does everyone in your house eat the same meal?

[RCT]

we have been having food wars lately....dd won't eat anything unless its P B & J.....ds is less picky but still pokes his nose at most dinners....dh is a vegan, so I always make something that he can eat....and I well, I don't really care, just want to stop making 3 different meals for dinner....do you all have dinner wars? how did you stop them....I have started, well, as of last night...to make one meal.....serve it, and if they don't want to try it or eat it, then they can wait until breakfast...which sounds so harsh when I write it down...but I am at my wits end.....just looking for sympathy, or advise I guess....

[AnnW]

I am not a short order cook! I cook one meal, if they choose not to eat it, that is fine, but that's it. They also aren't allowed to look at the food and say "ooh..what's this? yuck!" either. I don't insist that they eat everything on their plate, but they must be tasters and take at least 3 bites. If they have done this and are still hungry, they can fix themselves an alternative (it's amazing how them having to fix it themselves cuts down on their desire to do it! LOL) I also either cook meals that I know they will like or have a few things that they will like. For example..if I make grilled chicken ceaser salads..the kids just have the grilled chicken with the veggies and stuff on the side cause they don't like it all mixed together or if I do spagetthi, they have it without sauce (neither is a big sauce fan). I don't look at that as fixing different meals. I don't want this to be a war, and the whole purpose to me of family dinner time is to (1) spend time together (2) have the children get used to eating all sorts of foods.
Good luck!

[RCT]

no sauce eaters here either....LOL sounds like I am normal...I am not a short order cook either....it was bad enough when dh went veggie on me....:lol: thanks....I too try not to make YUCKY dinners....but come on....I like the three bites to try rule....think I will still that one...thanks..

[AnnW]

Make it more like they are "tasting" versus "you must eat three bites or die!!!!!!!" LOL Good luck. It's hard..the only thing going for me with the kids is that we have always had the 3 bite rule so they are used to it. I had to instill the "no yuck" rule last year cause I got sick of them doing that..frankly, just thought it was rude to me and was tired of putting up with it! A couple of "yucks" and having to leave the table for the evening cured them! LOL

[RCT]

well, I made spanish rice....you know ground hamburger...dh is out of the house tonight...LOL...stewed tomatoes, and rice....well they ate it...dd didn't like it but ate it...ds loved it, next time he requested we use spagetti sauce instead of the tomatoes...LOL...he will eat the sauce but dd won't... I did fix hers with out anything...just rice and hamburger...she ate most of it...no desert tonight...but I told them that before we had dinner so it wouldn't be a factor....LOL...thanks again...

[AnnW]

Glad it went well! Hang in there!

[RCT]

do your kids eat tomatos....whats with kids and that food....LOL...went good so far...dinner tommorrow is pizza so I shouldn't have a problem there...they love salad and pizza night...

[angie r]

Just don't tell your kids that pizza is layered with "tomato" sauce. :lol:

[AnnW]

You mean like whole tomatoes or tomatoe sauce? DS LOVES whole sliced tomatoes with cajun seasoning and pepper. DD won't touch them, but she likes salad. They like the sauce on pizza, and lasagna, but not on spagetthi...go figure! LOL

[Amy]

Sadly, Im a short order cook.:( the kids eat the same thing, dh has his own idea that doesn't interest me and I eat whatever doesn't take a lot of work.

[Lynda/WA]

We all eat the same thing. The only exception is if DH is working late and eats later. Luckily both kids will eat just about anything. In all honesty, the kids are better eaters than DH and I! I can't think of a single thing DS doesn't like. They both love all veggies. DS didn't like bananas but has recently tried them again and likes them. DD doesn't like *spicys* as she calls them. So if we eat a pizza she picks off the meat. She's willing to try it and has discovered that Canadian Bacon isn't a *spicy*. Sometimes she doesn't like how I've prepared a food but except for *spicy* even that is rare. DH is the one I have problems with! Any advise there?!?

We did go through the *I don't like that* phase with DD last year. I think she saw her cousin doing it and immitated her. It took a couple of months away from my niece to break DD of that. They choose their own breakfast (cold or hot cereal). We let them eat any fruits, veggies, yogurt, or PB&J in the afternoon for snack, their choice. At meals they either eat what's put on the table or wait for the next meal. And they don't get to load up on one meal item but leave the others sit. Rules on seconds vary depending on the kid and what else is served.

I'll have to try AnnW's cajun/pepper tomatoes. DD will probably consider it to spicy but chances are DS will love it. Maybe even DH. I am starting to get tomatoes from the garden. Usually we like them sliced with sugar sprinkled on them or a bit of thousand island dressing.

[Diane]

I will only make ONE meal and if my kids or dh don't like it then... too bad. I went through this when they were little and it drove me absolutely crazy. It seemed like no matter what I made... there was always SOMEONE who didn't like it. They'd sit there and poke and pick at their food with their forks and make the darndest faces. Ugh... It got to the point where I hated even the thought of having to make dinner because I knew I'd hear the same complaints. I'd always try to make the things that I thought everyone liked and once in a while I'd hit the jackpot but unfortunately that didn't happen very often. What always got to me (and still does) is that sometimes I'll make something and they'll absolutely love it... but the next time I make it they won't even try it and if they do, they don't like it. Ugh!!! I ended up kind of going on strike. I'd make myself something to eat and I told everyone that they were on their own... they could make whatever they wanted to, but THEY were responsible for cleaning up after themselves... dishes and all. It's funny now quickly they all became so interested in what I was eating. LOL After that I seldom hear any complaints... and if I do all I have to do is look at them with this certain look and they shut up and eat. LOL Cooking a meal isn't my most favorite thing in the world to do, so when I do go to all of the trouble I expect it to be appreciated and eaten... without any complaints. I think it's very rude and disrespectful of them to complain and it leaves me feeling pretty angry. Now, even though they may not like/want what I've made... at least they don't say anything to me about it. LOL

Diane... :wave:

[arianna]

Originally posted by RCT
well, I made spanish rice....you know ground hamburger...dh is out of the house tonight...LOL...stewed tomatoes, and rice....well they ate it...dd didn't like it but ate it...ds loved it, next time he requested we use spagetti sauce instead of the tomatoes...LOL...he will eat the sauce but dd won't... I did fix hers with out anything...just rice and hamburger...she ate most of it...no desert tonight...but I told them that before we had dinner so it wouldn't be a factor....LOL...thanks again...

MM! Renee I'd be happy to share my recipe for red rice and beans if you'd like. No Stewed tomatoes :-). ßß!

[KarlaB]

So far I have been lucky and everyone eats the same meal. :yippee: My dks are only 2 & 4, so who knows how long this will last. Oldest ds doesn't think he like tomatoes...I get a good laugh to myself when he eats salsa. :newwink: Good luck, Renee! :)

[AnnW]

Diane..isn't that totally amazing how they will gush over a food one time and then hate it then next?????

Arianna...I make cajun red beans and rice...I would love to see your recipe.

Karla..you have a good shot at it not happening since you started them off that way. I didn't do this when ds was younger but figured it out by the time dd came along and consequently she is a much better taster and more willing to try new things than ds.

[JeannieOR]

Diane P.-

I know exactly how that feels. My whole family (including dh) is exactly that picky. I just dread cooking. Maybe I should go on strike too.:{

[Mickey]

No problems here (knock on wood!). I cook one meal. Ds will try anything--occasionally, he'll turn up his nose at mushrooms (he has eaten them, though) and I tell him to eat around them and he does. There's always at least one thing he likes on his plate, so it's not a problem.

[Ryleigh]

I just make one meal. You have two choices, eat it or don't. I let them serve themselves, but they know, that whatever they take, they eat. it seems to work ok with them. If they seem to be honestly full and have ate most of what they took I will let them go. They are both good about at least trying a little bit of everything.
My kids prefer spaghetti without the sauce too. Just a little butter and cheese. ds will put the sauce on the side.

[JAK]

We usually eat the same thing. The only exception is that some times I make things that I know my dks will not eat (like curry chicken) for dh and myself and I'll make my dks something easy like hot dogs or something.

My ds does not like potatoes at all (except for french fries) but I still make him eat a little bit and I will give him another vegetable instead.

No one in our house is a fresh tomato eatter so we never have them!

[kacee]

Well, let's put it this way. I do cook the same meal for everyone, but what they eat now is another story. DD is very picky. ARRRRUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH! Now tell me there's another child that doesn't eat peanut butter, mac n cheese, and anything with chicken. (She used to eat chicken nuggets all the time, but since watching Madeline the movie!! Something struck her brain!!) Anything I cook is yucky. I try to have at least one thing on the table that everyone will eat. The DD will grab a butter bread if she can't eat something. I promise you I will give her bread and water and send her to bed and the Child thinks she is in Heaven!!

Makes a mama not want to cook anymore!! :D

[RCT]

Ari I would so love to see your red bean and rice meal....something new is always welcome to me and dh...I just have to stop being the short order cook, and thing will just fall into place....LOL...who's kidding whom...LOL

[beth558]

I just had a few ideas for you to do with the kids. If you buy that soy protein, it looks like hamburger and actually tastes really good! Especially in spanish rice. Then all of them would eat it. I am not a vegetarian strictly but occasionally get on a kick!lol And the BOCA Burgers are excellent! Easy to make and I swear if you don't tell, Noone would ever know the difference. I don't and I eat both. I like the 3 bite rule though! That is great! Hang in there, it will get better! Just put your foot down!lol I do alot of cooking, so if you ever need any recipes, vegetarian or not, Let me know and I will send some easy crowdpleasers to you!lol

[Lynda/WA]

beth558 - Is that soy protein stuff called TVP? I've heard of it before but never been daring enough to try it. Especially since the only places I've heard of to buy it, only have it in bulk.

BTW - Welcome to the board, Beth!