To not understand adult food vs kids food?

yeah, I wish wish wish I'd done this with DD. Lots of starters are things that at that age I think she would have eaten - I would definitely do this now if I had my time again. And now we have a child who is quite difficult (although eating out is easy enough as she likes plain meat/chicken or burgers).

I've got an autistic child would literally vomit on the table if forced to eat certain foods so there is a case for a bit of adaptation depending on the child.

I am not British either OP. I saw a little bit of this attitude when I moved to America and much more of it here. Continental Europeans, Middle Eastern cultures and Asians seem to care more about introducing young DC to a variety of foods as early as is appropriate, in a happy way. Much better for the DC IMO.

Mine ate what we ate generally but calamari is a particular choking hazard because of the rubbery texture so I was a bit more cautious with that as it can be deceptive sometimes, lightly crunchy on the outside but can be rubbery and tough inside

Judgement like this always comes from very narrow minded people who have nothing better to do than judge and criticise other people.

Rise above it and feel confident that you are feeding your child a wide range of food.

I agree OP. When dining out I often either share what's on my plate, or I order a starter from the main meal. Kids menu is usually crap pizza and chicken nuggets anyway

@x2boys
The point is they don't, my dc is autistic and very very picky but I still served a single meal, she would pick through it, very annoying, but she never got a separate meal

My 3 year old loves calamari. We don’t just buy for him either we eat it as a family. He loves tempura prawns too. What does that make us? Should I be giving him chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs?

Exactly. I would absolutely let my children wither away until they reached a Mumsnet approved size waistband.

My dc ate the same as me from the start so I don't get it at all. I have a lovely photo from when my youngest was 3, sitting with friends children (similar age, some younger some older all munching on home made sushi, this included raw fish btw. Calamari was a firm favourite too from young

Seems a really bizarre take from the other parents; This is how your kid ends up being a picky eater or worse develops ARFID - expose them to as much variety as possible when they're younger.

And if they continued to leave it ,you just wouldn't feed them?
Irs all very well being judgey when you have a child that will eat anything ,some kids would rather starve

They're jealous 😄😄

I'm also a little jealous op, my dd only eats a handful of food, mostly meat and sweeties!

Keep raising your baby to be a great eater, you're doing nothing wrong 😊

We have one meal, kids eat the same thing, wide range of tastes and flavours etc, and I still have a 10 year old who’s favourite food is the most basic cheese and tomato pizza, beans on (white) toast or toad in the hole. She’ll eat the stuff we make but would never ever choose it for herself! Kids are drawn to crap food, god knows why but they are.

It really isnt. Most people wouldn't comment on someone else's choices like that, because its rude. But some people are pricks, regardless of where they are from.

My daughter pretty much always ate whatever adults were having (puréed/ mashed/ cut up when she was a baby). She likes strong flavours, spicy foods and is an adventurous eater (I’m the opposite). I think it’s much more usual for them to prefer plainer food with consistent texture. Part of this is probably what they’re used to/ how they were weaned and part is personality/ preference but it’s definitely more usual for them to want chicken nuggets than calamari. So there’s no mystery why your friends think it’s unusual- it is. Kids often fuss with their food, or leave a lot of food on their plate which is why some people would think of ordering them from the adult menu as a waste. They seem to think it’s unusual rather than judging you for it so I don’t understand why it bothers you and you say you’re judging them but don’t say anything..was it the tone they were using or something?

Some kids will only eat beige food ,my son is 18 now and has just discovered a love for curries, and chilli etc, but wouldn't have entertained them when he was younger
Maybe people need to stop judging whst other people feed their kids and concentrate on their own kids ?

I'm in the same camp as you. One meal, take it or leave it.

I am very lazy. Thats why I fed mine spicy curries and fermented foods as that"s what we eat.
Tim Spector now seems to be saying this is a good thing.

I didn't encounter it at home (European country) before moving to the British isles.

I used to find it strange as the other PP as I'd no kids, but now that I'm more familiar with how kids are at meals I think it's a good idea.

Given how much food kids might leave on the plate, throw away etc, it saves a lot of waste on 'adult' food, not as bad if it's kids food wasted.

Its a British culture thing I think. Ever since I moved here I've been shocked at the rubbish people's children seem to eat. Fresh nice food is never a waste. Yet children's food here seems to be processed a lot

As someone who feels strongly that her DD's fussy eating is at least partially the fault of DD's parents (yes, me and DH) because when we weaned her, I was really busy and not around a lot plus had recently lost my mum so wasn't exactly on the ball and DH frankly has the cooking/food skills of a 2 year old... and as a result, she ate way too many fish fingers, spag bol and chicken nuggets, I'd say your approach is by far the better one!!!

I mean, buying your child a filet steak if they're only going to eat 3 bites is a waste, sure, but if they're eating the food and it's not bad for them, I'd say go ahead (and yes, both of my DC will sometimes order steak in restaurants, and that's fine by me).

Some kids are much fussier than others - I have a two year old and a five year old, weaned the same way and get served the same foods now, and the two year old eats whatever he's given whereas the five year old will go hungry rather than eat something he doesn't like.

He won't eat most fruit, or melted cheese/creamy sauce for example. He does actually love fish and seafood though, and would happily eat calamari. Calamari actually is beige food, really.

That said, feeding jarred baby food to a 3 year old is extreme. At 3, I think it's sensible to give them a bit of what you're eating but have a backup like bread or a banana on hand to make sure they do actually eat something.

It's not a "British" thing it's a laziness thing. Although if you were truly lazy you'd only cook everyone one meal.