Spending a fortune on food when out and about

[isthisaplum]

But whenever I make a picnic neither one of my children seems to eat much (with one barely touching it.)

This is also likely to be a problem at preschool when she starts in September. She just takes the filling out of sandwiches and that’s it usually, bar a few crisps. Has anyone got any suggestions as to what they might actually eat? DD is very fussy. Ds not so much but doesn’t tend to stay in one place for long to actually eat!

Just let them be fussy and avoid giving in and giving crisps or biscuits and buying stuff that looks more appealing

if you didn’t have the money they would sharp get used to eating what is available

it may take a few goes to reset their expectations

unless they are losing weight you just have to ride out the fussiness

@backformoreofthesame my DD just doesn’t eat … I don’t give her junk; a standard packed lunch would be a sandwich, some crisps, fruit and cucumber sticks but she just eats the filling from the sandwich and leaves the bread then picks at a few crisps. It’s a pain and can affect behaviour so I worry about preschool.

Sandwiches can be limp and soggy. Could you provide the sandwich filling with a little fork in a tub, and then a small roll or some breadsticks or crackers?

You could try cubes of cheese with halves of cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices or little chunks of cooked broccoli

Or you could try a cold pasta salad in a little pot - fusilli with pesto and broccoli and peas might work.

Most kids don’t mind cold food as they take so long to eat they are used to it!

My kids would rather starve all day than eat a packed lunch they don’t enjoy.

Yes same here … we’re out a lot at the moment and food is an issue!

Broccoli is one of the few vegetables she will eat so I’ll try that, thank you

Little ones tend to eat more if they get to construct their food. Maybe diy wraps/sandwiches?

as soon as you stress and give in you reinforce a pattern - I don’t need to eat that I can get nicer

and “nicer” is often addictive and harmful . And that’s a big problem

they can survive on very little and missing the odd meal doesn’t seem to hurt them and is better than seeking out the food thrills for them

we have so lost our way with food I can understand it’s hard to know what to do

Imagine growing up in 1950. When the uk was at its healthiest. Slim fit and active. Rationing still around. If you didn’t eat you starved. And children didn’t starve. Food choice was very limited. There often was no filling other than butter. yet people were eating more healthily than we do with all out choice , all the exciting exotic fruit and veg. And sweets and crisps and chocolate spread and fancy stuff with dressings that contain all sorts of weird stuff designed to get you hooked

stop worrying. Let them take it or leave it. They may have a few tantrums. They will learn

Make a bento box sort of thing with cubes of cheese, bread sticks, cucumber sticks, hummus, etc sandwiches are only ok if chilled properly in my opinion. They will eat, the trick is to sit them down for x minutes and even if they don’t eat they don’t get to get up and play, it’s not forcing them to eat but instead it’s saying you might as well eat because the fun thing isn’t happening now

@backformoreofthesame I do think you’ve misunderstood a bit, sorry. She isn’t demanding alternatives, she just … barely eats, I suppose!

She does tend to eat a good dinner but breakfast can be an issue and so can lunch if we’re not at home so a hot lunch in other words. I’m just not having much success with packed lunch / picnic style food. Sorry if I sound like an arse, I don’t mean to, but I didn’t post for a big lecture!

Cubes of emmenthal, edam
Bread sticks
Carrot batons
Cucumber batons
Will she eat hummus?
Halved cherry tomatoes
Wafer thin ham
Chicken skewer
Strawberries
Blueberries
Santsuma (1/2)
Grapes
Petits filou

DD would always eat a slice of buttered feuit bread.

Try to remember they don't need very much.

Don’t worry!
ok do as I say not do - I spent years worrying about the lack of eating by DD
but she kept growing and she was full of energy if not beans and she’s grown up pretty good and healthy - slim and marathon running

Mine didn’t like sandwiches. I’d do cheese, or hard boiled egg, or chicken drumstick for example, some vegsticks, a corn cob, crackers, fruit.

Did Ai suggest your post title - it doesn't match the content hence why people are confused! The title reads like you are having to rebuy food.

No, I wrote it, sorry! Apologies for confusion - I meant I’m spending a fortune on hot food when out and about as it’s pointless bringing a picnic no one eats!

So your dc only wants hot food or she won't eat?

Don’t buy the hot food
say you can’t afford it
and let her sort herself out over time

edit cold turkey is the only way ( sorry!)

My 4 year old boy eats best when all the food is deconstructed. He has never touched a sandwich! But will eat buttered bread, separate cheese, etc.

Tapas bits no sandwiches.
Humous ,wheat breadsticks , cucumber sticks , cheese dips , crisps , slices of turkey /chicken pieces /grapes...all in little pots and arranged to look pretty....nothing overwhelming.

My DS is the same. Won't eat sandwiches but will eat the ham and cheese out of them!
I've found just giving the ham, cheese or chicken on its own in a lunchbox works. I'll also buy the packs of mini cocktail sausages and put a few in a box too.
I have the re-usable snack bags and put some cereal in them (shreddies/Cheerios). Freezer bags work too.
Petit filous, grapes and strawberries also seem to go down well.
My boy seems to have an aversion to carbs. It's so stressful!

It’s not quite that simple but generally I struggle to get her to eat a meal that’s a sort of picnic or packed lunch type, if that makes sense.

So at home, she’ll eat a bit of macaroni cheese and broccoli, stir fry (although she’ll pull some stuff out of it!) chilli, fish cakes, mashed potatoes and broccoli (I should buy shares in broccoli) home made pizza and sometimes spaghetti bolognaise although that’s a bit more hit and miss. She’ll also eat my roast chicken dinners, although usually will only eat the broccoli (sigh!) and not the carrots.

Snack wise she’ll sometimes eat a bit of watermelon, banana or strawberries but I can’t seem to get her to eat them in a meal. So for example if she has a cheese sandwich, some strawberries and some mini cheddars, she’ll eat a bit of cheese, a few mini cheddars and ignore the strawberries!

Flask of hot pasta? Soup? Beans?

One of mine wouldn’t eat sandwiches and still isn’t keen. She would each cheese, she would eat a slice of bread/croissant/bare roll, but not stacked in sandwich form. I either did deconstructed sandwich, flask of pasta and sauce, or a salad. She’s nearly an adult and still wouldn’t choose to eat a sandwich, but will manage one if necessary. Very few children will actually starve themselves, but many don’t need that much food. And there is a whole world in between a sandwich and a hot meal bought while out and about.

We had this now I’ve bought a container with 8 little compartments so she has a little bit of a few things….. and loves it!

I’m also the person who cuts her sandwiches into shapes with tiny cutters I bought of Amazon 😂

Fish and heart shaped sandwiches for the win…… but she eats a regular triangle shape while at nursery so don’t be too worried about preschool!!

Would she eat crackers ? Like a deconstructed kunchable

She's got good taste - she likes a meal! I'm not a fan of sandwiches either- would she like one of the metal bento lunch boxes with bits of things to eat - the 5 metal compartment ones would be great if she would.