FUSSY CHILD AND GIVING HIM A ROAST DINNER..

[BLUESEAPARADISE]

We have DC friend over tonight and we are all having chicken pie, roast potatoes, peas, carrots and Yorkshire pudding with gravy,

The friend is incredibly fussy ( and I understand it's very difficult as my DC is fussy) however his mum has told me to give him a roast dinner just like everyone else to try and encourage him to try something.

How would you serve the meal with as little stress as possible? One potato? Or a small bit of potato? One carrot? One pea?? How about the pie?!

The friend apparently is very unlucky to try any of it but mum still wants me to serve it to him in a hope he will try!

I don't really want to overwhelm him with a large plate of food but It would be nice to say to his mum when he picks up that he has had something!

Sorry for this post I am such a worrier!

Any tips on how to support a child ( who isn't yours) who is incredibly fussy?

Shifty comments seem normal here these days.

Definitely agree about food not touching advice.

I'd serve him the meal and not indulge in any fussiness. If he says he does not want it, say 'Fair enough' and get on with eating as a family.

I would do it exactly as you do everyone else's plate. A little bit of everything, but let him know he's welcome to leave anything he doesn't like or ask for seconds of what he does. I think at least putting it all on the plate like everyone else gives him the chance to at least try everything and doesn't make a big deal about it all.

I'd never heard of 'carb heavy' till I came on MN. All this angst makes me want to cry, 'But what about all the starving children around the world!' Give him a little bit of pie and allow him to serve himself with the rest.

I eat that many carbs all the time, sounds yummy OP can I come?? Oh I'm a size 8 and hit the gym 4x a week sooooo the food police can do one, not all carb (and fast food in my case!) lovers need your useless unwanted advice! Unless you look like Adriana Lima in Sports Illustrated then I'll ask for a few tips..

Chicken pie is in no way a roast dinner. It sounds lovely, but its not a roast dinner.

My DS is a fussy one.
Luckily, roast dinner type things is what we have worked on pretty hard so DS would have the roasties & veg listed. Which is plenty of food.

If you put gravy on the plate, DS would probably refuse the lot, though. And get upset at having to get rid of the pie.

I suggest invite your guest into the kitchen when dishing up, and ask him what he would like on his plate among the items on offer.
Over all, I would not mind if you sent my son home without him having eaten much (or anything). it's what my son gets for being ridiculous. But I'd be upset if you tried to insist my son accept a plate with gravy on it.

Good advice from others about small portions, not touching, some to be self served / served at the table, and the horror of gravy!

Good luck, sounds hard with your DS being fussy too, rather draining to be in that mode 24/7.

There is nothing whatsoever wrong with the meal. Protein, carbs, veg and sauce. Everything is there. So there is a variety of carbs - and? Carbs are good for non-sedentary people, which is what children should be. A little of each carb will be fine.

As for the question: Make sure there's clear separation between different food items and give a little of each thing to begin with. is perfect, plus as has also been stated, enquire about the gravy and make it clear that the child can have more of whatever they like.

Children pick up on anxiety so if you can be as nonchalant and relaxed as possible when you serve the child they will be less likely to stress over the food.

Did he eat?

For god's sake don't give him bacon quiche though. Apparently it's the food of the devil.

Make it really, really low key. Just put a plate with very small helpings of each. Tell him he doesn’t have to eat what he doesn’t like, however he does have to stay at the table until others have finished. That he can have more off whattever he wants.

At the end of the meal, if he hasn’t eaten anything, then offer him a very plain alternative like bread and butter.

That’s it!

Thankyou everyone for your tips! I asked him if he wanted me to put a little bit of everything on his plate or if he wanted to serve himself .. he wanted me to do it so I put little portions making sure they didn't touch...

Unfortunately he didn't try any of it however my very fussy DS ( who has been living on chicken burgers and salt and vinegar crisps for the past two weeks for EVERY meal) decided he would be the human food bin and eat all of his friends roast dinner as well as his own! ( which I am shocked , over the moon - my son wanted to eat something other than burger and crisps AND WANTED SECONDS and also disappointed- his friend didn't want to try any of it)

They are now having pudding ( choice between jelly and ice cream or sponge cake and custard) however the tables have turned and my son is refusing to eat HIS pudding and his friend is eating both of their puddings himself!

I am thinking at the end of the day at least they have both had something to eat hey?! .:... even if it means one child has two portions of mains whilst the other eats two puddings

please stop calling it a roast dinner.

Did you do a roast dinner as well as a pie?

Mine would eat a roast but not a pie.

I feel for you being asked to do what his own mum struggles with. I'd say 'eat what you want and leave what you don't' and just see what he does.

People are

Well done, BLUE.

OMFG....and I though the triple carb overload was bad. But now it emerges we're in quadruple pudding land...
Kinell....

FFS, why is everyone fuffing on about whether it's a roast or not, and how many carbs......

Glad both boys ate something, op!

Yes, good they both ate and enjoyed their time together being friends

People are rude and oppressive about others' food choices. OP's meal was fine and sounded really nice.

When my dd was little I once did a picnic tea and her fussy friend ate cocktail sausages dipped in nutella

Sounds like one of my favourite meals, but it's not a roast dinner.

I'm astounded at all the critical posts, so judgemental and bloody unkind!