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Original poster

"Kids food" or just family meals?

27 replies

NoblyBobly · 07/04/2024 13:04

I was brought up eating the same as my parents, although mum did make some adjustments for things me and my brother didn't like. I have done the same with my kids and adapt to suit. Eg a milder curry, blending a sauce to hide the onions.
One of my dc has autism and severe learning difficulties and it has been challenging to deal with their very limited diet but after 16 years I can now serve up meals that everyone will eat. There was a time when autistic dc would only eat bananas, bread, dry cereal, plain pasta. I remember being so excited the day they ate a sandwich for the first time!!!
Many of dc friends are served different food to their parents, we went out to friends once and there was a fabulous buffet laid out but the kids were given a selection of nuggets, chips and were not offered the buffet food which was fresh salads and grilled meats.
At what age do people switch to family meals and stop doing different for their kids?

OP posts:

meganorks · 07/04/2024 18:50

Before kids I always assumed I'd give them what I had. However that isn't what happened. Several reasons. Firstly my youngest is a very fussy eater and barely eats anything - pretty much, plain, bland stuff. But also me and my DH eat late and eat a lot of spicy food. The kids would want dinner about 5 and DH isn't even home.
We've started to have more meals with my eldest though who likes most things.

Fiddlerdragon · 07/04/2024 18:58

ohpumpkinseeds · 07/04/2024 15:54

I do a mix of both to be honest, because sometimes I want what would be called a "kids tea" like fish fingers waffles and beans

I think balance is important so they eat a lot of home made stuff but also sometimes McDonald's etc.

This. We eat the same but that can be burgers/pizza/goujons if we fancy it, as well as ‘adult’ meals. Actually got really annoyed at a thread the other day where the op was doing a big spread for her family. She was wringing her hands because her family’s idea of a lovely spread is Iceland party food, but she couldn’t even entertain the thought of contaminating her house with beige food, she’d rather present them with stuff they won’t eat. My kids are not fussy at all but there is stuff they won’t eat (ds mexican foods, dd casserole/gravy dishes). I always have jackets, fish fingers and salad in which they know how to make when they want to pass on dinner

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