Picky Eaters...Do You Make Them Something Else?

[dEHmom]

No Idea where my 2 yr old got it, but his new thing is "this is yucky" it's really cute in the voice but really annoying.

Because my family is so large (4 sets of grandparents for my kids, tons of aunts/uncles, and then great grandparents) my husband and I are often defeated with things when with the grandparents. And they do it on purpose which really bothers us!

When kids were babies, they'd stuff their cheeks and hold the food. Once my daughter held the food ALL DAY in her cheek. It was disgusting and if I chew something for more than a few minutes, I would actually chuck because it would be warm and tasteless and ewww, i'm actually gagging thinking about it. Anyway, grandparents would tell them to spit the food out into a napkin, then started the holding the food until someone lets me spit it out routine. Now I'm dealing with the "this is yucky" I'm assuming somewhere along the line, someone said "you don't like it? is it yucky?" or maybe because he dropped food and went to eat it and someone said no thats yucky? no idea, but he got it from somewhere and it drives me bonkers! He often goes with barely eating lately. He's still growing healthy, but he is CONSTANTLY not eating what I give him, and then wanting snacks all day long. I don't give it to him, and I've actually started skipping his snacks because he doesn't eat what I give him for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but always wants granola bars, applesauce (which he doesn't eat), cookies, etc etc.
So my new household rule is, IF YOU DON'T EAT YOUR BREAKFAST/LUNCH/DINNER YOU GET NOTHING ELSE ALL DAY.

[Cat Herder]

I want to come and eat at your house on Sunday. I want to stay at your house and eat your food for a week ... at least. I'll even take some of your hubby's special beans and grilled ______ (insert anything with a beating heart).

Granny and I got some talkin to do.

Well, come on!!! This Sunday is "grilled" BBQ pork loin, baby limas, sweet potatoes, cornbread and key lime pie.....::

[KEG123]

I probably will not make a new food for picky ones. My son is picky, so I have to disagree with the above statement that if they are picky that means they're eating junk at home.

[dEHmom]

I probably will not make a new food for picky ones. My son is picky, so I have to disagree with the above statement that if they are picky that means they're eating junk at home.

Sometimes it is likely that that is why, but not always. Usually just means they are spoiled enough that parents give in when they don't want to eat something. But not always the case. I'm not making something different for my picky kids, and sometimes by giving it a new name or changing how it looks, they discover they like it!

My daughter refused to eat sloppy joes (they are disgusting and I hate them too) but hubby cooked for once and I wasn't going to complain, , she wouldn't eat it. Next time we told her it was tacos or something and she ate it and loved it.

[SandeeAR]

I only have one old enough to be picky. She is 2.5 y/o. She is semi picky, her sister whom I have on closed school days, is VERY Picky. My rule is you must try 2 bites of anything on your plate. That is how I get the 2.5 to learn to eat new things. Since I rarely have the older one, I usually just plan meals on those days, that I know she will eat.

[nannyde]

Well, come on!!! This Sunday is "grilled" BBQ pork loin, baby limas, sweet potatoes, cornbread and key lime pie.....::

Ohhhhhhhhh yummy.

I love me some grilled piggy. ::

What do you do with the lima beans? I'm not a fan of the green ones... I like the white ones in stew with ham and carrots.

[DBug]

My 8-year-old DS is SOOO picky, he'll just not eat for the day. I try to make sure there's at least one thing he'll eat in his school lunch and at supper, but honestly, it's his choice not to eat. I have no patience with pickiness, and it's not hurting me if he doesn't eat! (FTR - he's quite healthy, got lots of energy, etc., etc.) I do the same with the dc kids -- everyone gets the same very small portions of food on their plates. They have to eat all of their firsts before they get seconds. If they don't eat, that's fine. That's their choice, and who am I to take away their free will . They can wash up and go play. It's just not a hill I'm willing to die on.

I'm also not about to become a short-order cook for everyone. If kids are hungry when they go home, they can eat there. I have my menus posted so parents can see exactly what we're eating and when, and I also fill in how much each kid ate for each meal and snack on their communication log. I make sure all of the parents are okay with that during our interview, so there are no surprises .

[Cat Herder]

Ohhhhhhhhh yummy.

I love me some grilled piggy. ::

What do you do with the lima beans? I'm not a fan of the green ones... I like the white ones in stew with ham and carrots.

I usually just cook them down really slowly with a bit of olive oil, a cutting of the pork and pepper. It forms a gravy as it cools and is usually served over the cornbread here. "AKA "Butter beans 'n cornbread"

The really h a r d c o r e (why is that word banned?: southerners , like my Grandma, crumble their cornbread into a glass of butter milk as desert, instead.

I do have to say that the tiny greens ones cooked down with old fashioned "fat back" or bacon grease were the ones I was raised on, though.....

Sorry OP, I seemed to have hijacked. Here, if I know they REALLY don't like a certain food, I just prepare an alternate similar to Nan. I was raised in the early 70's where they forced us to stay at the table until we ate eveything on the plate. I missed my bus once because a teacher with psychological issues made it a personal battle with me to eat this horrible/toxic mold called "veg-all". I would still be sitting there today if it werent for Mom showing up.::

[dEHmom]

I missed my bus once because a teacher with psychological issues made it a personal battle with me to eat this horrible/toxic mold called "veg-all". I would still be sitting there today if it werent for Mom showing up.::

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

[nannyde]

I usually just cook them down really slowly with a bit of olive oil, a cutting of the pork and pepper. It forms a gravy as it cools and is usually served over the cornbread here. "AKA "Butter beans 'n cornbread"

The really h a r d c o r e (why is that word banned?: southerners , like my Grandma, crumble their cornbread into a glass of butter milk as desert, instead.

I do have to say that the tiny greens ones cooked down with old fashioned "fat back" or bacon grease were the ones I was raised on, though.....

Sorry OP, I seemed to have hijacked. Here, if I know they REALLY don't like a certain food, I just prepare an alternate similar to Nan. I was raised in the early 70's where they forced us to stay at the table until we ate eveything on the plate. I missed my bus once because a teacher with psychological issues made it a personal battle with me to eat this horrible/toxic mold called "veg-all". I would still be sitting there today if it werent for Mom showing up.::

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm to the fat back not to the veg all ::

I got a whole free range piggy this year and have been saving off all the fat to add to some of my no fat meats. Good with venison and elk. Makes it super soft and smooth........ yum

[Cat Herder]

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm to the fat back not to the veg all ::

I got a whole free range piggy this year and have been saving off all the fat to add to some of my no fat meats. Good with venison and elk. Makes it super soft and smooth........ yum

Have not had elk, of course have never seen one in their natural environment, either...:: Is it gamey?

Venison, catfish, trout, wild hog, turkey and crappy (fish) are all the local game meats around here. The older kids always loved the crappy, but I think it was mostly because they liked to tell everyone that I fed them "dam crappy fish".... (My boat dock is close by the dam. I used to take school agers fishing alot.)

[dEHmom]

CATFISH?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING?

Catfish we fish for only because of the fight they put up. Would never dare eat one. *gagging from the thought

I'm assuming you have a magic way to flavor them.

[Cat Herder]

CATFISH?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING?

Catfish we fish for only because of the fight they put up. Would never dare eat one. *gagging from the thought

I'm assuming you have a magic way to flavor them.

Seriously??? We have whole restaurants that serve nothing but fried catfish 'n hash browns or fried chicken 'n waffles.... I guess I probably should not mention the frog legs 'n fried dill pickle chips.....::::

And, yes, I love them all......

[nannyde]

Have not had elk, of course have never seen one in their natural environment, either...:: Is it gamey?

Venison, catfish, trout, wild hog, turkey and crappy (fish) are all the local game meats around here. The older kids always loved the crappy, but I think it was mostly because they liked to tell everyone that I fed them "dam crappy fish".... (My boat dock is close by the dam. I used to take school agers fishing alot.)

Elk is DELICIOIUS and if you like venison and beef you would most likely like it if it were properly cooked. LOW... SLOW...

Wild hog.... I'm crazy jealous.

We love the fish but we don't get it so much. My Dad is a big fisherman so twice a year he cleans his freezer out and donates his catches to us. We thank him kindly.

[nannyde]

:eek Seriously??? We have whole restaurants that serve nothing but fried catfish 'n hash browns or fried chicken 'n waffles.... I guess I probably should not mention the frog legs 'n fried dill pickle chips.....::::

And, yes, I love them all......

You obviously haven't had Nans catfish. My day care kids will eat a plate of catfish so fast I couldn't even keep up with them. We've been known to splat the table with fish and fries now and then...... all you can eat horkfest

Froggie is yummy too.. tastes like chicken.