Food Rules

[VanessaEO]

We have a rule here at meal time: You TRY everything on your plate before getting seconds. You don't have to eat it all, you just have to take a bite. Fair? Unfair? Reasonable? Thoughts?

I was prompted to post this because I just had an older boy (5YO) put food ON THE FLOOR instead of abiding by this rule. (he put celery on the floor instead of taking a bite to get more pizza)

[jojosmommy]

HA, that sounds exactly like what happened at my house yesterday. 3 yr old didnt want tacos so she threw hers on the floor. I made another one and she stayed at the table until she took two bites. Whole thing lasted 5 min max. Today she said "I don't like it but I'll eat a little."

I stand firm on the try it rule. I have a boy who 2 yrs ago wouldnt eat (or touch) anything except meat here or at home. Now he eats everything- including cauli/broc/carr mix.

I even had a 7 yr olds mom ask if she had to drink milk here. She said they dont drink milk at home to which I replied "Then it would be best she drank some here. ::"

[Blackcat31]

HA, that sounds exactly like what happened at my house yesterday. 3 yr old didnt want tacos so she threw hers on the floor. I made another one and she stayed at the table until she took two bites. Whole thing lasted 5 min max. Today she said "I don't like it but I'll eat a little."

I stand firm on the try it rule. I have a boy who 2 yrs ago wouldnt eat (or touch) anything except meat here or at home. Now he eats everything- including cauli/broc/carr mix.

I even had a 7 yr olds mom ask if she had to drink milk here. She said they dont drink milk at home to which I replied "Then it would be best she drank some here. ::"

What do you do if they refuse to try? I have met some stubborn kids...so I am just wondering how you deal with ones who refuse.

[VanessaEO]

See, at my house - they are allowed to refuse - they just don't get seconds. If they want seconds - they have to try it.

[kitkat]

What do you do if they refuse to try? I have met some stubborn kids...so I am just wondering how you deal with ones who refuse.

I let them pick out which ones they are going to eat and take the other ones off the plate. That seems to work for most of mine. For my older one, who tends to be VERY pokey when it's something she doesn't want, I'll set the timer and she magically can eat it without a problem.

[SilverSabre25]

We have the same rule for the older ones (2.5 and up, or depending on comprehension level). If they refuse to try it (and I need to see a reasonable sized bite, NOT an infinitesimal nibble!) then they don't get seconds. This is usually only an issue for fruit...the only thing that consistently gets finished and more asked for. But, my group is VERY young and not big eaters. Except my DD, who eats like a horse. She's the only kid I know to cry because there's no more broccoli...

[WImom]

They have to try everything to get seconds.

[Blackcat31]

What do you do if they refuse to try? I have met some stubborn kids...so I am just wondering how you deal with ones who refuse.

I was only asking because OP said she made one dck stay at table until she tried a bite. OP said it only lasted 5 minutes but what if she had refused.....would she have been made to stay and try it or eventually allowed to leave without trying?

I personally ask mine to try a bite too but if they don't then as others have said, no seconds. I also do a star chart for "Terrific Tasters".

[e.j.]

I only have 2 rules:
"Eat what you like; don't eat what you don't like."
"If you don't like something, don't say anything because it might stop another kid from trying it."

My job is to provide healthy meals; their job is to decide what to eat and how much. I do suggest they try things but I don't force the issue. Sometimes, if there is limited qty of something, they do have to wait until the other kids are also ready for seconds before they get more but that's just being fair to the other kids, not because they didn't eat a bite of something else.

[AAA713]

I was only asking because OP said she made one dck stay at table until she tried a bite. OP said it only lasted 5 minutes but what if she had refused.....would she have been made to stay and try it or eventually allowed to leave without trying?

I personally ask mine to try a bite too but if they don't then as others have said, no seconds. I also do a star chart for "Terrific Tasters".

I do a chart also! I've found that they'd rather try something new and get a star sticker as not try it and get NO star! :: This has really worked wonders for me!

[Blackcat31]

I do a chart also! I've found that they'd rather try something new and get a star sticker as not try it and get NO star! :: This has really worked wonders for me!

I print mine off the MMK software. I think I had the program for a year before I figured out I can do custom chefs. Nice feature. And yes the kids will do amazing things for a sticker or star!?!? LOL!!

[Abigail]

What do these charts look like? I don't have MMK. Does everyone get a star is they eat everything and what happens with the stars....just to view them and brag or do they get anything special?

[gkids09]

I don't force the kids to try a bite of everything, but I HIGHLY encourage it...We tried blueberries the other day, and since they had never seen them, they were very worried about putting them in their mouths..Then, one little girl said she LOVED blueberries, and another one got brave, tasted it, and said they tasted like grapes. Eventually, 10 out of 11 kids had tasted blueberries, with only one who said she didn't like it. The ones that tasted them got a cookie (very very small cookie) after lunch because they had tasted something new. The 11th kid who didn't taste the blueberries decided he wanted a cookie too, put the blueberry in his mouth, chewed it up, gagged, swallowed, and drank the rest of his milk. I didn't force him to try it, he decided to do it on his own. He got his cookie, and I OVER praised him for trying something new, even if he didn't like it.
Because of the gagging thing, which I've had happen before with carrots, I don't force them to take a bite of everything. I don't feel like cleaning up puke, and I also have one who will throw up if he sees anyone gag. It's just a lot easier for me to encourage them to try, but let them make the decision.