Picky Kids and Christmas Eve Dinner

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi All, OP here, thanks for the suggestions! Not really appreciating the judgements on my picky eaters though. We require our kids to try everything, but kids DO have more sensitive tastebuds than adults, and their tastes often evolve over time. I was a VERY picky eater growing up and was NOT forced to try or eat anything I don't like, and I now am a fairly adventurous eater. I DO make my kids eat their fruits and veggies, but beyond that, why bother? I'm not sure this is a "bad habits" issue. Not that I have to defend my picky eaters or parenting choices to anyone...Here are the things my kids DO like alot:
- Fish Sticks (we buy "healthy" low ingredient ones)
- Chicken Tenders/Nuggets
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Some Mac & Cheeses
- Occasionally Grilled Cheese
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Hot Dogs (we don't allow these often)
- Kielbasa & Perogies (also not often)
- Meatloaf & Mashed Potatoes (sometimes yes, sometimes no)
- Cheese Tortellini
- Cheese Pizza
- Cheese Quesadilla
- Turkey/Ham Subs (we limit this as well)
- Beef Tacos
- Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
- Broccoli, Peas, Carrots, Green Beans, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples

They don't like "mixed foods" like casseroles and lasanga. And they don't like spaghetti and meatballs or red sauce (too acidic - canker sores), generally. Or asian sauces (benihana - they are scared of the fire there, PF Changs, Chinese). And they are minimal meat eaters when it comes to burgers and things like that. So this leaves us with not a lot of options.... I'm thinking I'll call the Steakhouse to see what they can offer plain, and think a little more about the Melting Pot as well. Appreciate any ideas or suggestions or things your family does, keep it coming!

Yet here you are asking for dinner out suggestions b/c your kids are picky...

YEP! That's right. And appreciated all of the good ideas and suggestions I got. I am going to do several of them, and appreciated the responses.

[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.

Not letting your kids be picky eaters is like not letting your kids be short.. I would not want my families Christmas to include sulky hungry kids who just ate bread for dinner..

Absolutely not. What OP describes is the result of letting bad habits get out of hand.

I agree. If you have to bring grilled cheese for a seven year old especially because "there's no kids menu" you've made some food habit wrong turns. This is why I'm completely oposed to kids meals, kids menus, and the like. They foster taste buds that only recognize fat, salt, and sugar (often all fried together).

SO well put!

[Anonymous]

unclech, mama, unclench.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just laughing at everyone judging OP for creating kids with kid-palettes.

I really, really tried (and continue to try!) to make my kid an adventuresome eater. We started out great...but he only wants rice or bread when we go out. He's gone to bed hungry several times because he was unwilling to eat what I made.

I've learned to let it go and hope he'll come around one day.

There's a difference between eating rice and bread vs. eating nuggets and fish sticks and mac n cheese and grilled cheese. Your kid will surely grow out of eating only rice and bread. OP's kids may not grow out of having an appetite for only fried, greasy, salty, processed foods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just laughing at everyone judging OP for creating kids with kid-palettes.

I really, really tried (and continue to try!) to make my kid an adventuresome eater. We started out great...but he only wants rice or bread when we go out. He's gone to bed hungry several times because he was unwilling to eat what I made.

I've learned to let it go and hope he'll come around one day.

There's a difference between eating rice and bread vs. eating nuggets and fish sticks and mac n cheese and grilled cheese. Your kid will surely grow out of eating only rice and bread. OP's kids may not grow out of having an appetite for only fried, greasy, salty, processed foods.

Big assumptions that I'm feeding my kids fried, greasy, salty, processed foods, just because of the "kid food" list I posted. They eat it at restaurants of course. My husband and I eat CLEAN. My son will only eat mac & cheese that I make - not the box kind. I use rice noodles, almond milk and fresh cheese without added, processed ingredients. We make our own pizza with organic tomato puree, spices, fresh dough, and fresh mozzerella & parmesan. I serve the healthiest pre-made sticks/nuggets I can find that are antibiotic free, no preservatives, artificial flavors, colors - they are lightly breaded with low fat/sodium. Not that they are served every night. They hate cereal. They prefer the whole wheat pancakes I make weekly, instead of the frozen kind out of a box. They eat lots of other things and most are made in the healthiest manner possible at home. And sometimes, they eat processed, greasy, salty, sugary crap. We live by the 80/20 rule though, so I'm totally good with that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just laughing at everyone judging OP for creating kids with kid-palettes.

I really, really tried (and continue to try!) to make my kid an adventuresome eater. We started out great...but he only wants rice or bread when we go out. He's gone to bed hungry several times because he was unwilling to eat what I made.

I've learned to let it go and hope he'll come around one day.

There's a difference between eating rice and bread vs. eating nuggets and fish sticks and mac n cheese and grilled cheese. Your kid will surely grow out of eating only rice and bread. OP's kids may not grow out of having an appetite for only fried, greasy, salty, processed foods.

Big assumptions that I'm feeding my kids fried, greasy, salty, processed foods, just because of the "kid food" list I posted. They eat it at restaurants of course. My husband and I eat CLEAN. My son will only eat mac & cheese that I make - not the box kind. I use rice noodles, almond milk and fresh cheese without added, processed ingredients. We make our own pizza with organic tomato puree, spices, fresh dough, and fresh mozzerella & parmesan. I serve the healthiest pre-made sticks/nuggets I can find that are antibiotic free, no preservatives, artificial flavors, colors - they are lightly breaded with low fat/sodium. Not that they are served every night. They hate cereal. They prefer the whole wheat pancakes I make weekly, instead of the frozen kind out of a box. They eat lots of other things and most are made in the healthiest manner possible at home. And sometimes, they eat processed, greasy, salty, sugary crap. We live by the 80/20 rule though, so I'm totally good with that.

Rice noodles and almond milk have pretty minimal nutritional value. You're pretty much putting yourself out there for assumptions when you post a list of the foods that your picky "clean-eating" kids eat. If you are so sure that your kids aren't actually picky and eat "lots of other things," why post a list of the things that they like that doesn't actually give an accurate picture.

[Anonymous]

There are an awful lot of judgy moms here, blasting OP for feeding her kids so terribly. Perhaps instead of offering more criticism, tell us all what you feed your kids on a regular basis that is so much more perfect than everyone else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are an awful lot of judgy moms here, blasting OP for feeding her kids so terribly. Perhaps instead of offering more criticism, tell us all what you feed your kids on a regular basis that is so much more perfect than everyone else?

brown rice, tofu, vegetables, chicken, fish, beef, whole grain pasta, polenta, eggs, cheese, yogurt. basically real food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are an awful lot of judgy moms here, blasting OP for feeding her kids so terribly. Perhaps instead of offering more criticism, tell us all what you feed your kids on a regular basis that is so much more perfect than everyone else?

brown rice, tofu, vegetables, chicken, fish, beef, whole grain pasta, polenta, eggs, cheese, yogurt. basically real food.

Those seem like basically the foods OP listed. Meatloaf and potatoes is beef (and potatoes) Macaroni and cheese is pasta and cheese. Tacos would be corn tortillas and ground beef with rice and beans maybe. PP you serve polenta and beef and rice.... I'm not seeing how your list is oh so much "cleaner" than OPs list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There were five of us and my mother put meals on table and that was that-- eat or go hungry. No picky eaters. The five of us do the same with our children and, GASP, no picky eaters. Kids are picky eaters because parents, primarily mothers, allow this ridiculous behavior.

How has the clean-your-plate command worked out in terms of obesity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are an awful lot of judgy moms here, blasting OP for feeding her kids so terribly. Perhaps instead of offering more criticism, tell us all what you feed your kids on a regular basis that is so much more perfect than everyone else?

brown rice, tofu, vegetables, chicken, fish, beef, whole grain pasta, polenta, eggs, cheese, yogurt. basically real food.

Those seem like basically the foods OP listed. Meatloaf and potatoes is beef (and potatoes) Macaroni and cheese is pasta and cheese. Tacos would be corn tortillas and ground beef with rice and beans maybe. PP you serve polenta and beef and rice.... I'm not seeing how your list is oh so much "cleaner" than OPs list.

I didn't top my list with fish sticks and chicken nuggets and ask what kind of restaurant I could bring my kids to. I think it's more of an issue of OP not being clear about what the issue is.

[Anonymous]

Take your kids to volunteer at a food bank so they can help the less fortunate and realize that not everyone has the luxury of being picky and only eating rice noodle mac and cheese.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There were five of us and my mother put meals on table and that was that-- eat or go hungry. No picky eaters. The five of us do the same with our children and, GASP, no picky eaters. Kids are picky eaters because parents, primarily mothers, allow this ridiculous behavior.

How has the clean-your-plate command worked out in terms of obesity?

Where did PP say her mom told them they had to clean their plates?

[Anonymous]

What does cleaning your plate and overeating have to do with not being picky?

In Japan, children generally eat "adult" food that is put in front of them and don't have much choice in what they eat for school lunch. They have the lowest obesity rates in the developed world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take your kids to volunteer at a food bank so they can help the less fortunate and realize that not everyone has the luxury of being picky and only eating rice noodle mac and cheese.

Jesus Fucking Christ. Seriously?!