Reply to Hosting step-grandson for two weeks- how to deal with food fussiness

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous] OP here. Yes, I meant the stereotypical American foods like pizza, burgers, meatloaf, mac and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs...which we can make but not for two whole weeks! We do consume foods like that but once in a while. I don't know why people had to start criticizing German food but just because I'm German doesn't mean that I usually make German food. I like to cook Korean, Vietnamese, French, Italian (real Italian...like with anchovies and a ton of garlic) and Chinese foods. I do have spätzle in my pantry and I can make one or two German dishes but that's it. I'm very sad with some of the remarks here making me out to be a monster and I am not wanting to fight with the boy. Just to teach him some manners. Is that so wrong? [/quote]

I'm 13:42.  I think it's totally appropriate if at mealtime he is rude, to let him know that blech, yuck, or gross are not acceptable in your home.  Don't drop that on him as soon as he arrives, though.  Otherwise, the teaching of manners in terms of broadening his palate just isn't your place.  You've had some good suggestions, and it's rare that you get almost 14 pages of consensus on DCUM, so please look in your heart and decide if this is a battle you want to fight with a 12yr old.  There is no winning here at all.[/quote]

I believe that people taste food differently. Our genes tell us if we are more sensitive to bitterness. You can't fault him for that. So many non-picky people do not get this because they don't have strong aversions and think it's just easy to eat anything. Like myself, many kids eventually will change as they grow up.  Forcing him to eat something will not help him expand his food choices in the future because he will likely have strong negative associations and avoid the food. 
 
Find out an easy alternative that won't inconvenience you - eggs, peanut butter sandwich, pizza - whatever he can make himself when he doesn't care for what you are serving, and continue to eat as normal.

By all means encourage table manners and polite declinations. If you make this about forcing him to eat only what you serve, you may win in the moment but lose in the long run.  
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