Do you make your kids something else if they don't like dinner?

[SallyAnne89]

I try to offer lots of different foods at a meal time so there's something they already like. However, recently it feels like they are not even giving it a proper go and just expecting me to conjure up something else (yeah, just like a magic new meal because they don't fancy whatever it is) and I'm really not on for that. What do you do if they don't eat dinner? Do you offer an alternative? If so, what? Thanks

You're making a rod for your own back by offering something different

How old are the DC? Are you trying to give them new things or are they just being fussy?

Not unless I feel they’ve genuinely tried it properly. I can usually tell if it’s a proper dislike or just a ‘I’d rather have something else situation’. If he’s given it a proper try then he’s allowed fruit and yoghurt afterwards if he wants. I definitely don’t make another meal! If he’s starving then he can have a slice of cheese or similar as well.

Wholemeal toast and or fruit. I am soft but like to know they have eaten something. I don't really like the force feeding/cajoling/bargaining but I think we have slipped further from a varied diet as a result.

NO NO and NO

They’ve never been offered an alternative. At most they have been offered some bread and a fruit.
If something was in the dish, they didn’t like, theyve been told to put it in the side of the plate.
But before deciding they didn’t like x or y, they’ve had to actually TRY it (our rule was at least 6 times) just because sometimes, you need to just get use to a new taste. Try was one or two mouthful btw, not a whole plate of it or even a spoonful

They’re allowed bread or a bit of fruit but certainly not within half an hour or so of being offered dinner

Nope eat it or go without.
Strangely enough mine always ate it

I say OK, you're not hungry then. If you're not eating then go and play or get ready for bed.

After an hour or so I'll ask if they're hungry yet (or they may say they're hungry in the meantime). If they are, I'll offer the food again, warmed up if necessary.

If they really dislike it then they can have bread and butter and an apple. But they have to get it themselves because I already got them food.

I’ll offer my toddler DD pasta but older DSD we don’t although she’s given a chance to object earlier on before we cook/when we are planning meals. If she then decides she doesn’t want it once cooked then it’s tough although if she was then hungry she can have toast later in the evening.

YY food MUST be tried. Every. Single. Time.

No, if mine didn't eat, and it was something that it was safe for DD1 to eat considering all her allergies, then she went to bed hungry. Tough shit. Her diet was challenging enough without making something separate for just her, unless XH had once again 'forgotten' that she was allergic to something he wanted to have.

Yes because she wouldn't sleep if she was hungry so we would end up paying if she didn't eat anything. But just beans on toast - quick to make and plain enough not to be seen as a treat alternative.

Nope! Eat as a family from babyhood

No just a flat no. No fuss just that all your having so if you don't eat it there is nothing else.
Otherwise with 4 it would be horrific

I think I might just start serving every meal with bread roll/bread and butter, an extra vegetable (like corn cobs, or carrot sticks, something they'll usually eat) then fruit/yoghurt/dessert after. I'm sick of making food they refuse then hearing "I'm hungry" ten minutes later.

I did tonight, but normally no!
DS hasn't eaten all day but has been a bit under the weather so I caved and made porridge after he refused the chicken and veg.

Nope, I don't cook stuff I know they don't like, but in general they are expected to make a good go at everything. They are allowed yogurt and fruit if they don't want it, but nothing else.

They are now 11,9 and 6, and will eat most things.

Feels so wasteful even the meals they claim to like half the time don't get eaten. I'm just throwing food (and money) away and I do not have enough of either right now to be doing it. Plus all the time I waste cooking and then they don't even try it.

No. I did used to offer weetabix before bed when they were younger but now they’re a bit older, I know what their genuine dislikes are so I avoid those and everyone eats the same meal.

Eat it and cannot leave the dinner table until they have at least eaten a bit of everything. Not offered anything else.

Nope! Unless it's something I'm not sure they will like, or if one of my experiments goes wrong.
If dd doesn't eat something I know she likes, or hasn't refused before I'll only offer bread, yoghurt or fruit.

Dont offer a sugery pudding after

They will just eat the bread and then dessert

I had one child who would choose to go hungry rather than eat things he doesn’t like the look of - to the point of visibly losing weight when I stuck to my guns for a couple of weeks once. And another child with Type 1 diabetes who knows I have to get him to eat. So I make sure that every meal includes something that each person likes, and they can have a lot of that if they want. And if anyone is too grumpy or fussy they get roped into helping me cook the next meal.

Don’t start offering bread rolls and butter, they will eat that and not the food you’ve made for them. If they are hungry after wasting food that you consider they’d like, tough.

My son has severe allergies and we are still discovering more as he gets older. So I never force him to eat anything and always ensure there is food he likes as part of the meal. He eats a wide variety of food within the constraints of his allergies, despite having been very wary of nearly all food when he was a pre schooler. His diet was once just bread, ham, and sweetcorn but now he eats all sorts -risottos, Curry's, roasts, stews etc and all without any forcing.

By contrast he refuses to see his dad who used to force him to try food.