To make DS eat xmas dinner?

[Brmmbrmmm]

My DS is a fussy eater, he will eat a roast dinner once a week at home but it is very limited, meat, mash and 1 veg.
We have xmas dinner at a family members house each year and he always complains he doesnt want it and eats very little, I have never forced him but I always encourage him to eat it as it's one of the most healthiest meals I can actually get him to eat and I've always thought along the lines if I tell him he doesnt have to eat xmas dinner he will start refusing the normal roasts I do etc.

But I've thought to myself at the end of the day xmas food is one of the things you look forward to most on the day isn't it? IABU for wanting him to eat something he doesnt massively enjoy surely. I should let him choose what he wants to eat for one day?

What do others do if they have similar children? Everyone else in my household loves a roast and he doesn't complain when its just a normal roast!

It is a normal roast? It's just turkey.... if he doesn't like the add ons like pigs in blankets or cranberry sauce or Brussels sprouts then let him skip those bits.

Let the boy eat what he wants to. I assure you he won't starve.

I'm not sure I agree with your phrasing. I wouldn't 'make' someone eat a specific meal. I'm guessing he's otherwise healthy? So having a light meal/not much food at his Christmas dinner doesn't seem like a big problem to me.

If it was a case of doing round carrots vs batons, or leaving pepper out of the mash etc then sure I'd make adjustments to what was served. But not an entirely separate meal, which I think is what you're getting at?

Just do it 'family style' I hate that phrase. He can choose what he wants. Not sure this is even an issue if he'll eat a roast. What do you do that's so far removed from normal?

Nah just get him to eat some. Def not a different meal - my ex mil makes a separate meal for my daughter and it's made her stay the same for years! This year I'm cooking and she's having some Christmas dinner

I'd just put what he will eat on his plate and leave out anything else. If he doesn't eat it then it doesn't really matter for one meal … I'm sure they'll be lots of lovely pud/chocs/treats to fill up on at xmas.

What I wouldn't do though is put a plate of nuggets and chips or pizza in front of him on xmas day.

How old is he?

Yes it is just a normal roast with Turkey instead of the usual chicken which is what we normally have.
He doesn't have any of the extras on xmas day just the meat mash and veg but he complains about it whereas at home he'd just eat it.

We gave our fussy eater dd the option. Either eat the healthy meal we cook or leave it and go hungry that evening and have the meal reheated for breakfast.

After kicking up a fuss about how we were going to be reported for making her eat healthy food and and missing a meal, she's tried the food, discovered that she now likes a lot of the stuff we can cook and is happy to try new things.

You dish it up and let him eat what he wants. Just don't force it. He won't go hungry on Christmas Day, there's always food around!
Do you really want an argument or fight on Xmas day over food? Will he eat any pudding?

I would just let him eat the parts he wants ,Xmas is stressful enough particularly this year it's not worth getting into a battle about imo

Ah! This could be me and my ds! We have a roast every Sunday and he whinges about Sunday dinner but it’s one of the healthiest meals he eats as he has carrots and mash.

In years past I have added quorn nuggets as an extra for Christmas dinner but feel he needs to get over it a bit this year as now 7.

I am aiming for him to eat some Turkey breast, honey/maple carrots, mash, some brown sugar sweet potatoes and some green beans at this years Christmas dinner, I like you want him to start being excited about my favourite meal of the year!

What he eats or doesn't eat at Christmas dinner should not be the issue. What should not be an option for him is to refuse food he normally eats at home, and then expect chocolates, other sweets or any junk food at other times.

I'd speak to him before hand about it and say that you'd really like it if he could be grown up about it and eat the things he normally does without complaint. I really wouldn't cool him something different, if you do you're giving him the idea it's ok to be picky and he's right to object to the food he's being given. I would however, make sure he gets a favourite meal on a different day around Christmas.

We cater for fussers on Christmas Day, we want everyone to enjoy the meal. That's 2 vegetarians (now 3 but little Miss Fussy won't eat the nut roasts the rest do so she has something different again), only half eat Christmas pud so we have an alternative dessert that meets the preferences of those who will want it. Lots of veg and trimmings and people pick the bits they like of those. Yes it's a bit more hassle, but where's the fun in leaving people out of a big part of the fun?

If he normally eats that food, YANBU but don't see how you can make him without a scene!

can you allow him to serve himself?

Have you asked him why he complains about it on Xmas day? And not on a normal Sunday?

Well, I don't think you should (or even really can) make a child eat anything. I wouldn't cook a separate meal for anyone, but make sure there are bits that everyone likes.

Yes, for adults, food is something we look forward to at Christmas. Not so much for kids! It's all about the presents, seeing family etc.

Children are often too excited/distracted/tired to eat much Christmas dinner in my experience. My DC are 9 and 11 now, but we've always let the children in the family eat what they want then leave the table at Christmas.

It's Christmas let him eat what he wants

I just give mine the its they like. It's supposed to be an enjoyable meal, not a form of torture

There’s no way in the world my DS would eat a Christmas dinner except perhaps Yorkshire puddings (leaving out the debate over whether YPs belong in an Xmas dinner or not!) and possibly a roast potato if it’s covered in cranberry sauce. He does however like bacon, so I’ll cook him some instead of pigs in blankets, I won’t even try to get him to eat veg (but I know he’ll eat a raw carrot while I’m prepping them to be cooked for everyone else) and if he wants three helpings of pudding instead that’s fine. It’s Christmas, it’s not a day to have fights over food. I’d hate it if I sat down to the most ‘special’ meal of the year and I didn’t like what was on my plate.

I had one fussy eater and one not and I feel strongly that you shouldn't force anyone to eat something they don't like. My fussy eater is an adult now and eats almost anything despite having a very limited diet up until mid teens.

We will be feeding our fussy grandchildren on Christmas day. They get served a Christmas dinner and can eat what they like out of what's on their plate. Some things that they definitely won't eat won't even make it to the plate, like stuffing. People shouldn't be made miserable for no good reason.

I would just put all the food on the table and let him pick/serve himself. My daughter will eat a plate of rice and gravy on Christmas day. Any other roast we'd put a few more things on her plate but on Christmas day she can eat as much or little as she likes.

How are you going to make him eat it ?

I dont get the fuss with a roast dinner, meat and two veg.

I never liked turkey and I don't like it now. At Christmas I would happily tuck into the sausages, the mash, cooked carrots and other veg, but i got a row for the bloody turkey.

If a roast once a week is the healthiest thing they eat perhaps look at what you're buying and feeding him?

I might say to your ds that he can eat what he would normally eat, but not to make a fuss on the day. I would have that discussion before you go and set expectations ahead of time.