Do You Ever Wonder Why You Bother?

[crazydaycarelady]

I cut up luscious ripe peaches, and tossed in some fresh blackberries and raspberries for snack. Before I even set it on the table I was hearing "I don't like....." and "I don't want......!" I swear I should have just given them Cheese Nibs and apple juice, they would have gobbled it up!

It really seems like the more effort I go to with food the less likely they are to eat it. Make PB&J or frozen bean burritos and they chow down. Make home chicken and dumplings or a pot roast with carrots and potatoes and I throw most of it away.

"sigh"

[preschoolteacher]

I know, I know. It is so frustrating.

If it makes you feel any better, my stomach started growling when I read about your fruit salad.

I am SO THANKFUL my own son is not a picky eater. The child devours vegetables like there's no tomorrow, and he's 2 years old. I can't get most of my daycare kids to touch anything more exotic than a banana.

[Controlled Chaos]

If one kid at my table starts to say "I don't like..." The whole table chants "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!" Except my son who yells "...you don't throw a BEAR!" which is equally good advice

I know what you mean, the harder a meal is to prepare the less of it they will eat :confused:

I try and remind myself that being served different foods and dishes is education. It is sooo good for them to be offered that stuff, even if they don't eat it today. I think I read something saying the average time a new food needs to be offered before I child accepts it is something like 30 times So just keep at it. They are benefiting from the experience even if they aren't eating it.

[Naptime yet?]

Amen!

I tell the kids you don't have to eat, but commentary is not allowed.

[Thriftylady]

I have often wondered if it has to do with what they eat at home. I think that kids these days are just to used to processed crap. I had one mom pick a boy up once and said she was going to make him mac and cheese for dinner. He asked for blues clues mac and cheese and she said "no all we have is regular" he said he wasn't eating dinner and when they left they were going to the store. Really??? My answer would have been "guess you aren't really hungry then".

[daycarediva]

If one kid at my table starts to say "I don't like..." The whole table chants "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit!" Except my son who yells "...you don't throw a BEAR!" which is equally good advice

I know what you mean, the harder a meal is to prepare the less of it they will eat :confused:

I try and remind myself that being served different foods and dishes is education. It is sooo good for them to be offered that stuff, even if they don't eat it today. I think I read something saying the average time a new food needs to be offered before I child accepts it is something like 30 times So just keep at it. They are benefiting from the experience even if they aren't eating it.

Same phrasing here.

They are more than welcome to not eat it, but they aren't welcome to comment.

I also give out little bites, and then more if they eat it all.

I also try bites of what they're having, and use descriptive words "Juicy, sweet, crunchy, sour, hard, chewy, soft, mushy...."

I try to interview & accept families with like eating styles.

I don't comment or make an issue. Eat or not, I don't care.

It all helps. I have very good eaters who clean plates and have a few TRUE dislikes.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I don't allow the negative talk about food at the table. I smile really big at them and say, "WE SAY HOORAY!!!!!" They always look so confused until they have been here awhile and then start smiling and saying, "Hooray!" or nothing at all. ::

[Cat Herder]

I know you did not ask... but... have you tried serving each ingredient separately? There are a lot of us who don't like their food to touch.

A plate with 3 sections of peaches, raspberries and blackberries and I am in heaven. Mix them and I am not eating it. OK, so I am a tad bit better about it now, but as kid it was a deal breaker.

Same with pot roast... meat, then carrots, then potatoes, in their own spots on the plate. Never mixed.

Many kids don't care that they are cooked together, or digested together, they just don't want them served together.

[Josiegirl]

Whenever dcks start saying rude things like I don't like that or ugh that stinks or whatever their blessed unappreciative little mouths can come up with I come right out and tell them it's a rude thing to say and can hurt a person's feelings who has gone to lots of trouble to make them food. They could at least say no thank you, I don't care for that. Course it's not like there will be much of an option if they don't eat it. You eat what's served or wait til the next meal.

Yes, it can be discouraging and disheartening. And maddening because lots of times they won't even try something they *know* they don't like.

[NightOwl]

I find this to be soooo frustrating. The food program sponsor says stay away from processed foods, freezer foods, prepackaged foods, etc, and the whole time I'm just nodding and mentally rolling my eyes. I spend twice as much money and time on foods they DON'T eat as I do on foods they DO eat.

I always thought, they'll eat when they get hungry enough. That's true, because they go home starving and gorge themselves on processed, freezer, prepackaged stuff their parents give them.

[Crazy8]

I don't bother…. I am not on any food program. I only provide snacks and I keep it pretty simple - a simple fruit/veg and some crackers. Half of them only eat the crackers. I don't go overboard because I can tell their food habits by what they bring for lunch. Its just not a battle I'm willing to get overly involved in, I am not their parent.

[KidGrind]

I cut up luscious ripe peaches, and tossed in some fresh blackberries and raspberries for snack. Before I even set it on the table I was hearing "I don't like....." and "I don't want......!" I swear I should have just given them Cheese Nibs and apple juice, they would have gobbled it up!

It really seems like the more effort I go to with food the less likely they are to eat it. Make PB&J or frozen bean burritos and they chow down. Make home chicken and dumplings or a pot roast with carrots and potatoes and I throw most of it away.

"sigh"

:hug: My DCKs have learned if Ms. _____ puts it on the table. I better eat. If I don’t eat I will be hungry because that is how Ms. ______ rolls.

My picky eaters eat things their parents swear they don’t eat at my house.

[e.j.]

It can be frustrating. There are some days when I shake my head and think, "I could have saved so much time and effort by taking the ingredients out of the fridge and throwing it directly into the garbage disposal!"

Most of the time, though, I make a conscious effort to see it as a positive. I try to make snacks and meals with the idea that most of the kids will probably refuse it. No problem. That just means supper for my own family is made and all I have to do is re-heat it at dinner time. My own grown kids tend to eat more fruits and veggies if they see them in the fridge all washed, cut and ready to eat. If they don't eat it after their classes or work, they pack it for their own lunch the next day. For me, it's all about how you choose to look at it!

[TwinKristi]

It is hard, especially with the cost of fresh foods. I have a DCB who's GF and so I just kinda make everything GF when it's cost effective. We use corn instead of flour tortillas for quesadillas and GF meatballs or sausage and brown rice for everyone. Just about everything else I do something separate because its so expensive. $0.99 for a box of pasta and $3.99 for a box of GF pasta.

Anyway, so many times I've made breakfast or lunch and no one eats it and it's all thrown away. I just remember it's my job to offer it, what they do with it is out of my control. Some kids eventually eat and some don't. One DCG never eats. It's really annoying but I just started offering her smaller portions.

[Blackcat31]

OMG!! happyface A kindred soul!!! lovethis

NO foods are allowed to touch. EVER.

NO gravy can flow off of anything onto anything other than what it was intended for.

Mixed dishes are NOT a favorite here.

I also eat each thing one at a time (in a certain order)

I have other "food rules" but those are biggies.


I agree about the mixed things for kids too.... I have a little one that will literally eat anything you serve. As long as it's a singular ingredient and not mixed. NO clue why...just the way they prefer it.

I know you did not ask... but... have you tried serving each ingredient separately? There are a lot of us who don't like their food to touch.

A plate with 3 sections of peaches, raspberries and blackberries and I am in heaven. Mix them and I am not eating it. OK, so I am a tad bit better about it now, but as kid it was a deal breaker.

Same with pot roast... meat, then carrots, then potatoes, in their own spots on the plate. Never mixed.

Many kids don't care that they are cooked together, or digested together, they just don't want them served together.