To be totally p**ss** off that my children will not eat the foo that I prepare for them?

[hennipenni]

All home cooked food, freshly made and they faff and fidget and moan and strop about eating it, so I lost my temper, it's all gone in the bin and they're having nothing else to eat untill breakfast tomorrow. There, rant over.

FOOD

I'm not sure I'd eat foo either

You did the right thing, maybe next time put it in the fridge and they can have it cold the next day. We have got more strict with ours, as even though they do eat really well, there are times when they don't eat much dinner but then get through 2 or 3 puddings.

That made me , liberally helped by wine!

Don't worry, hennipenni, they're probably not hungry. Will you come and cook at our house?!

I always cook healthy dinners when looking after my step daughter and she often takes one mouthful, spits it out and says 'ergh that's disgusting' which makes my blood boil. Sorry its not a chicken nugget and chip white bread sandwich ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

hellobello, they were hungry, they are old enough to know what will happen if they don't eat whjat I cook. Of course I will cook for you as long as you promise to eat it

Durdle, I have a friend who regulaly serves up "ergh" to her daughter, as she will always ask what it is and then say "ergh"!

good one- might try that. Maybe you could just try not feeding them? Think of the money you'd save on food. You could spend it on shoes. Much more rewarding!

Oh goody good!!

I absolutely agree with you Hennipeni, it is so demoralising. The things I try to remind myself are:
Give them really small portions, then a) they are less likely to feel daunted by it b) you can always give them more if they want it and c) if they don't eat it there's less waste and you can use/save what's left in the pan - or freeze it to try again at some other time.
DO NOT feed them anything else, either at mealtimes or in between. If they come in asking for a snack, even if it's fruit, say that they can only have snacks when they eat their meals. If they're hungry, they'll eat what you make them.
I know it doesn't really solve your problem, but it might help you cope a bit better!

Ah, yes - my situation is a little different in that ds1 (21) and ds2 (19) forget to tell me they won't be eating at home. I cook a meal and discover only dh, dd and I are eating it, so the rest either is refridgerated on plates or as this pm, I gave dh two pork chops and dd and I had one and half each instead

I also find that it is easier to have some ready meals in the freezer so if the opposite happens and they come in ravenous, they can get their own. It's not the way I'd like it, but they aren't moving out anytime soon and we just have to adapt, eh?

One tip I was given re:trying different foods is to put the item in a serving dish and ask people to help themselves, they can have as little or as much as they wish, the only request being they at least try some. Seems to help them have the feeling of control over something, LOL!

Oh, and try to be as disinterested about the whole thing as you can, meal battles are not good for family harmony!!

yum..........