To not feed my dc shit, just because the kid from school won't eat it?!?

[pinkclouds]

ARRRGGGHH!!! I spent the day thinking what will this child eat? So I opted for mince and Potatoes (Not a vegetarian) fairly safe option I thought.
The friend wouldn't even try it, not only that he couldn't even use a knife and fork at 7 years!!
WTF. My DC are told to least try something before dismissing it.Maybe it's me.

Children invariably either: don't like trying new things at other peoples houses, think things taste different when cooked by someone else's Mummy (they often do) or simply try it on when at a friends for dinner (just because they can get away with it )

Pizza and salad of course is usually a winner.

Errr........ I was brought up on mince and mashed potatoes. Well, obviously not every day and my Mum used proper steak mince. We all loved it.
Was less keen on stew as occasionally there was a bit of fat but fussiness was just not allowed when I grew up. You ate it or starved.

I made mince and tatties for my two and they ate it no problem - never with cheap beef mince, always steak mince.

I can't help thinking kids today are fussier because:

a) There is way more choice now and supermarkets were rare in my childhood - you had butcher, baker, greengrocer etc.
b) They get pandered to

I just gave my two what we were having but no salt etc. added so they were not and are not now fussy eaters.

I did have times when visiting children turned up noses but going on the same manners that were drummed into me at an early age (i.e. "eat what you are given otherwise you will be very rude") I just said "Well, that's waht we are having - take it or leave it". And those kids always returned.

I am so old-fashioned aren't I??

maybe also the child is shy and eating in front of other people would be too much.

I think mince and potatoes is an odd choice, especially if you had been thinking about it all day! I tend to do homemade pizza (always goes down well, pizza dough in the breadmaker), sausages or breaded fish with pasta or happy faces, peas, carrots, tomatoes or cucumber. Then cakes or ice cream for pudding. My most fussy child to date's mum is a food technology teacher, and he won't eat any fruit or veg!

Surely the op doesn't mean just mince on its own with boiled spuds?

when I was a kid "mince 'n' 'tatoes" meant mince cooked with onions and possibly some veg in a brown gravy, poured over boiled potatoes

not cottage pie

but not plain mince and a spud either

I wouldn't give it to visiting children because I like an easy life, so I usually go for either pizza with cold veg (carrot, cucmber, peppers, tomatoes etc) or just picnic type stuff

I do fret though if I can't get them to eat anything, not because I am offended but because I am supposed to be feeding them and they need to eat

so I do go out of my way to find something they will eat, if they won't eat what I have offered

Going back to my mince in milk thing - you got me all doubting my sanity.

I googled and yes, I am right and not going mad. Apparently it is an italian thing to add milk - certainly my dh prefers it as he wouldnt eat mince normally as too grainy. You can soak the mince in a little milk or add it.

Google - all you doubter will see!

Just ask what they would like to eat,maybe?

doubters obviously, not doubter! Too much wine.

Obviously not just mince and potato - carrots, peas onion etc included!!!

there are loads of "safe" almost universally kid-friendly meals that aren't junk though

nowt wrong with beans on toast for example

probably healthier than mince and tatties

My dcs don't like pizza or burgers

one of them doesn't like beans or juice

People must think they are really fussy but they eat loads of stuff, just not some of the things that are popular as a fail safe for a visiting child.

If someone doesn't like one unfamiliar meal it doesn't mean they only eat shit and everyone else must also eat shit.

Well, op, YABU to assume the kid eats 'shit' because he didnt like what you served. And perhaps it would have made life easier all round if you had asked his parents what he liked to eat.

YANBU to think he would like mince and potatoes, all my DC eat mince. Even my fussier than fussy eats mince (although only in spag bol not cottage pie). Although he wont eat sausage or fishfingers or pizza.

Massive overthink on OPs part imho. No point in taking offence at visiting child not eating- could be all sorts of reasons- or in jumping to conclusions about their home habits. fwiw my db was not at all fussy, was brought up on sensible homecooked food, but had one single thing he couldn't face and that was meatballs- a little unfortunate as that was always assumed to be Children's Favourite Food, so a child who didn't love that had to be seriously fussy. Ds is also a little unlucky as the one thing he really has difficulty swallowing is spag bol. But I can assure you that he has a very wide diet of homecooked food and homegrown veg.

I'm also wondering how you know he cant use a knife and fork if he wouldnt even try it

If someone said to me "Dinner tonight is mince and potatoes" I'd think bleugggh, but if I'm told I'm gonna have cottage or sheppard's pie I'd think grrreeatt!.
OP, I imagine your mince and pots were lovely and tasty but you didn't sell your dinner well, not to your young guest or to many of us MNers.

I think mince and potatoes is a regional thing. It makes me think of

this book

My mum has an old 1960s copy and some of the recipes would make me boak. I recall one starting with the instruction 'take a sheep's head, singe off the hairs and split it in two' or something.

I hated mince as a child. Didn't stop my mum from cooking it every other day though.

there is nothing unhealthy about mince or potatoes

It's outrageous to suggest that a child who won't eat ONE meal 'eats shit'. It really sounds like you are trying to make yourself look or feel better.

My two are not ones for bland food.

Mince and tatties...yum.....however,visiting kids would've got spag bol or pizza.....it's only one tea after all...

Meatballs, in tomato sauce, with pasta. That's what you get here, with ice cream for afters. If you don't like it, don't eat it.

Tomorrow I am changing things slightly to serving it with rice as our visiter is allergic to egg. I have sorbet instead of ice cream.

I think DS1 thinks he is having a playdate whenever I start cooking meatballs.

I really fancy a plateful of mince and potatoes, now.

(I'm assuming that by mince, we mean onions, peas, some really good quality mince, a splash of tomato puree, some oregano... - lush)

I just couldn't do "pasta and cheese" that's so pants especially as loads don't eat cheese Urrgh not "melted cheese', not that "funny cheese" (cheddar!), I can't eat rubber cheese (Edam) etc etc.

I agree with the bit of roast meat and I do peas, carrots and something like broccoli.They will usually eat one of the three or at least try it if they see my son eating it.

It's as bad the other way...mine won't eat oven chips,baked beans,chicken nuggets or plain pasta etc so the busy mums hate having my "cook from scratch" boy round.

I want to clear something up, I am not saying everyone should have the same taste. Believe me I don't have the time or inclination to be educating other peoples kids what they should be eating!!

But I have told my kids if they go to someone's house for tea they a least make an effort to eat something on their plate, because if they were at home I would expect that!!

I have told my dcs the same. But I would not judge somebody else's dcs, or their families, when they were round my house: that is a totally different kettle of fish. Ime children are often overwhelmed and find it difficult to eat round somebody else's house.