I am so sick of chicken!!!

[Anonymous]

I limit red meat to once per week at the most. My 2 boys will not eat any kind of fish/seafood, and my DH does not consider it a meal w/o meat of some kind. So we end up with chicken most nights; maybe pork once in a while. They will go for something like raviolis for dinner once in a while, but it's impossible to pull off a healthy vegetarian meal b/c the boys will end up eating nothing.

For example, tonight, DD and I had a delicious meal of baked tilapia with lemon and capers, asparagus sauteed in olive oil and garlic and sprinkled with a bit of Parmesan cheese, and oven roasted baby red potatoes. My DD is awesome - she eats everything and is always willing to try new foods; loves fish, veggies, salads, different spices and sauces, etc. But I had to have DH grill turkey burgers for himself and the boys; the boys ate them but complained they tasted weird because they weren't beef, and they didn't try the vegetables or the fish. (DH would have eaten the fish, but not if a burger was an option.)

I am just so sick of chicken for dinner all the time!! I'm a good cook and I see so many interesting recipes I want to try but I know my family won't eat any of them. It's so frustrating.

[Anonymous]

what do you mean your boys "won't" eat them?

If they are hungry enough they will.

[Anonymous]

time to lay down the law, Mom. You're being a doormat.

As long as your offerings aren't too exotic (vegetable jalfrezi) or slimy (Portobello Mushrooms in wine sauce), then I say make what you want and let them eat sides if they must.

[Anonymous]

Don't make other things to suit their taste. One main entree and that's it. After some protest, they will get over it and eat what's offered.

[Anonymous]

OP,

Suggestions:
- Cook a mother-daughter meal once a week, let dad figure out the boys as described but dad more of the initiator.
- Eat pork once a week.
- Eat red meat five to six times a month.
- Try every seafood possible. The boys do not like shrimp? Go to food52.com for Amanda Hesser's shrimp a la Mark Bittman.
- Explore side-dish recipes, to keep your creativity going.
- Homemade pizza is easy and delish, have you done that?
- Draw from other meals: sandwiches, scrambled eggs for dinner. Make it fun, we're having breakfast tonight.
- Expand leftover repertoire. Roast chicken one night, chicken fried rice the next.

I sympathize. My nephew's a really fussy eater, my sister's an amazing cook. It's not easy.

[Anonymous]

I agree that you really should try to stick to one entree.

I try to stick to chicken 1X/week because I, too, get tired of it. Here are a few other things I make on a regular basis, aside from fish.

Pork chops or tenderloin (the Smithfield premarinated ones are tasty and easy)
Ravioli
Spinach/cheese tortellini
Turkey chops or scallopini
Ham/eggs/hashbrowns/biscuits or omelets
Homemade pizza

[Anonymous]

what do you mean your boys "won't" eat them?

If they are hungry enough they will.

I don't think so. If something really repulsed you, would you eat it, or would you skip a meal? We're not talking about being on the verge of starvation, where you really would eat just about anything for survival. If I had a good lunch, and I showed up at the dinner table and it was liver & onions, or monkey brains, or deep-fried crickets, I'm pretty sure I'd pass and just wait until breakfast.

I'm in favor of putting lots of foods out there for kids to try, but I think there are kids who just won't eat very many things. If forced, they will take one bite, be grossed out, and refuse to take a second bite.

[Anonymous]

- Try every seafood possible. The boys do not like shrimp? Go to food52.com for Amanda Hesser's shrimp a la Mark Bittman.

Forgot to mention DH is allergic to shrimp. DD loves it (of course) and one of the boys seems to like it, but it's hard to make shrimp for a meal - I have to be very careful about cross-contamination, and DH is left on his own for dinner or I have to make something else for him since he cannot eat shrimp. So sometimes I will pick up some cooked shrimp and have shrimp cocktail for an appetizer or snack for me & DD. It's better for me to buy it cooked than to cook it in the house - less worry about it contaminating anything that way.

We've tried lots of fish - I understand kids may not like "fishy" fish like salmon, but they reject even white flaky fish like tilapia, or fried flounder. I've even tried every brand of fish sticks out there (since they do like chicken nuggets) and they won't eat those! Aargh! Meanwhile, my DD is sitting there with a plate of salmon, side of steamed cauliflower, and a salad of spring mix with feta cheese and balsamic viniagrette - I don't get it!

But, all the other suggestions are good ones - thanks!

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, definitely a dilemma. I'd encourage you to check out the book "How to Get Your Kids to Eat...But Not Too Much". The basic premise of her book is that parents decide WHAT the kids eat, but the kids decide HOW MUCH and WHETHER to eat. She has sections for dealing with kids from infant through teenagers. Basically says to make sure that there's at least something on the table that the kids will eat (even if it's just bread and butter) but helps you avoid the short-order cook routine.

As for your DH, he's a lot like mine. Sometimes though, I just say tough, and make a vegetarian meal. I'll make a big pot of minestrone with lots of veggies, cannelini beans, and then top it with pesto and serve with crusty bread. Or even spagetti, and if he insists, warm up some of those pre-cooked turkey meatballs to put in his sauce. I know my DH wants meat at every meal, and most of the time he gets it. But, if I'm doing the menu planning, and shopping and cooking, every now and then(!) what I want counts too and he'll live.

[Anonymous]

I don't think so. If something really repulsed you, would you eat it, or would you skip a meal? We're not talking about being on the verge of starvation, where you really would eat just about anything for survival. If I had a good lunch, and I showed up at the dinner table and it was liver & onions, or monkey brains, or deep-fried crickets, I'm pretty sure I'd pass and just wait until breakfast.

I agree with you, PP. I am in the camp that (1) agrees that some people just "will not eat" whatever you cook and instead will skip a meal/eat the bread basket AND (2) that is OK. Unless they're 18 mos. old, I personally feel that it's fine to let the Picky Eaters (who may well be 38 years old) $&@# fend for themselves. In fact it's better not to coddle them.

Evolutionary biology suggests it is an advantage and normal to eat a variety of foods (food scarcity, drought, etc.). That's what our bodies are made to do. It is normal to eat a wide range of foods and it is not normal to limit that range to chicken nuggets, cheese sticks and grapes, period.

[Anonymous]

I do not cook more than one entree. If I am cooking something my son will probably not eat, I do try to have some sides that he will like. And I will allow him to eat either yogurt, cereal or fruit. I find the less I push the "repulsive food", the more likely he is to eventually try it.

For fish, I have also found that telling my son I am going to get smarter from eating it - will make him actually get mad if he doesn't get a bigger portion than me (because he wants to be smarter).

If your husabnd isn't eating the food, your sons are less likely to eat it.

[Anonymous]

Try ethnic foods 1x/week. It doesn't need to be expensive, but it will help to expand your children's and your DH's palate. Try falafel at Amsterdam Falafel in Adams Morgan--it's a special trip! Or the black bean burritos at Chipotle--delish. How about Indian--I love saag paneer, veggie samosas, potatoes and cauliflower. Sushi--even if it ends up being shrimp tempura (once in a while, it's not harmful, but it does end up exposing your children to different foods). Ethiopian is also fun to eat as a family--order the veggie combos.

[Anonymous]

I sympathize - very frustrating. I agree with the posters who said to try to stick to one meal, bc you will drive yourself crazy. Couple of suggestions, hope at least one is helpful:

- everyone in your family seems to like red meat, but for health reasons you don't want to serve it too often - maybe find a couple of recipes that use crumbled ground beef, but substitute ground turkey or chicken (like chili, baked ziti, tacos etc.) - i personally find crumbled ground turkey/chicken a decent substitute, whereas a whole hamburger made with ground turkey does taste pretty different than a beef hamburger - tacos work well in our house bc they can be customized to personal taste

- again since everyone in your family seems to like beef, have you tried grilling a tuna steak - i know it's not a beef steak, but it more resembles a beef dinner than salmon or white fish

- you can get chicken sausage - all different varieties - i like to grill it and toss with penne, sauteed peppers and onions, and olive oil, sprinkle with parm cheese - this appeals to my picky DS who likes everything "plain"

- do your picky sons like sweet foods - if so, try broiling salmon glazed brown sugar and a bit of mustard mixed together - it carmelizes and is very sweet so could be a way to make salmon appealing

- Last, I am not above bribes to get my picky child to try a few bites of dinner, with the hope that eventually he will get used to the meal - e.g., i know he loves corn muffins, so i will make those the same night i make chili, which he does not love

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I've got the same thing going on. DH is picky (but not allergic to shrimp -- he loves it) about fish and seafood, while I was raised on it as a huge part of my diet. DH insists that every meal must have meat or a protein and that perfect proteins like rice and beans don't count.

DD is only 7 mos but is allergic to milk and I'm BFing. I'm lactose intolerant, so I don't cook dairy.

It seriously complicates cooking, to say the least.

We do tacos or taco salad with ground chicken or turkey (or pulled pork) at least once a week. That is a huge hit in our house.

Noodles and ground turkey or chicken is an easy meal that goes over well. Cook pasta, saute meat with herbs de provence, garlic, and olive oil. Mix together. Serve with a salad and call it dinner.

How about a fritatta? Lots of veg, potatoes, etc inside of it.

[Anonymous]

A few more suggestions.

Talk to your husband about his impact on the children. My husband is a weird guy and would often not eat the entire day until 10pm. My son stopped eating because daddy didn't eat. I pointed this out to my husband. Now he eats. And he will eat food he doesn't like to be a good example. But I had to point it out. And I do the same - I eat foods I wouldn't eat years ago.

While I hate cooking, I keep trying to add new recipes, even if the odds of my son eating it are low. I try to plan the more "exotic" choices on days I know we will have leftovers he likes.

What about meals that have meat, but a smaller portion of meat. Stir-fries. Stews. Soups. Then you have meat, but smaller amounts.