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Food/recipes

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Original poster

Do you serve food your DC aren't keen on?

37 replies

NettoSuperstar · 10/03/2011 13:54

I'm mulling this over today as I was going to make baba ganoush as part of tonight's meal (I'm not, as I couldn't get any aubergines) even though DD isn't keen. She doesn't hate it, and there's plenty other things to eat, but unless she hates a food, I still serve it.
Pulses too spring to mind, she's not a massive fan, but they still get served in various ways.

Do you only make what they like?

OP posts:

CharlotteBronteSaurus · 10/03/2011 13:56

sometimes, yes. dd1 hates most salad stuff, and in the summer we usually want a few salady dinners. she won't starve, and there's always plenty of fruit for afterwards.

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil · 10/03/2011 13:57

No. We are doing the Great Big Vegetable Challenge at home to try to get DS to eat vegetables. He now isn't allowed to say that he doesn't like something and it is working .

We have now had Yam, Zucchini, Carrot, Onion, Sweetcorn, Lettuce, Pepper and Sweet Potato - all of which were not acceptable a week ago and triggered meltdowns (from both of us for different reasons!)

comewhinewithme · 10/03/2011 13:59

Yes because I am not a cafe. I have a family if 8 and the only thing ds really can't tolerate are bananas but that isn't really an issue.
My DC often say they don't like something then eat it next time I serve it .

Ooopsadaisy · 10/03/2011 14:02

Yes, I do.

Not on purpose, but I won't be dictated to.

The best bit of advice my Mum ever gave me about motherhood:

"They came to live with you, not the other way around."

Also, I cannot abide fussy eaters. FFS.

thumbwitch · 10/03/2011 14:05

I won't serve DS stuff that he really doesn't like - but if it's something he doesn't like the look of, then I do sometimes hide it in foods, like shepherd's pie, mince thing and pasta, casseroles etc.
I have an excellent hand food-mincer (the turbo chef from Tupperware - who knew they still did stuff I might want?!) that chops things very finely and they can be then hidden - DS doesn't see them so will eat them happily.

But he doesn't like curry much, so we don't do that very often and then only very mild (suits me too!)

I don't see much point in making him eat stuff he doesn't like when he has a pretty good diet already - if he was a complete veggie-refuser, I'd think differently - but he isn't.

2plus2more · 10/03/2011 14:05

Yes! My kids eat pretty much anything, but my daughter isn't wildly keen on chicken - she'd much prefer something like beef mince or something. I still cook with chicken at least 3 times a week. My husband isn't keen on certain vegetables (although he does eat most things so it is only a very small number of things), but I do still cook them. Not necessarily all the time, and there will always be other things to eat too, but yes, I do cook them and yes, he is expected to eat a small amount. I personally don't like sausages, but the kids and husband do so when they are having sausages, I will either cook myself some chicken or will just eat the sausages.

Tidey · 10/03/2011 14:08

I have to, otherwise we'd have the same 5 meals on constant rotation. The worst thing is that the foods DS doesn't like are exactly the ones DD does like, and vice versa.

JemimaMop · 10/03/2011 14:09

Yes I do. There are 5 of us, and comewhinewithme said I am not a cafe. For example tonight we are having sausages, mash, carrots and red cabbage. DS2 and DD aren't keen on red cabbage, but as long as they have a a vegetable (carrots) I don't mind. DS1, DH and I will have both. To be fair the DC aren't all that fussy, but I still won't pander to their every whim!

BornToFolk · 10/03/2011 14:18

There are two foods that DS hates - mushrooms and olives. He hates them - tried chopping up mushrooms very finely in lasagne and he gagged on a bit. I won't serve him those anymore.

However, there are a few more foods that he's just not overly keen on and I will serve those. The rules are no saying that something is yucky. You can say that you don't like it or don't want it today, but only after you've tried a bit. You don't have to eat anything you don't want it (after that first try) and no spitting out.

DS is a pretty good eater but can be fickle. Recently, he's really enjoyed stir fry with noodles. However, I made it the other day and he took one look and said the noodles were yucky. He ate all the stir fry, started on the noodles and ended up saying that he loved noodles, they were yummy. If he's going to kick up a fuss about a favourite meal, he'll kick up a fuss about anything. I may as well cook what I like!

Chil1234 · 10/03/2011 14:19

God no... If I only made what DS really liked we'd live on pizza, apple pie and meatballs or we'd be flat broke inside a month. I avoid anything too exotic or highly-flavoured but, that aside, I expect him to try everything and preferably eat up and say thanks afterwards. :)

MooMooFarm · 10/03/2011 14:21

Yes because I refuse to cook two different meals, as in one for DH & I and one for the DCs. That is unless we're having anything too hot & spicy - I'm not that mean

MooMooFarm · 10/03/2011 14:22

Was answering a 'yes' to the title of your thread, btw....

GregorSamsa · 10/03/2011 14:23

Not really, I've got three children + dh + myself to think about, it's just not possible to please all of the people all of the time (though spaghetti carbonara comes close).

They have to make a reasonably polite effort with things they don't particularly like. I don't mind if they don't finish it, but I'm not having people refusing to eat, making extravagant gagging noises, or ostentatiously picking bits out. If they really don't like something they can leave it discreetly at the side of their plate. If they don't eat much at one meal, so be it. No-one's going to waste away before the next eating opportunity.

I'm not running a ruddy a la carte menu, as I frequently remind them.

Fennel · 10/03/2011 14:24

Yes and no. we have variations on a theme. Hot and spicy for me, bland and boring for them. DP eats either, but only cooks bland.

I did give up on lentil curry for several years after my two toddlers cried when I served it up one time too often. It's dispiriting when that happens. But we have it back on the menu now for one of the 3. and sometimes I bracingly offer new things they don't like and say it's good for them to try it.

Pagwatch · 10/03/2011 14:24

Yes. Definitely

This is not a restaurant. They eat what I serve.

Having said that ds2 has special exemption. That pisses the other two off. But that is tough.

moogalicious · 10/03/2011 14:26

Yes because there is always one of them who doesn't like something. Tonight it's carbonara which dd2 doesn't like. Monday it was stirfry which dd1 one doesn't like

MooMooFarm · 10/03/2011 14:26

Having said 'I generally won't cook different things especially for the DC's', that's not strictly true. There are things we have that they really love, such as spag bol, roast dinner, fish & chips, fajitas - so I tend to cook them more often as I know it'll be gobbled up instead of whinged about.

systemsaddict · 10/03/2011 14:33

Same here Pagwatch - ds has special privileges because of sensory issues especially around texture of foods, but dd is expected to eat what she's given (and does mostly) - I worry about it at times, glad I'm not alone

CornflowerB · 10/03/2011 14:35

Yes, I do and I ask them to just try a bit - no forcing. With lots of things they have come to like them over time, or at least eat them anyway. Their likes and dislikes change from week to week anyway and some of it is seeing what they can get away with. I could be worng but I'm sure letting children away with a limited range of food means that they turn into fussy adults, which is no fun for anyone...

Pagwatch · 10/03/2011 14:38

Yes. When dd complains that ds does not have to eat cauliflower when she does I offer her to let her leave it if she eats everything like ds2... No dairy, no gluten , no chocolate , no bananas ........

lovenamechange100 · 10/03/2011 14:40

As cornflower as I am sure things my DS is not too good about now he will acquire later on, and also its lets them to decide when their tastes change and not us.

For example I dont like seafood (prawns etc) but I still try to get them for DH and encourage DS to try them (before Dh shoves them all down as a snack) so he is exposed.

Opportunities, opportunities - its endless to prevent our own bias in relation to so much stuff. The other day I had try and explain the concept of the devil t a very adamant DS 5!

Original poster

NettoSuperstar · 10/03/2011 14:45

I'm fairly easy going about food, and DD is a good eater but had her moments.
She would have moaned about the baba ganoush, but tough, I'd have given her a small amount, and there's koftas, greek salad, rocket and pitas too. As it happens I'll do hoummous instead of the baba ganoush.

If we're having bean wraps when she's not keen on beans, she'll have one with some wedges and a small portion of salad, I'll have two with a large portion of salad, no wedges.

She'd happily live without salad of the plain leaf variety too, but lasagne/moussaka is served with it.

She doesn't have to eat it, or anything really but if not then nothing else until the next meal.

I'd never serve her Macaroni cheese though, or mushrooms as she hates them, and that would be mean.

OP posts:

AlmightyCitrus · 10/03/2011 14:47

Mine will eat most things anyway, but have one or two little things they don't like. One hates mushrooms, so I tend not to put them in things, but have them on the side so she doesn't have to have them. DS doesn't like pasta, nor do I, but I'll do spag bol for DH and the DD's. Me and DS will have a jacket spud instead of the pasta.
I refuse to cook a completely different meal just for one though.

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 10/03/2011 14:49

I have 3 dcs who like different things, plus they are always changing their minds about what they like, so from THEIR perspective I am probably always giving them stuff they don't like.
but from MY perspective, I try quite hard to find stuff that is varied and healthy and that they enjoy.

MarioandLuigi · 10/03/2011 14:50

DH, DS1, DD and I always have the same - unless its something I know they dont like. DD will eat most things (except bananas) and DS doesnt like spicy food, but everything else is okay.

DS2 has a very limited diet so he has his own dinner - however its normally a slice of toast and a babybel so its not too difficlt to make.

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