What do you feed others peoples dc?

[feedingotherspeoplesdc]

My dc eat anything, and everything. It seems I'm very lucky in this regard.

Because whenever we have other children over to play I ask if there are allergies/ preferences and all the parents say "no she'll eat anything!"

They don't. They never do. Bolognese has been rejected. Cottage pie. Omelette. Stir fry. Beef stew. Basically everyday food. I'm not serving sushi!.(Albeit rejected by different children over a period of many playdates)

It seems whenever dc go to others houses they have chicken nuggets or fish fingers and chips. Which I'm fine with but don't have a freezer so can't make at home.

Am I supposed to offer the children alternative meals? I don't , I just take away their picked at plate and give them a glass of milk, telling their parents they didn't each much when they are collected. Aibu not to offer the unspoken fixed menu of chicken nuggets and chips when I host others dc? Surely they eat bolognese etc at home?

Children are weird. If a dish is slightly different to the version they're used to they'll reject it!

I don't think YABU - they won't starve for not having much dinner one evening. I would carry on as you are and not worry too much!

You can get chicken nuggets in the fridge section, and chips.
I'd just go with nuggets/fish fingers plus some kind of potato thing and token veg because most kids will eat that. Or pasta and tomato sauce

My DC is extremely fussy (although he’s improving massively) but it’s a stress point for him - he’ll eat things at home with me because he feels safe and won’t necessarily try them at other places.

Having said that, if he goes anywhere I tell people he’s very fussy and a peanut butter sandwich will be fine and is his favourite.

If a child comes here I’d ask what their favourite is and try to serve that but I agree - pasta etc would seem like a safe choice.

YANBU all the meals you mention sound like good, child friendly meals. I wouldn't change what you normally offer if that's not what you would normally eat. Obviously it would be different if the parent told you of any special requirements

Pizza with cut up cucumber and carrots. Easy and suits most children inc halal, veggie etc. Usually shop bought, sometimes homemade. Children may well eat bolognaise, cottage pie at home but everyone makes it differently and they may not be comfortable eating something different looking in a strange house. Often they are so busy and excited playing they don’t want much anyway.

What about home made Pizza, Although most parents know that their DC might not eat much in a pals house. I would go for fruit and popcorn for snacks they won't starve.

I do tacos a lot as I just put everything out and everyone
can make their own. I just use the standard packet mix for the meat sauce that everyone seems to use!
BBQ and salad or roast usuallyget eaten too

Same as Ifonlyfor1day we do homemade Pizza.

Tortilla wrap, pizza topper, grated cheese & whatever toppings they fancy.

They take 3/4 minutes in the oven, which means that patience isn't being tested too.

I think the meals you offer sound great however they are the sort of dish that everyone has their own version of. So even if they happily eatvit at home, yours will inevitably look and taste s bit different.

I tend to give a choice of 2 or 3 things depending what I've got in and ask the guest to choose which they'd prefer. Typical things would be: sausages, fish fingers, pizza, mash, chips, peas, beans, carrots, jacket potato, beans on toast.

We always do him made pizza. Tortilla wrap base, sauce and then whatever they want. It's messy but it a) kills time and b) they mostly eat something.

Home made not him!

I mainly offer fishfingers/sausages/hotdogs with veg and chips. Sometimes make your own pizzas. I know it isn't the best meal, but fine for one night and not worth stressing over food with other people's children in my opinion.

The meals you offer sound lovely though!

Tomato pasta. Always tomato pasta. Occasionally oven pizza or fish fingers and smiley faces etc. My kids are very adventurous and eat everything, but kids are funny when something tastes different to how it does at home so I avoid anything remotely adventurous when hosting play dates

Rather than just ask about allergies I would ask what the children actually do like. Kids can be weird about food! Eg my son (5) wouldn’t eat any of the things you’ve mentioned but I don’t think he’s a terribly fussy eater. But he’s not keen on mince (but will eat pasta in a tomato sauce or with pesto for example) and he’s only just starting to try more red meats so he’d be wary of stew/stir fry. He doesn’t like spicy things yet either. He likes pizza but not keen on lots of melted cheese. Etc.
But I know other kids who eat curry and spicy Chinese food etc as they’re all different of course. So best to ask I reckon.

My kids are like yours, but with outsiders I would probably do jacket potatoes with a selection of bits, pasta and cheese, Bolognese, pizza, Spanish omelette, sausage and veg, ham/cheese/salad/bread and butter

I don't think YABU but I play it a bit differently. My DC eat most stuff and just generally I prefer food that isn't pasta, sausages etc. We eat quite a lot of middle eastern stuff, not much meat. But I had a bit of a wake up call when one of the DC friends came to us two days a week for a bit. She eventually said 'I don't want to come to your house you have weird food!' when I picked her up one day. I felt bad for her that it was marring her enjoyment of being round at ours. And I don't want my DC to feel like their friends don't want to come over because of the 'weird' food. So when we have other kids over I make pizza, macaroni cheese etc. The macaroni cheese has leeks and butternut squash in, the pizza has olives and courgette on top so it's still my cooking and food I'd want to eat (I am never ever EVER cooking different meals for me and DC) but they can just pick that stuff out if they don't like it.

I cook safer food when I have other people's DC round to ours. Pasta and pesto and cheese and veg (all kept separately so they can avoid a bit they don't like). Baked potatoes (with butter and cheese if they want) and chicken breast. Fish fingers, beans and mash etc. It's just easier. My Dc will eat almost anything too.

There's no need for the frozen crap if you don't want to serve it. Homemade pizza or tomato pasta should cover it. Or even pasta and cheese for the very fussy.

Pizza or chicken nuggets etc having a friend over for dinner/play is meant to be fun. There is nothing fun about beef stew, that’s an every day healthy dinner.

I generally do pizza, garlic bread and a selection of veggies (cucumber/peppers/tomatoes and sweet corn). If there's a dairy allergy I'll do pasta and meatballs with tomato sauce and the same veggies.
I don't think mine are that fussy and will eat a section of things, but if it's cooked differently - for example big bits of onion - they would struggle to eat it.

Either jacket potatoes or plain pasta. Then put out a series of toppings: Bolognese sauce/pesto/cheese or butter/baked beans/tuna/cheese/coleslaw. Some crudités on the side.

homemade pizzas. Every time. It's easy and they like to prepare it themselves.

I generally do pizza, with garlic bread, coleslaw and salad. The salad is usually only eaten by me!

I also check with the parents when organising in a "I'm going to make pizza for tea, is that OK with x?" style of way so plenty of opportunity for them to say they don't like it etc.

Marxist polemic. Every chance i get.

If we don't know them at all: fish fingers and chips and beans/peas, or baked potatoes, or sausage and chips or cheese and tomato pizza.

As we get to know them better I'll try to feed them more normally but generally still quite conservatively.

One of ds2' friends is so fussy I've stopped trying to feed him altogether - he comes and plays then goes home for tea.

It is getting easier as they get older but I can only think of 4 of their friends who'll eat what I would consider a normal rage of food which is slightly depressing given they're now 10/12.