To make my kids eat their crusts

[cbaaaaaa]

I am soooo over trying to make my kids eat their crusts! Like what is it!? What is so awful about a crust!!?
I am however going to continue to battle making them eat them each time in the hopes they eventually will.
Is this unreadable? My husband thinks it is and it's not worth the battle, that they'll eventually eat their crusts.
But what if they turn into those adults that don't eat their crusts!

You could just use the crusts and whizz them up into breadcrumbs then they wouldn't be wasted

My mum had this approach and both me and my sister have binge eating disorder now!

This thread has made me laugh! I thought trying to force children to eat "their" crusts went out with the ark.

If you cut them off first you can make them very thin and therefore reduce waste - and you can use them in all the ways listed above by others.

Living with children sometimes involves battles - but please confine them to really important things. This is definitely NOT really important!

I don't do food waste. Kids are expected to eat crusts in this house (unless there is something wrong with them).

They get over it eventually. My youngest is still at the hating crusts stage. My eldest enjoys them ‘the most’ apparently!! I Chuck the crusts out for the birds who swoop down immediately. So it’s all fine here. We’re not sweating the small stuff.

Crusts contain acrylamide, produced when they brown during baking. It is carcinogenic. Your DC are being sensible and health conscious in not eating them.

I'm just happy if my eldest takes even a bite of her butty, let alone the crusts!

Luckily she already has curly hair.

As an adult non eaters of crusts whose life hasn’t fallen to pieces, I’m team kid.

They’re just a bit grim, all dry n tough (crusts that is, can’t speak for kids). No ta.

Forcing kids to eat things is not setting them up for a healthy relationship with food. I’m overweight and know a lot of overweight adults who were forced to clear their plate- all you’re doing is teaching them to override their satiety signals

Pick your battles, this is not one you need to fight.
Tell hubby the children eat, so to leave it alone.

I'd just tell them that they can't waste the crusts so what shall we do with them and see what they say.
It could lead to an interesting discussion about cooking and wildlife.
They can put them out for the birds themselves.
It will help them to learn not to waste things. Good lesson when growing up.

You know what's worse than throwing crusts in the bin? Daily power struggles with small children, especially about eating anything.

What if they turn into adults that don't eat crusts? What if they turn into adults who have unpleasant memories about dinner table battles with mum, who was acting a bit unhinged about bread, and a screwed relationship with food?

There is a better way.

(If you are serious, and I'm not sure how you can be.)

Our kids won’t do crusts either - our dog however is a different matter altogether and will stand at the bin when I am emptying kids lunchboxes and happily munch on all the crusts!

So Id recommend getting a dog - pretty much zero food waste in our house!!!

I'm an adult who doesn't eat crusts. I've managed to survive somehow.
I hate waste too, I give my crusts to the birds.

YABU to make a child eat anything. Just setting up meals to be a war zone.

I always have DC bread with crusts. One day out of the blue DD decided she didn't like crusts anymore. She is an extremely fussy and poor eater for whom eating is a genuine effort so maybe that's the reason (are crusts harder to eat? I love them so have never noticed...). Anyway I used to eat her crusts to avoid waste. Now she eats them again (though is still a very poor eater).

Ds eats anything that you can find on planet earth. The other day he plucked hair from Dd's hairbrush and tried to eat it. Crusts don't bother him. He's 1 so I hope he'll become more distinguished in his taste with time.

They don't get to eat anything else until they finish their crust. Sandwiches eaten first then fruit and no treats/desert's untill the test is finished.

I'm 52 and still do not eat the crusts. Never have never will. It's the dry fingered edge of a sandwich that adds nothing to the enjoyment of my food.

Op I think forcing people to eat just causes eating disorders in later life. From conversations with many of my friends who grew up in the 70s out post war parents (who grew up with rationing) forced us to eat and many of us became overweight/ obese because we still clear our plates.

Same here

Don't make them eat them. It will set food up as a battle of wills and you will not win (or do your kids any good).

DD was fussy but just started eating them age 5. DS aged 3 won't eat them.

If it bothers you, cut them off, it will waste less bread as you can cut off the very edges whereas a child would leave more edible bread. In the pandemic we used to save up the crusts in a bag in the freezer and use them as breadcrumbs or make bread and butter pudding when we had a full bag.

When I was feeling quite austere, we'd take the crusts out in a snack bag. You might find kids will eat something on a bench in a park that they won't eat sitting at the table at home.

Someone will have already asked this, but can you connect this with your childhood? Sounds like this is likely about your own negative experiences- probably you were forced to eat certain foods or made to feel bad for wasting things. But as others have pointed out, there is a way for your children to develop independent choice and control around food, and you to avoid waste, by making breadcrumbs etc. it’s your issue that this bugs you, not theirs, and once you see that it will be easier to stop yourself trying to control them like this.

@cbaaaaaa I eat crusts and like them, but that doesn’t solve your problem.

Cut the crusts off and into cubes, coat with olive oil (and if you like it finely grated Parmesan) bake in oven for 15 mins = croutons for soup.

There is no waste. Slice the crust off before serving and make into breadcrumbs. Job done.