To NOT cook any meals for my 4 year old 7 year old tomorrow?

[Spidermama]

I'm fed up with them. They've taken to not eating what I cook, then saying 'I'm huuuungreeeeee' twenty minutes after I have tidied up dinner.

This evening, having thrown away a fair amount of the three course meal I lovingly prepared, I said, 'No. You can't have any more food. You should have eaten your dinner'.

They then just helped themselves to bread.

They didn't used to be like this. I think they've got into bad habits.

So I've told them I won't be cooking for them tomorrow. They can have as much bread as they like. I will only be cooking for me and DD1 and DS2.

So AIBU?

my older DS's have both done something similar last few days -and then whinged when they couldn't have extra.

DH took the rather drastic route of showing them pictures of starving children and asking what their reaction would be .

(to be fair to him he did grow up in a country were it was not unusual to see children starving so he does have a first person experience of seeing and knowing such people).

I would take the opposite route - I'd put any bread etc out of the way where they can't reach and tell them it's what you've cooked or nothing

I know how you feel. DS quite often takes ages with his dinner, says he can't finish it. Leftovers go in the dog and then 10 minutes later, I see him at the cupboard where the snacky things are kept saying 'I'm hungry, what can I have'. The answer is always 'nothing till lunch/tea/breakfast - you didn't finish what you were given because you said your tummy was full'. He stomps off in a huff. I tell him to have some fruit if he's that hungry which he always refuses.

Cook what you want to have. If they do like it, stiff biccies.

Agree with FAQ, I would continue with the cooking and say it is that or nothing.

I wouldn't let them be helping themselves either.

Must be so frustrating to cook and see it wasted

Can they help more with the preparation or at least the meal planning? If they have input then are they not more likely to eat what you make?

Ask them what they would like for tea?
Get them to help prepare it?
Sometimes if they've been involved they are more likely to eat it all.

Plan a menu with them?

Plan a flexible menu and decide on the day which main course they would want for that day?

Otherwise, I suppose you will have to go down the 'no food until meal-time' route.

I would cook, but what you want to eat/serve other DC@s. They will eat if they are realy hungry.
And no snacks, hide the bread!

I do sympathise, it's so frustrating. Sent DD1 to bed with no lunch or tea after she refused to eat, she survived. And ate shedloads the next day.

NO BREAD
otherwise you are completely reasonable

3 course meal??
What did you give them?

Give them beans on toast with grated cheese on, or soup and crusty bread, bet they eat that!

Don't let them help themselves to bread. Have a fruit bowl out, between meals it's that or nothing.

lol Lovesdogs - my DS's would eat that and need more

Thanks all. No supporters for my idea about not cooking for them and letting them have the bread. OK then.

However, I've said it now so don't I have to follow through? Or can I get out of it somehow?

Just tell them that you have thought about it and changed your mind. From now on it is 3 meals a day and no helping yourself between meals. You could wear the military uniform of your choice to add extra gravitas.

just say, you've changed your mind because you don't want to just eat bread spidermama....
why don't you get the 7 yr old to cook dinner tomorrow? help him make jacket spuds or pasta
your littlie can lay the table
and lock the bread away.

OK.
I will.
I'll let him choose and help to cook the meal.

That's what JoJo would do after all.

Just do a salad with ham or something easy. 3 course meals are a bit OTT.

My kids eat a bit of their dinner then whinge later that they are hungry too. So I just keep it in the fridge (the left over dinner that is) during the evening then if they say they are hungry again they get to eat the leftovers. Got sick of the food wastage

who's jojo

Get them to write a menu, with all the different meals they like. There will be stuff they like.
And leave menu on the table for them to add to as and when they remember. Then when you cook something on the list they cannopt say they don't like it.

yabu

Agree re not offering bread or other options if they won't eat dinner. Also they won't starve if they have to wait until breakfast and can eat the bread then. Kids need to learn to eat meals when it's meal time. Spending ages cooking kids' meals is a waste of time though. Just give them what you eat. I didn't let primary school kids help themselves to food in between meals.
If you want to stick to them having bread then them making themselves a cheese sandwich is fairly healthy. I sometimes have a sandwich for dinner +/- soup if busy.