Picky Kids and Christmas Eve Dinner

[Anonymous]

You can buy just the turkey breast, not the whole turkey, and you list that your kids can eat turkey sandwiches. So make the breast, some kids you & your husband like, and bake some fresh rolls so your kids can turn it into turkey sandwiches.

[Anonymous]

some *sides you like, not kids!

[Anonymous]

Most restaurants will have some sort of plain chicken and potatoes and veggies or fruit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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).

Really? So my kid should choose off of the adult menu and have a $30-35 entree that he would not like or eat, because it's all filets, prime rib, crabcakes, pork chops, salmon, fresh fish of the day? I think NOT.

If you think NOT, you should go somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

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.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Just make sure to tip your server well. S/he has to work Xmas eve after all.

[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.

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.

Exactly, taking a Five Guys grilled cheese to a restaurant for a 7 year old is ridiculous...just make a meal, put it in front of them, and repeat repeat repeat. Eventually, they will get it that they need to eat what's on their plate.

[Anonymous]

Or you will take them to the pediatrician for their check up find out they have fallen off their weight curve and get a lecture about making sure they are eating enough even if it does not seem to meet your definition of healthy. You will be asked to return in 3 months for a weight check.

[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.

Given how much you obsess over food, it's pretty clear why you're raising a kid with food issues.

[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.

Brown rice pasta is the same nutrition as brown rice....

[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.

Kids that young are not even allowed at food banks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Given how much you obsess over food, it's pretty clear why you're raising a kid with food issues.

Obsessive? Or just health conscious?

[Anonymous]

OP sounds like a great mom, who is wanting to create special traditions for her family. I am not loosing any sleep over her kids growing up addicted to salt and fat.

FWIW, OP, I took a pretty relaxed approach to DD's EXTREMELY picky eating when she was younger, and she is coming around on her own to trying new things.

[Anonymous]

Will your kids eat Mexican? It's not fancy, but you could try Uncle Julios, Cactus Cantina, Lauriol Plaza, or the like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions! OP here.

To all of you judging me because my kids are picky, judge away. I have happy kids, and I ensure they are eating healthy versions of the foods they like with fruits and veggies at every meal (my son sometimes ASKS for broccoli with his breakfast). My husband and I eat very clean, and I do ask the kids to try EVERYTHING we eat on a regular basis. My 3 year old likes a lot of our "adult" foods and is welcome to them, but often wants what her older brother is having. My 7 year old knows that we are a "trying family" - he tries it all and knows he will still be able to eat something he likes. They know they can't ask for snacks or desserts later if they don't eat their fruits and veggies. To me, that is good enough for us. In fact, I think it's pretty darn great! I'm happy to be the kind of mom that allows this "gasp" horrible behavior of allowing my kids to be their own person with likes and dislikes, and I'm lucky enough to be able to provide them with the foods that they prefer. I'm also lucky enough to be able to try to make the holidays special for my kids, in many ways, and I look forward to doing that with food too, or creating a "food tradition". I appreciate all of the suggestions - lots of great ones!

Happy Holidays to all.

OP, honestly, I'd just ignore the posters who are judging. They are bored and having nothing else to do. Life's too short to care what they think.

I know what a pain it is to have to curb where you eat because of kids. My kids aren't picky, but one of them has severe food allergies, and we can pretty much never go out with her. It's really difficult to adjust to not having the option of a family meal out. And I can get why that would happen if your kid simply refused to eat anything the whole meal.

Have you thought about an Italian place, and asking them to make noodles with butter and cheese?