonstrate, reteach...

 

I would be pretty ticked because it's rude and wasteful.

 

 

I might agree in some circumstances. However, she usually makes this, but made it differently this time. He might have filled with the amount that he would usually have eaten, but after taking a couple of bites he realized it wasn't the same. So, I would consider it a failed cooking experiment rather than wastefulness on the child's part in this case.

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I might agree in some circumstances. However, she usually makes this, but made it differently this time. He might have filled with the amount that he would usually have eaten, but after taking a couple of bites he realized it wasn't the same. So, I would consider it a failed cooking experiment rather than wastefulness on the child's part in this case.

 

 

:iagree:

 

I can SOOOOOO see this happening in our house. And, yes.... the expected thing to do would probably be for the kid in question to put the bowl into the fridge in case someone else wanted to eat it so it wouldn't be wasted.

 

 

And .... regards to the cup, you might have to chalk that one up to hungry kid or possibly chagrined one that just got chewed out about the cereal. I would remind them that they can have any cup they choose or can wash out the one that tasted like coffee - just remind them to be polite about it.

 

Sorry you spent four hours making cereal and it wasn't a hit! A little emotional investment in the cereal on your part is not unreasonable, btw, Ir probably felt like a slug in the gut to spend that much time and have your work rejected. Sorry!

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What do you mean by making cereal took 4 hours? I don't think any food I make, no matter how complicated, ever takes four hours of my time. The food may take more than four hours to cook or wait but my work never takes that long. And that includes all sorts of intricate foods I have made such as cream puffs, Beef Bourgenion, elaborate cakes, etc. None have ever taken four hours of my working time. If the cereal actually takes four hours of your time to make (not let sit, or bake or anything passive) I think that is way too much investment to be worth it. I make a type of oatmeal where I cook for about ten minutes, have it sit overnight, and then cook again in the morning- I count the time as the total time I spend actively monitoring the cooking and the prep time.

 

I don't get upset if someone doesn't like a new recipe I have cooked or prepared. Usually, in my house, it won't be all who don't like it anyway. I made a Chicken Ragout with Autumnal Vegetables last week and three of us loved it, one thought it was good enough to make again, and one didn't like it at all. The one who didn't like it is my only non cook in the house and she likes very plain food. I wasn't surprised she didn't like it and that my two kids who are cooks did.

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What do you mean by making cereal took 4 hours? I don't think any food I make, no matter how complicated, ever takes four hours of my time. The food may take more than four hours to cook or wait but my work never takes that long. And that includes all sorts of intricate foods I have made such as cream puffs, Beef Bourgenion, elaborate cakes, etc. None have ever taken four hours of my working time. If the cereal actually takes four hours of your time to make (not let sit, or bake or anything passive) I think that is way too much investment to be worth it. I make a type of oatmeal where I cook for about ten minutes, have it sit overnight, and then cook again in the morning- I count the time as the total time I spend actively monitoring the cooking and the prep time.

 

 

Have you ever made a crockenbouche? Granted, it's not CEREAL, but it does take a long, long time.

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I will post recipies in another thread when I get home. DS tried it dry declared it wonderful and that he was eager to try it. He poured the entire container into a huge bowl added milk took one bite and was done. I made enough for everyone for a week.

 

Then you need to pour it out for him or supervise him while he does it.

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Yes I would! Whether rational or not, I would be upset at the waste of ingredients, milk and time! It doesn't matter whether it was 4 hours or 1 hour...it was still your time that I presume you spent on your family, not just one person. To have it wasted is really a shame. Yep, I would have been really angry that one child thought he could take what was meant for an entire family. Do you usually permit him to eat the equivalent of a box of cereal in one sitting? Maybe he is used to doing this??

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Not for anything, but if you're spending 4 hours making your own cereal, it's costing you a lot more in time and effort than the "arm and a leg" you'd pay for packaged cold cereal. Your time is worth money, too, and spending 4 hours of it to make some cereal doesn't seem like a money-saver (or a great use of your time) to me.

 

Honestly, if you were only spending an hour making the cereal, that would seem too long, as well.

 

Sorry to sound so critical, but I'm just not understanding the rationale behind this. :confused:

 

I agree. 4 hours to make one bowl worth of cereal (since OP said he poured all of it) is crazy.

 

But, I would be angry at the waste even if it was a $1.00 box of purchased cereal. I can't stand when the kids waste food. Although, was putting it in the fridge meant to leave it for someone else and therefore, not waste it?

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Then you need to pour it out for him or supervise him while he does it.

 

There is no way I'm doing that for an otherwise normal 8 year old. I use smaller bowls, but another thing to try would be putting a measuring cup in the cereal and letting them know how many scoops is a reasonable as a serving. Only 1 will fit in my small bowls, 2 in a large bowl.

 

And again, this is not about controlling their food or dieting or whatever. I don't care if they make and eat four bowls. I do care that a large portion of our food is just being thrown away.

 

I'm willing to give them the tools and show them ways to do it themselves.

 

But umm no. I'm not pouring an 8 year old's cereal for him and supervising every bowl.

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There is no way I'm doing that for an otherwise normal 8 year old. I use smaller bowls, but another thing to try would be putting a measuring cup in the cereal and letting them know how many scoops is a reasonable as a serving. Only 1 will fit in my small bowls, 2 in a large bowl.

 

And again, this is not about controlling their food or dieting or whatever. I don't care if they make and eat four bowls. I do care that a large portion of our food is just being thrown away.

 

I'm willing to give them the tools and show them ways to do it themselves.

 

But umm no. I'm not pouring an 8 year old's cereal for him and supervising every bowl.

 

I see that as a form of supervising. The measuring cup is a very good idea, btw.

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Mrs. Mungo, I have never made crockenbouche but if I made it the way Food Network recommends, I think it would involve probably actually still less than 4 hours of active cooking or prep time. In my estimation, it would be close=probably something like 3 to 3.5 hours, but not four. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/croquembouche-recipe/index.html. But since I am not a cream puff fan personally and I don't want to have my kids and husband eat so many cream puffs, I don't think I will be making it anytime soon. :)

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Mrs. Mungo, I have never made crockenbouche but if I made it the way Food Network recommends, I think it would involve probably actually still less than 4 hours of active cooking or prep time. In my estimation, it would be close=probably something like 3 to 3.5 hours, but not four. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/gale-gand/croquembouche-recipe/index.html. But since I am not a cream puff fan personally and I don't want to have my kids and husband eat so many cream puffs, I don't think I will be making it anytime soon. :)

 

My best friend (who had been an exchange student in France and whose parents are Francophiles) had a huge one as her wedding cake. The pastry chef cried. She said it took her ten hours and swore that she would never make another one. ;)

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Oh my!

 

I once used a whole bottle of shampoo and couldn't understand why my mom was upset. Once I was a mom I realized why she had been angry and how I threw off her budget.

 

The shampoo I used up was Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific, btw.

 

Well, of course you did. That stuff smell GREAT!

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I wouldn't be livid....but I'm not understanding why every one's making such a big deal about the 4 hours part, and doing it in sort of an"unfriendly" way. Maybe it's not actually 4 whole hours of work, but some part of it has to cook, and cool, etc, and it ends up being a 4 hour process?

 

I'm sorry he messed it up. Perhaps it can be saved by baking it. Kids can certainly act irrational at times. I used to know a little girl who would scream bloody murder if her pop tart was broken coming out of the toaster, but she's a lovely, highly intelligent, calm and mature 17 year old now.

 

 

Because if only people who spent 4 hours making cereal responded to this thread then there would be no replies. But honestly, I think most people have said that it would bother them and have tried to suggest some ways to handle it.

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I might agree in some circumstances. However, she usually makes this, but made it differently this time. He might have filled with the amount that he would usually have eaten, but after taking a couple of bites he realized it wasn't the same. So, I would consider it a failed cooking experiment rather than wastefulness on the child's part in this case.

 

 

 

And he's only 8. The very young can be fairly clueless.

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NO one's being unfriendly. I hate that you have to start a post with "I don't mean this in an unloving way because mooshy mooshy mooshy....."

 

I think we are actually curious why LOL.

 

 

 

That. And because it's cereal, not lobster and steak. Sometimes I don't finish everything I put on my plate. Dh will eat it. DH would also probably eat that cereal. Especially if it got soggy. He likes cereal soggy.

 

I give the child extra credit for putting it in the fridge. He didn't pour it down the drain.

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Why I make homemade cereal:

 

1. I am really cheap.

 

2. DS loves cereal.

 

3. Cold cereal is something DS can make himself while I do my mourning routine (I am mourning being away from my nice warm bed)

 

4. I have never mastered the art of cooking oatmeal and not having it turn into paste everytime. Don't judge.

 

5. On nonacedemic heavy mornings we are up dressed and gone before 8am and I am not getting up any earlier to cook a hot breakfast.

 

6. I rotate homemade cereal with frozen waffles, pancakes, sausage egg and cheese biscuits and breakfast burritos. All are homemade and all are cooked in large batches and are enough to feed the entire family for 1-2 weeks. I generally also prepare homemade snacks and other grab and go foods every Sunday.

 

7. I have way more time than I have money. I have 4 hours but not $40 to spend on premade boxed cereal.

 

8. Because I know exactly what in is it.

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Why I make homemade cereal:

 

1. I am really cheap.

 

2. DS loves cereal.

 

3. Cold cereal is something DS can make himself while I do my mourning routine (I am mourning being away from my nice warm bed)

 

4. I have never mastered the art of cooking oatmeal and not having it turn into paste everytime. Don't judge.

 

5. On nonacedemic heavy mornings we are up dressed and gone before 8am and I am not getting up any earlier to cook a hot breakfast.

 

6. I rotate homemade cereal with frozen waffles, pancakes, sausage egg and cheese biscuits and breakfast burritos. All are homemade and all are cooked in large batches and are enough to feed the entire family for 1-2 weeks. I generally also prepare homemade snacks and other grab and go foods every Sunday.

 

7. I have way more time than I have money. I have 4 hours but not $40 to spend on premade boxed cereal.

 

8. Because I know exactly what in is it.

 

 

I'm not sure I understand why you're so angry, then. The time invested in making the cereal doesn't seem to be an issue with today's situation based on #7. The money invested doesn't seem to be much based on #1. The entire batch of cereal not being eaten doesn't seem to matter much based on #6.

 

I think the only bit I can offer for advice would be to reevaluate #3. It doesn't seem like portioning cold cereal or making a firm decision on cold cereal for breakfast is something your DS has truly mastered. You may need to offer more supervision here. You may need to reevaluate #5, too. Getting up earlier sucks, sure. You may have to, though, until your DS can be relied on to make a decision on what he's going to eat, stick to the decision, and serve himself a normal portion.

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I don't love my family enough to spend 4 hrs making cereal.

 

 

And you don't make your husband breakfast either. :rolleyes:

 

Mmmmmm waffles. Now those sound good. With gobs of butter and maple syrup. If my kids eat cold cereal they are hungry withing 5 minutes.

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And you don't make your husband breakfast either. :rolleyes:

 

Mmmmmm waffles. Now those sound good. With gobs of butter and maple syrup. If my kids eat cold cereal they are hungry withing 5 minutes.

I know. Epic Mom/Wife fail.

 

Quick, someone come get them all from me before my wretchedness damages them beyond hope!

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Hm, that looks good. I'm going to have to try that.

 

 

You can multiply the amounts to make bigger batches and you can substitute pretty much all of the ingredients for other things. I don't think I've ever made the same batch twice because I just use whatever I happen to have on hand.

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