Picky Kids and Christmas Eve Dinner

[Anonymous]

Italian places might also have pizza on the menu.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, OP. This is so sad. Another reason not to let your kids grow up to be picky eaters.

Why don't you just try telling them that this is dinner, this is where we're going, and it will be a wonderful family dinner? It's time to get past your current mindset.

Picky eating for some children is unavoidable. Some parents do not "let" picky eating happen it just does. For some kids it isn't a mindset.

Yes, they do. I'm sorry, but you're wrong about this. Except in very, very, very few cases (something like .002%) where there are genuine medical concerns involved, picky eating to the extreme that OP describes is a result of -- I'm gonna say it -- slack parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, OP. This is so sad. Another reason not to let your kids grow up to be picky eaters.

Why don't you just try telling them that this is dinner, this is where we're going, and it will be a wonderful family dinner? It's time to get past your current mindset.

Picky eating for some children is unavoidable. Some parents do not "let" picky eating happen it just does. For some kids it isn't a mindset.

Yes, they do. I'm sorry, but you're wrong about this. Except in very, very, very few cases (something like .002%) where there are genuine medical concerns involved, picky eating to the extreme that OP describes is a result of -- I'm gonna say it -- slack parenting.

Agree. We have a friend whose child was born with his intestines outside of his body. He now at age 10 still has eating issues. Not a parenting issue. Most other picky eaters are parents' fault.

[Anonymous]

Please, don't encourage this. Make a traditional Christmas dinner even if it means a roasted whole chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans/brussel sprouts and fancy mac n' cheese. What it is that you fancy. If you want to eat filet mignon, make it and serve at least a few pieces to your children. Even if they don't eat it, it will register as special. I am sure you can have one of two sidings they would enjoy - mash potatoes or mac n cheese?

A nice dessert and some french toasts - voila! I am sure they will haven nice memories of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please, don't encourage this. Make a traditional Christmas dinner even if it means a roasted whole chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans/brussel sprouts and fancy mac n' cheese. What it is that you fancy. If you want to eat filet mignon, make it and serve at least a few pieces to your children. Even if they don't eat it, it will register as special. I am sure you can have one of two sidings they would enjoy - mash potatoes or mac n cheese?

A nice dessert and some french toasts - voila! I am sure they will haven nice memories of it.

This

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There doesn't have to be a kid menu for them to make something that wouldn't be difficult but a kid could eat.

Think a fruit salad and a chicken breast. Or a baked potato. Rolls and some sort of meat for a sandwich.

I wish.

We almost always bring food for my 6 y.o.

Here is the our current food list:

Dairy:
- white milk 1%, 2% or whole - any brand
- yogurt - Dannon Vanilla Greek and certain flavors of YoKids and Yoplait kids
- some lowfat string cheese

Meat/Legumes (protein!)
- smooth peanut butter
- smooth Sunbutter
- plain hummus
- variety of processed chicken nuggets/tenders - but not all
- variety of processed fish sticks

Vegetables/Fruits
- regular french fries, including some homemade
- regular sweet potato fries, including some homemade
- pre-cut carrots (crinkle cut) but generally only with hummus
- red seedless grapes (prefers very firm, rounder, not too big - inspects each one but will eat 10+ in one sitting)
- peeled apple slices (only a couple at a time)
- peeled pear slices (only a couple at a time)
- freeze dried banana slices (now very limited number)
- unsweetened apple sauce - plain or cinnamon
- plus still eats an ever decreasing number of purees from tubes
(a couple each from Plum Baby, Ella, Gerber Organics and Earth's Best Sesame Street Fruit/Yogurt combos)

Grains:
- Cheerios - plain
- Kixx cereal
- Coco Lite Pop Cakes (not onion!)
- Wheat Club Crackers - regular
- stone ground wheat crackers - regular or low sodium
- some other crackers at school or other parties but only certain ones
- Pepperidge Farm thin sliced bread - wheat only
- some plain baguettes (will eat Panera's)
- most plain bagels
- plain slightly salted popcorn
- some pancakes (mostly just ours from a box made small)
- some waffles (unpredictable)
- Fiber One Peanut Butter Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)
- Cascadian Farms Mini-Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)

Drinks:
- plain water (cold or room temp - no ice and never warm/hot)
(plus milk)

Additional commercially produced crispy carbs (a/k/a junk!):
- Snyder Mini Pretzels, Waffle Pretzels or Pretzel Sticks
- Veggie Straws/Chips
- SnapPea Crisps
- Pirate Booty - regular flavor
- Sun Chips - plain
- plain white corn tortilla chips (Tostitos or similar)
- most regular graham crackers
- Nilla Wafers - regular or mini's
- Teddy Grahams - honey or cinnamon


Almost every food on this list represents a victory - including Cheerios.


Plus, in progress items include:
- plain meatballs
- processed fish patty
- instant oatmeal (w/ Dinosaur eggs)
- celery sticks
- Nutrigrain bars
- cheddar chees slices/shapes
- watermelon
- vanilla ice cream


No dx, not on the spectrum or anything per evaluation at Children's - just some sensory and anxiety issues.

[Anonymous]

Don't want to read all 10 pages but +1 for either making a small dinner even if it's just steak for adults and chicken for kids with mashed potatoes, gravy and a veggie with a frozen pie. I'm also all for eating out. We have been to Old Ebbit a few times for Thanksgiving and it's always really nice. Also Founding Farmers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People that think parents can control their child eating do not have picky eaters. I thought any parent could teach good sleep habits with CIO which was a total success with my #1. We were just as committed (if not more) with #2 and it flopped. Then I realized that it mostly the child not the parents strategy that affect the outcome. In the same way my #1 is a great eater. My #2 the opposite of that. Same house. Same practices. She just seems to be a very sensitive taster. Force feeding a kid something they do not wish to eat is just wrong to me.

I agree - and I'm really not sure what it would take to force some children. Even if you had at least 3 adults - assuming you can restrain them, and open their mouth put a bite in and close it - no clue how you get them to chew and swallow and not gag, choke or vomit. Perhaps multiple days of starvation would help. Or threats of physical violence.

For those of you suggesting that "picky eating" is generally the result of lazy parenting, how would you handle a child who will not touch, muchless eat most foods. I'd love specific suggestions.

[Anonymous]

We always had Chinese food and went to the movies on Christmas. It was great.

And ignore the judgemental posters-- they are ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There doesn't have to be a kid menu for them to make something that wouldn't be difficult but a kid could eat.

Think a fruit salad and a chicken breast. Or a baked potato. Rolls and some sort of meat for a sandwich.

I wish.

We almost always bring food for my 6 y.o.

Here is the our current food list:

Dairy:
- white milk 1%, 2% or whole - any brand
- yogurt - Dannon Vanilla Greek and certain flavors of YoKids and Yoplait kids
- some lowfat string cheese

Meat/Legumes (protein!)
- smooth peanut butter
- smooth Sunbutter
- plain hummus
- variety of processed chicken nuggets/tenders - but not all
- variety of processed fish sticks

Vegetables/Fruits
- regular french fries, including some homemade
- regular sweet potato fries, including some homemade
- pre-cut carrots (crinkle cut) but generally only with hummus
- red seedless grapes (prefers very firm, rounder, not too big - inspects each one but will eat 10+ in one sitting)
- peeled apple slices (only a couple at a time)
- peeled pear slices (only a couple at a time)
- freeze dried banana slices (now very limited number)
- unsweetened apple sauce - plain or cinnamon
- plus still eats an ever decreasing number of purees from tubes
(a couple each from Plum Baby, Ella, Gerber Organics and Earth's Best Sesame Street Fruit/Yogurt combos)

Grains:
- Cheerios - plain
- Kixx cereal
- Coco Lite Pop Cakes (not onion!)
- Wheat Club Crackers - regular
- stone ground wheat crackers - regular or low sodium
- some other crackers at school or other parties but only certain ones
- Pepperidge Farm thin sliced bread - wheat only
- some plain baguettes (will eat Panera's)
- most plain bagels
- plain slightly salted popcorn
- some pancakes (mostly just ours from a box made small)
- some waffles (unpredictable)
- Fiber One Peanut Butter Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)
- Cascadian Farms Mini-Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)

Drinks:
- plain water (cold or room temp - no ice and never warm/hot)
(plus milk)

Additional commercially produced crispy carbs (a/k/a junk!):
- Snyder Mini Pretzels, Waffle Pretzels or Pretzel Sticks
- Veggie Straws/Chips
- SnapPea Crisps
- Pirate Booty - regular flavor
- Sun Chips - plain
- plain white corn tortilla chips (Tostitos or similar)
- most regular graham crackers
- Nilla Wafers - regular or mini's
- Teddy Grahams - honey or cinnamon


Almost every food on this list represents a victory - including Cheerios.


Plus, in progress items include:
- plain meatballs
- processed fish patty
- instant oatmeal (w/ Dinosaur eggs)
- celery sticks
- Nutrigrain bars
- cheddar chees slices/shapes
- watermelon
- vanilla ice cream[i][u]


No dx, not on the spectrum or anything per evaluation at Children's - just some sensory and anxiety issues.

Why are these your "in progress" items. Assuming your child does have some medical sensory and anxiety issues, I would think you'd want the absolute best bang for your buck when "in progress" on food items. If you have to slowly introduce and cajole to get your kid to eat food, why in the world would you waste that effort on "processed fish patty" instead of real actual fish or vanilla ice cream (!!??!!) instead of another fruit or veggie?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Italian places might also have pizza on the menu.

Happy Holidays!
Getting away from the soap box poster who thinks a holiday is the best time to crack the whip and start major household changes...............I also was going to suggest looking for Italian places, as they can make things "up" or "down" easily. Plus I'm Italian so Xmas and Italian food is comfort for me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There doesn't have to be a kid menu for them to make something that wouldn't be difficult but a kid could eat.

Think a fruit salad and a chicken breast. Or a baked potato. Rolls and some sort of meat for a sandwich.

I wish.

We almost always bring food for my 6 y.o.

Here is the our current food list:

Dairy:
- white milk 1%, 2% or whole - any brand
- yogurt - Dannon Vanilla Greek and certain flavors of YoKids and Yoplait kids
- some lowfat string cheese

Meat/Legumes (protein!)
- smooth peanut butter
- smooth Sunbutter
- plain hummus
- variety of processed chicken nuggets/tenders - but not all
- variety of processed fish sticks

Vegetables/Fruits
- regular french fries, including some homemade
- regular sweet potato fries, including some homemade
- pre-cut carrots (crinkle cut) but generally only with hummus
- red seedless grapes (prefers very firm, rounder, not too big - inspects each one but will eat 10+ in one sitting)
- peeled apple slices (only a couple at a time)
- peeled pear slices (only a couple at a time)
- freeze dried banana slices (now very limited number)
- unsweetened apple sauce - plain or cinnamon
- plus still eats an ever decreasing number of purees from tubes
(a couple each from Plum Baby, Ella, Gerber Organics and Earth's Best Sesame Street Fruit/Yogurt combos)

Grains:
- Cheerios - plain
- Kixx cereal
- Coco Lite Pop Cakes (not onion!)
- Wheat Club Crackers - regular
- stone ground wheat crackers - regular or low sodium
- some other crackers at school or other parties but only certain ones
- Pepperidge Farm thin sliced bread - wheat only
- some plain baguettes (will eat Panera's)
- most plain bagels
- plain slightly salted popcorn
- some pancakes (mostly just ours from a box made small)
- some waffles (unpredictable)
- Fiber One Peanut Butter Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)
- Cascadian Farms Mini-Granola bars (sometimes - used to like more)

Drinks:
- plain water (cold or room temp - no ice and never warm/hot)
(plus milk)

Additional commercially produced crispy carbs (a/k/a junk!):
- Snyder Mini Pretzels, Waffle Pretzels or Pretzel Sticks
- Veggie Straws/Chips
- SnapPea Crisps
- Pirate Booty - regular flavor
- Sun Chips - plain
- plain white corn tortilla chips (Tostitos or similar)
- most regular graham crackers
- Nilla Wafers - regular or mini's
- Teddy Grahams - honey or cinnamon


Almost every food on this list represents a victory - including Cheerios.


Plus, in progress items include:
- plain meatballs
- processed fish patty
- instant oatmeal (w/ Dinosaur eggs)
- celery sticks
- Nutrigrain bars
- cheddar chees slices/shapes
- watermelon
- vanilla ice cream[i][u]


No dx, not on the spectrum or anything per evaluation at Children's - just some sensory and anxiety issues.

Why are these your "in progress" items. Assuming your child does have some medical sensory and anxiety issues, I would think you'd want the absolute best bang for your buck when "in progress" on food items. If you have to slowly introduce and cajole to get your kid to eat food, why in the world would you waste that effort on "processed fish patty" instead of real actual fish or vanilla ice cream (!!??!!) instead of another fruit or veggie?

First "cajoling" gets us no where even if we slowly introduce.

As for the food choices, I completely agree with you. But I am not an experienced and licensed SLP or OT. The foods being introduced are selected by them based on a number of things including nutritional value. I big consideration is what might be successful - my kid likes his food to be very predictable - uniform is safe to him. And the idea is to build on other foods - fish stick to fish patty to fish fillet and so on. It can be a long process.

Oh and the vanilla ice cream is all his therapists' idea - they think cake or pizza are a ways off but thought it would be nice to include something typically served at birthday parties. I thought it was sweet of them to think of it.

You really have no idea what you are talking about. Do you know many party places don't allow in outside food or drink. Through the preschool years we must have attended at least 2 dozen parties where there was nothing there he would eat or drink then water - the best being when I and to hunt down that. School events where he would eat crackers and water and so on and so forth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, OP. This is so sad. Another reason not to let your kids grow up to be picky eaters.

Why don't you just try telling them that this is dinner, this is where we're going, and it will be a wonderful family dinner? It's time to get past your current mindset.

Picky eating for some children is unavoidable. Some parents do not "let" picky eating happen it just does. For some kids it isn't a mindset.

Yes, they do. I'm sorry, but you're wrong about this. Except in very, very, very few cases (something like .002%) where there are genuine medical concerns involved, picky eating to the extreme that OP describes is a result of -- I'm gonna say it -- slack parenting.

You're a smug, sanctimonious asshole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh, OP. This is so sad. Another reason not to let your kids grow up to be picky eaters.

Why don't you just try telling them that this is dinner, this is where we're going, and it will be a wonderful family dinner? It's time to get past your current mindset.

Picky eating for some children is unavoidable. Some parents do not "let" picky eating happen it just does. For some kids it isn't a mindset.

Yes, they do. I'm sorry, but you're wrong about this. Except in very, very, very few cases (something like .002%) where there are genuine medical concerns involved, picky eating to the extreme that OP describes is a result of -- I'm gonna say it -- slack parenting.

You're a smug, sanctimonious asshole.

And, no, my kid is not a picky eater. Not even close. But, I'm sick of you judgmental people coming on here and dishing out your crap. Go crawl back in your miserably caves.

[Anonymous]

My Christmas eve tradition always involved filet mignon (the one night a year my parents splurged) -- however, my almost-10 year old doesn't like steak. After a few years of being frustrated and having her either waste it, or not eat much, I decided to change it up - now we have spinach lasagna with ground turkey in it. She loves it, I enjoy it as well, and we have started a new tradition. Find a balance and don't drive yourselves crazy.