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

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[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]

No, OP, you are not a monster!

But it is not your place, as the hostess of your step grandson, to cure his (in your opinion) picky eating.

There is some leeway for you, because you and your husband will be acting "in loco parentis" for the two week period, to do some mild "upbringing" Of the boy.  He is a minor child and in your care.  You have complete right over anything that affects his safety, for example, and since you cannot just tell him to leave the house if he misbehaves, you have the right to expect him to follow the rules of the house in terms of both safety and manners.

So you absolutely may tell him that in your house, people do not say "yuck" to food.  It would be better if you had a matter of fact chat with him.  Personally if he were my grandchild, I'd take him when he arrives out to the grocery store and say "now, Stephen, I want you to get some foods thet you know you will like, and I promise not to comment on any of them, because I"m going to ask the same thing of you.  I think it is rude to say "yuck" about someone's food and I ask that you don't do that while you are visiting."

What you may NOT as a good hostess do, is use this two week visit to try to "cure" him of his picky eating.   You may not say "this is dinner, like it or no food for you" or any of the other things people do to cure picky eating.  If he were your own child, you could do that, but you may not do that as the hostess.  That is not kind, that is not good manners, and BTW it WILL NOT be effective.

Again, you do NOT need to roll over and be a doormat.  You can insist he speak politely.  You may not withhold food he likes, as your guest.  You DO NOT have to make special meals for him all the time.  YOu can provide a few options he likes, and let him fix them for himself.

As you say you do eat "american" food like hamburger etc. go ahead and make some of those meals.   Make a little extra.  Some other nights, make the foods you like, and if you are feeling kind, try to make them so he might learn to like them.   Make a Thai dish with something simple like chicken satay and peanut sauce, or skewered pork on the grill, seasoned a bit differently.   Instead of trying to force him into submission, think about what types of foods he might enjoy that he hasn't already!   You already know he doesn't like vegetables mixed into things.   Show him some websites and see if there are any foods that sound interesting to him!   You actually might influence his eating habits for the better with gentle persuasion.

But failing that, by all means let him eat a pizza from the freezer. This is a no brainer.

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