Do your children actually eat what you cook?

[cloudy23]

I feel like I spend ages planning meals, only to hear "I don't like that" before they've even tried it.
Do you make one family meal and everyone eats it, or do you end up cooking different things?
Always looking for ideas that don't end in a battle at the dinner table!

I cook one thing, but there are always components of it that everyone will eat. For example, I have one who doesn’t really like mash, but she will eat sausages or salmon and veg and salad, so refusing to eat is not an option. I don’t make separate meals, except on rare occasions like Dh and I want a spicy meal that no one else will like, but no one has to eat everything either. If they don’t like it and won’t eat, well, tough titty, there isn’t anything else.

Mine are 18 months and 3 and we all eat the same meal and they always eat at least some of it. I’ll offer leftovers or something like toast later in the night if they’re hungry but never an alternative meal.

We do have a bunch of fairly easy but healthy favourites we rotate a lot though with something new thrown in a couple of nights a week usually.

Same here. Mine say "i don't like that....ok I'll try it" with an eye roll now, before I even have to say anything 😆 . I have said it so many times that I'm expecting them to try it but if they don't like it that's ok, eat what they like and leave the rest.

Generally, as long as cheese or ketchup is available they'll eat it.

Exactly this. Eat it or go hungry. Food is extortionate. If he moans, he is told to leave the table. He’s 5 and a very good eater.

They each had a couple of things that they really hated and didn't have to have, but otherwise, it was a case of 'This is what there is, there are no alternatives, eat it or starve.'

They ate it. They've all grown up into adults who will eat pretty much anything.

I have a 6 yo 3 yo and 1 yo. They all eat whatever I make because I’m a strict mum! Eldest went through a beige patch 2-3 yo but came out of it and eats every vegetable and ever food offered.
toddler is fussier but again will eat prettty healthily but has more ‘no foods’ eg about 15 things won’t eat.
baby eats everything. I refuse to bow down to their demands! They don’t even realise they are good eaters because it wasn’t an option to be fussy

I just couldn’t be arsed quite frankly.

No.. not whatever they want.

But what they like.

Like mineoves macaroni cheese, Bolognese, sausage pasta,tuna sandwich, roasts, pizza, noodles etc

So I just make stuff that's easy and nutritious.... No need for loads of effort and planning.

No point planning a complicated weekly meal plan when we can get enough good food in with simpler meals we know will get eaten 🤷