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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it’s pointless trying to get my kids to try new food

48 replies

Midlifelights · 15/09/2020 18:14

I had the bright idea of ‘trying something new’ for me kids tea - they are 8 & 12 to get some fresh stuff into them.

Those taco bowls filled with grated carrot, tomato, avo, cucumber, beetroot, houmous and halloumi.

Both are now crying, saying they just want normal food.

Aibu to think what’s the fucking point?!

OP posts:
MummaGiles · 15/09/2020 18:15

Have they actually tried it? Or bursting into tears at the very sight of it?

Original poster
Midlifelights · 15/09/2020 18:15

Now both are just eating the edible bowl having tipped everything out of it

OP posts:
Original poster
Midlifelights · 15/09/2020 18:16

They have kind of tried a mouthful each 🙄

OP posts:
NannyR · 15/09/2020 18:17

Maybe you went too fast too soon!! Just try introducing one new thing alongside food that they like.
At those ages I would get them involved - looking up recipes they'd be interested in trying, shopping, cooking - they might be more open to trying new stuff if they have had an input in it.

Janaih · 15/09/2020 18:19

Variety is way overrated imo. As long as they are getting enough protein, carbs and nutrients then why stress about it.

Sparklfairy · 15/09/2020 18:19

What is "normal food" to them?

At 8, and especially 12, I wouldn't expect tears over some tacos if they're both NT?

Watermama · 15/09/2020 18:20

A 12 year old crying!
I do find when introducing something entirely new it's best to not go over the top maybe try the taco bowls with a more familiar filling. My DD aged 5 is seriously fussy but I'm trying to be much stricter over food.

Bluntness100 · 15/09/2020 18:20

That’s unusual. What is normal food to them as a pp asks? Kids shouldn’t be crying at the sight of salad?

JeffVaderneedsatray · 15/09/2020 18:21

midlifelights
First of all - massive unmumsnetty hugs - I have two children with massively restricted diets (Due to ASCs). Over the years I have tried to introduce new foods to no avail.
I found it massively frustrating and pretty pointless.
What I HAVE found that works is to a) Have a set day when we try new things, b) for the new thing to be new to ALL of us most of the time and c) making sure there is a 'safe' but boring food available. (In my house the 'safe' food is cream crackers.)
We have a new food on a Thursday and we have now reached a point where DS will ask to go through my cookery books and choose something he fancies.

Just take the eating of the edible bowl as a win and try again another day!

WorraLiberty · 15/09/2020 18:25

It's tough isn't it OP?

This is why I advised my nieces and their friends who have babies, to vary the finger foods massively if possible.

That way most foods are 'normal'.

A lesson I learned myself a bit too late but I got there in the end and so will you.

mbosnz · 15/09/2020 18:27

I'm with bluntness - what is normal food to them?

How many of the elements of the meal were 'new food' to them?

Bringmewineandcake · 15/09/2020 18:28

If they eat the majority of those foods regularly then I would think it would have been ok. But if the whole bowl was full of things they don't usually eat then you just went too far out of their comfort zone.

Theres a good chance I might also cry if presented with tomato, avocado and halloumi Grin

Original poster
Midlifelights · 15/09/2020 18:29

All of the food in said meal they normally eat- just maybe not together! They had those bowl things filled with bean chilli, avo, cheese & yoghurt 2 days ago! Honestly- drives me nuts!!!

OP posts:
Sirzy · 15/09/2020 18:29

It depends how far away from what they normally they have. Little changes are much more likely to be successful.

Can you involve them with meal planning and cooking to try to encourage new things?

fartyface · 15/09/2020 18:30

Is that all new food to them?

If so, yes you should give them more variety more often.

If not then just let them eat the bits thry like and encourage them to taste the new bits.

What is with the crying about it though?

SleepingStandingUp · 15/09/2020 18:30

According to the that I read this morning, doing give them anything else, and pop it in the fridge for breakfast.

Agree with others op, is this an entire new plate of foods?
Also did it come with anything else?

morefun · 15/09/2020 18:32

Mine are really boring with food. Not much has helped (they're 3 and 9). I think it's because I don't eat with them much (timing problems).

IceIceCoffee · 15/09/2020 18:33

To be honest I wouldn’t want beetroot avocado and hummus in it.
Can you try and put things separately and let them load it themselves

Original poster
Midlifelights · 15/09/2020 18:33

They eat a wide range of food normally- apparently it was the houmous that tipped them over the edge 🙄

OP posts:
MotheringShites · 15/09/2020 18:35

So they normally eat foods such as: carrot, avocado, tomato, beetroot, hummus, halloumi, bean chilli, cheese, yoghurt and I assume many others AND YOU’RE COMPLAINING!!

Sheesh, feel lucky you don’t have children who are actually fussy!!!

UntilYourNextHairBrainedScheme · 15/09/2020 18:35

Years even over a meal they didn't want to eat is insane at those ages.

My poor 9 year old sits stoicly through a meal he won't eat at least once per week. He's very fussy but in an unexpected way (will eat some very "grown up" unexpected things, won't eat rice or pasta, at all in any form ever, or anything involving mince or sauces - why won't be eat sauces but will eat home made vegetable soup with vegetable chunks - I am not sure though it seems to be 80% texture).

I serve things he doesn't like once a week, or when I'm on nights one of his siblings cooks and he doesn't like a lot of "easy" meals. I make sure he has a lunch he likes if he won't eat dinner but encourage him to try one forkful. I let him have an apple or banana if he hasn't eaten. He just sits and chats and doesn't eat. He's been doing that since he was a toddler.

Every so often, once in a blue moon, he'll start eating something he didn't used to eat. He didn't eat bananas til he was 7 but now loves them. Scrambled eggs at 8, quiche at 9 - loves those things now.

Your boys need to cut the drama, but go slow with less dramatic new introductions and be patient, keep trying once per week. It can take years.

My older two eat anything so dc3 was a surprise, some kids are easier to feed a wide range than others.

Enchantmentz · 15/09/2020 18:36

I like all those foods but I don't think I would fancy it either tbh. If I try anything new I tend to list what is in it that dd likes so she will at least try it. She is 10 quite particular with food but never had tears over it. If she doesn't want to eat it then she can have something plain or healthy snack as I am not cooking again.

Yanbu though.

Watermelontea · 15/09/2020 18:36

To be fair I wouldn’t want houmous in a taco, I wouldn’t cry about it, but I’d be a passing. Grin
Maybe try it again next time as a serve yourself type thing?

UserX · 15/09/2020 18:37

Hummus with beetroot & avocado in a taco shell bowl would tip me over the edge as well and I like all those things.

midnightstar66 · 15/09/2020 18:40

I love all those things but tbh it doesn't sound appetising together in a taco boat, I don't think I'd have eaten it either. Whether I cried might have depended on how hungry I was, how exhausted and the time of the month...

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