Ketchup on everything

[BobBobBobbin]

I have two fussy eaters, 7 and 4. Somehow it’s ended up that they have ketchup at every meal. Doesn’t matter what I serve up, they want to smother it in ketchup.

I absolutely hate the stuff and it really annoys me that I make the effort to cook a range of nutritious and tasty meals and they all get covered in vile red gloop. Then half of it gets left and it has to go in the bin because it’s doused in .

Should I put my foot down and stop them having ketchup regularly? Or just let it go - mealtimes are hard work without making it a battle over the dreaded dip.

What do you think?

YABU - pick your battles, let them have ketchup
YANBU - ban the Devil’s condiment

If it gets them to actually eat the food go with it.

I give mine a small ramekin each of ketchup. It has stopped the wastefulness and ketchup is slowly losing its status as one of the main food groups.

Life is too short, let them have ketchup, it’s just a phase

I'm totally with you, I hate the stuff!
I would just stop buying it when the current bottle is finished.

Pick your battles. If they are eating their dinner let it let it go

Ramekin is a good idea. Up to you if you want to stop buying and go through massively Unnecessary battles for no gain.

I will be 40 soon and I have regressed to having ketchup on quite a few things, often with Mayo. My husband went through the KOE (ketchup on everything) phase when he was a kid and really limits the amount we put on our toddler son’s food...It’s not a hill I would die on BUT the waste would get to me. Perhaps the PP’s suggestion about ramekin is a good one.

I'm nearly 28 and I put tomato sauce on every meal except pizza. I enjoy it so why not? My husband is a chef so he thinks why? But it's up to me so.
Your reactseems a bit ott to me sorry

Let them have the ketchup. My 8 year old asks for ketchup on everything. Even with her sandwiches (admittedly started by her dad 🙄) but I can think of better things to argue about food wise. She does have ALN which doesn't help but I'm a mid 30's woman and I have ketchup with most stuff too and it's never harmed me. I think the view is that ketchup is 'meant' to go with some foods and not others but does it really matter? Pick your battles.

Ramekins is a good idea, would aid portion control (though I already envisage them trying to steal each other’s ramekins to secure more ketchup).

I sometimes feel like I should just blend their meals into a ketchup flavoured smoothie and have done with it.

My partner is 28, he has ketchup on virtually everything, he went to boarding school so he used ketchup to hide the vile flavour of the food. Sometimes he has a ketchup and mayo sandwich 🤢

He only likes Heinz which is expensive at the rate he goes through it, I have a huge 4.5 litre cheapy catering brand in the utility and just fill the heinz bottle up when hes at work. I have changed the bottle twice so the label always looks fresh.

Rather than ramekins that can be stolen (and need washing up), could you put a portion on their plate and when its gone its gone?

@Piglet89

I will be 40 soon and I have regressed to having ketchup on quite a few things, often with Mayo. My husband went through the KOE (ketchup on everything) phase when he was a kid and really limits the amount we put on our toddler son’s food...It’s not a hill I would die on BUT the waste would get to me. Perhaps the PP’s suggestion about ramekin is a good one.

My late OH was known for his fondness of mixing sauces and 'relishes', he wouild sometimes have ketchup, mayo, mustard and Maggi on the same meal.

It is really annoying but I guess you let it become a habit because it helped them eat their meals up. I would try and reduce the amount they have really slowly . There is lots of sugar in there (shocked when it was on one of those food programmes recently) would they be interested in a challenge of making a home made sauce to have instead? Depending on what else you are dealing with depends on if you really want to address this.

You need to read them Mrs Pigs Bulk Buy 😁

Alternatively put it in a ramekin and portion control

This isn’t a battle I would choose to get into.

Just give them a squirt on the plate and then they're not allowed anymore once it's gone.

I pick my battles, ketchup is not a battle I want to have. If they want ketchup they get ketchup, stops them moaning about the food. I've never understood why people get annoyed about what seasoning/condiments people have with their food. I put chilli flakes on everything, not because I want to insult anyone.. but because I want to enjoy what I'm eating 🤷‍♀️

Feeling your pain.

Although not with children.

This is my dad. I cook every night - nearly always from scratch. I try to make sure that they get a meal they want/like like which includes what they need.

Every meal gets salad cream/brown sauce/ketchup or a combination thereof. Seasoning too. Without even tasting it first.

I will pick another hill to die on but it breaks me a little more every day.

Have a go at making your own - at least you know what's in it.

Failing that, ramekin portion control.
& if you don't have any ramekins, it gives you an excuse to have a gu pudding

It's full of sugar. Do you use the low sugar one?

Oh god I hate ketchup so much 🤢 I’m currently pregnant with my first and hoping that I can hide its existence away so I never have to have it in the house!

Don’t buy it and fight the battle to wean them off it.

My dads best friend smothered it on everything he ate and died from stomach cancer fairly young (40s) his GP had told him he needed to cut it out for several years due to issues with stomach ulcers and other problems. He was allowed to do this all his childhood and never grew out of the addiction.

I buy the no added sugar or salt one.

I’ll admit to being a slight foodie snob but I do privately judge adults who have ketchup with everything. To me it’s the equivalent of listening to music and overlaying a techno beat on everything no matter whether it’s pop or jazz or classical.

It's not a hill I'd die on re children, but I would be slowly working toward less, as , like you, I judge adults who eat ketchup with everything. How do you go out for a meal with these people without embarrassment?! But then I live for food, so imagine my perception is skewed. I'm sure others judge me for lots too.

If you don't stop it now then they will grow up to be fussy adults who smother their void in Ketchup. So yes I would start limiting the amount they get