If you have fussy DCs what do you eat?

[katechristie]

If you have fussy DCs, how do you manage to eat the food you like without wasting food, cooking twice or starving your children?We've realised we don't eat the kind of meals we used to live on since having children. DS is 3 and fairly fussy, DD 12 months and still doesn't really get food, so I end up cooking things I think they will eat, rather than our favourite meals.

We used to have loads of rice meals - either spicy veg or mediterranean veg with e.g. salmon, chicken, pork (lemon-y or herb-y or spicy or stroganoff, depending on the rice), or curry, or fish or ham with parsley sauce or just a piece of fish or meat with pots and veg, - without having to "dress" it up with sauce or change it in some way to make it more appealling.

I weaned them on the food we eat (albeit DD preferring Hipp's finest ), so it's not like I started on other stuff and am now expecting them to change what they eat, but as DS has got fussier, I then altered what we eat, until we realised hang on, it's always mince with something, or fish pie, or sausage and mash...you get the picture.

DS will now eat rice, as we started giving it with things he liked, such as sausage or bolognese, he loves noodles, but isn't so great on protein unless it's minced or cheese.

Any suggestions?

You might find that the "fussiness" is just a stage of a toddler asserting independence.

Stay calm, resist temptation to cook separate meals and give tiny tiny portions. I always put a tiny amount of everything on the plate, let them negotiate to leave one thing, or half of a thing if I'm feeling strong! That way they get their way and I get mine!

And if its a main course I know they're not keen on, I make sure pudding is a stonker of a favourite, and only those who eat up get it.

You've done the right thing with the rice - persistence works, in the end. They won't really starve!

There are loads of threads on here about feeding fussy eaters.

Agree with melted. You can also add more chilli/curry after taking out thier portion. Or stick a bit of ketchup on if they need sauce

Also if you think they've not eaten much, the occasional weetabix or slice of bread and butter won't hurt (but make it random enough that they don't expect it, therefore don't eat the main course!)

thanks both. I know in the scheme of things there are much fussier eaters, it gets so soul destroying throwing away food though (or eating the same old nursery meals over and over!)

I do find DS eats more variety at nursery (e.g. he'll eat curry but not at home, although he does insist he doesn't like peas and when he tells me what he ate that day he will say no I didn't like the peas mummy, (thanks to charlie and lola that one), so it's def an independence thing with him.

I've probably been on half the threads about fussy eaters , but I might just search the archives again now, thanks.