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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

401 replies

pinkclouds · 07/10/2010 21:36

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.

OP posts:
phipps · 08/10/2010 07:52

Isn't mince and potatoes just like shepherd's pie but with less stuff in it and not quite as nice?

Chandon · 08/10/2010 07:57

I would be cross if my DC refused to eat at someone`s house, whatever it is.

I always tell them they have to at least try it, eat as much as they can, and if it is really impossible for them to eat more to say: "Thank you, it was delicious but I am not very hungry today".

My oldest DC is a fussy eater, and I do not encourage pandering to it, so if he goes to someone`s house I just tell the mum to give him a small portion, so as not to waste any food.

Also, I am SICK of smug posters who think fussy children are the result of pandering parents.

I have one fusspot, and one child who eats anything, they were BORN that way. The fussy one refused powdered milk as a baby FFS; and any food from a jar/tin. I do not encourage the fuss, or pander, but he does not eat mince. What can you do?!

Any visiting children at my house get whatever I have in the fridge, if they do not like it they can have bread and buter.

piscesmoon · 08/10/2010 08:10

I would put things in separate bowls and let them help themselves otherwise you don't know if they are just put off by the size of portion. If they don't like it give bread and butter and say to the parent when they collect 'I'm sorry-he didn't like the meal -he has only had bread and butter'. I wouldn't get upset about it.

diddl · 08/10/2010 08:33

Plain pasta with "sides"?

Well, we´re all different, but my children would turn their noses up at that tbh.

They´d eat it at someone elses to be polite but would think pasta not in a sauce is odd.

Spag bol is usually the way to go here for childrens tea.

kittens · 08/10/2010 08:48

My DD is a really fussy eater - she has been since 1 year old, but the food she eats is really healthy, just not kids food. She loves fish, but not in finger a whole fish of any kind head and all, she can take it apart and loves it and will pick it off the bones. She won't eat spag bol, pizza, nuggets, burgers, but will eat steak or any roast dinner. For veg it has to be carrots or sweetcorn and carbs are usually rice or pasta, but not potatoes (unless roast). It has taken years of her not eating to come up with a list of foods she will eat. When she goes to visit friends I do pre-warn the mums and suggest perhaps pasta would be a safe bet. If you have a child who has problems with food it is difficult, but I see her going to friends more about having fun with her friends than having food - I can always feed her when she gets back, so don't worry if a visiting child doesn't eat missing 1 meal won't do them any harm.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 08/10/2010 08:56

Loads of these failsafes people are listing DS wouldn't touch with a bargepole - plain pasta, baked beans, chicken nuggets.

I think people who haven't eaten mince and potatoes are getting a bad impression of it. I soften some onion, add steak mince and then a little beef stock. Then tomato puree and some diced carrot. Cover and cook for 20 mins or so. Serve with buttery mash. What's not to like??
And I'm a southerner - my Mum is from the Midlands though so maybe that's it. We used to have this about once a week when I was growing up.

TrillianAstra · 08/10/2010 08:59

OP will you please describe your mince and potatoes for us?

evs34 · 08/10/2010 09:06

you all need to get over yourselves! isn't spag bol made with mince?!
mince and pots are far better than processed junk like chips and the like. live and let live. if they don't eat what they are offered then they go hungry. cannot stand fussy eaters.

TrillianAstra · 08/10/2010 09:08

evs you are wrong - roast potatoes (potatoes + fat) friend potatoes (potatoes + oil) mashed potatoes (potatoes + butter) are no 'better' than chips (potatoes + oil).

pagwatch · 08/10/2010 09:10

mashed potatos ( potato + butter + milk or cream + sometimes cheese )

[chubbster]

[chip dodger]

BigOfNoorks · 08/10/2010 09:19

Both my dc will eat mince and mash I usually do them separate to save time but put the same ingredients in I don't see what is wrong with it Confused.

rubylou · 08/10/2010 09:26

my ds will not eat mince and mash and has trouble using a knife and folk but this is due to co-ordination problems and medical issues with swallowing certain texture food i wont expect any other parent to judge his upbringing on just 1 meal time

rubylou · 08/10/2010 09:27

and he is 7!

evs34 · 08/10/2010 09:40

depends if the chips you buy have ever seen a potato i suppose!!!
pagwatch - that mash sounds yummy!

Jaybird37 · 08/10/2010 09:42

I cook whatever I was planning to cook, taking into account veg, kosher, food allergies etc.

I think that having to eat stuff at other people's homes is one way that kids do get their palates educated. It is certainly how my two learnt to eat curry, as I do not cook that at home.

However, I always say to visiting kids that the deal in my house is that everyone has to taste everything, but no more than that. When the meal is over, if the visitor has not eaten anything, I might offer bread and butter.

notso · 08/10/2010 09:48

Mince in onion gravy and mash is lovely, though an ex once cooked me that wierd frozen pellet type mince and smash with bisto on, if OP cooked that then definately unreasonable.

Can't believe people haven't heard of putting milk in mince based dishes, I can't make cottage pie, meatballs, bolognaise etc without it, and you shouldn't say you don't like it until you have tried it. Isn't that what you tell your DC?

Dancergirl · 08/10/2010 10:08

'I put a dash of milk into bolognese sauce, as recommended by Nigella'

Nigella....? Shame on her - she's Jewish!!

ornamentalcabbage · 08/10/2010 10:15

Mince and potatoes is lovely if it's cooked nicely. Mmmm. Cottage / shepherds pie is a regular dinner in our house and if we were having that when visiting children were with us then they would get some too. I probably would check with their mum or dad in advance what they will eat unless it was a last minute arrangement.

MaMoTTaT · 08/10/2010 10:17

I've never heard of putting milk into mince either - and I cook mince regularly (just not for mince and tatties because of my fussy potato thing

AS for Nigella - I ended up watching her for the first time last night - fFS cherry tomatoes on a cake stand, celery in a vase - - ermm ok.

diddl · 08/10/2010 10:19

If you don´t put celery in a vase, what do you you with it?

MaMoTTaT · 08/10/2010 10:20

well - to be honest I wouldn't do anything with celery other than feed it to the rabbit (if I had one) - vile stuff - totally pointless, like green peppers

PinkieMinx · 08/10/2010 10:21

Celery goes in the bin - it's rightful home Smile

SlightlyJaded · 08/10/2010 10:23

Sorry but mince and potatos sounds horrible but maybe you've undersold what you actually did with the mince and potatoes.....???

ShirleyKnot · 08/10/2010 10:25

I am so angry right now.

Shepherds pie is made with LAMB MINCE, was it LAMB MINCE OP? I bet it wasn't LAMB MINCE I bet it was BEEF MINCE.

Beef mince and potatoes is COTTAGE PIE, not SHEPHERDS PIE you stupid bunch of mothers.

GOD.

My mum used to make "savoury" mince and we had it with chips and gravy. SHe used to put baked beans in it, the pervert.

MaMoTTaT · 08/10/2010 10:26

PMSL SK

Having a bad day????