We do family meal with a couple main items and a couple sides so there is always a couple of dishes everyone is sharing, and we try to get the kids to at least taste everything.
Think pasta with a salad and a side vegetable that the kids like, along with something we like that is more of a stretch for them.

Make 1 meal for your family. They can eat or not.

Have themed dinners with a movie that goes along, or family book club with an associated meal. This is a great way to get excited about new foods (don't make a big deal, just serve).

I had one child be the main helper every night, and others would be minor helpers. The kids chose the meal they wanted to make, but within guidelines of being healthy. They could choose a new recipe or familiar one. The kids voted on the new recipes, and if all agreed it went into the approved folder. This seemed to give them the control and power they wanted. Everyone eats the same meals.

Anonymous wrote:My elementary kids have the most erratic taste buds! One day they like something, the next day they won't touch. At the moment, I have one child living on kiwi and channa marsala and the other on egg tacos and peanut butter granola bars. Any suggestions on how to deal with dinner time? Meal idea? Strategies to introduce foods? Especially veggies?

I mean this is actually pretty sophisticated and nutritious.
Can you ask why they like Chana, and then maybe introduce another Marsala veggie?
If it’s peanut butter, offer vegetables with a peanut butter dipping sauce.

PP here who suggested involving them in cooking; I actually had them pick recipes from kids’ cookbooks. Also they were interested in science, so I had them “research” meals, especially the picky eaters took this quite seriously once they learned about the food pyramid.

A huge factor in that struggle is what sweets are they being given by school, daycare, granma, nanny, friends, in-between the meals you prepare for your kid.
If you barely get a day in the week without a frosting tower cupcake being handed to your kid, they won't be as willing to try out your veggies, and nothing will taste "good" until someone hands them a candy bar.

No real advice just saying I can relate. Each of the 3 family members (spouse and 2 kids) I cook for are picky and won’t compromise. Oftentimes it seems like I’m making 3 separate meals (I’ll eat the same as spouse to not cause a rift).

I had one extremely picky eater who needed feeding therapy because he was autistic and had sensory issues with texture of foods. He was in failure to thrive. It was a struggle.

Barring anything like that, or allergies, I would definitely enforce eating a little bit of everything that's on the plate. YOU choose the meal, and try to make it so they can both eat it. But they need to eat what's in front of them. Toddlers can be accommodated somewhat, but elementary schoolers? They're acting spoiled.

Our rule was always no dessert unless you ate protein and vegetable. I know some parents are anti dessert but I am not and it gave them some incentive.

It is hard. I have one kid with affid but it wasn’t even really clear until she was a tween. At least she was relatively consistent in what she ate.
The involve them in cooking can work for some kids, including even letting them pick recipes from a book. It doesn’t work for all kids. We do a lot of meals that are self assembly and can be customized — eg sandwiches, tacos, etc. we also do a lot of sides so they have choices. I also throw in fruit often at dinner as the nutritional benefits of fruit (fiber, vitamins) are pretty similar to vegetables. Also try sauces as a bridge for vegetables — eg lemon butter sauce or cheese sauce or peanut sauce or ranch. And try things like roasted vegetables wit olive oil salt and garlic. Some kids like things more plain but others need it covered with something. Unfortunate they are all different. The recently added kale chips with tajin and they seem to like that, at least for now.

Don’t be a short order cook. If they don’t like what you serve, don’t run to cut them a kiwi or give them a granola bar. Offer 3-4 options on the plate for the meal and make sure at least one is palatable to the kids/not spicy, etc. the rest is up to them.

I know there is legit arfid level picky eating out there, but I think a lot of picky eating is parents being terrified of their kids not being happy so placating them.

And I say this as a mom who did have two picky eating toddlers, but worked hard to not limit their palate. Eating a variety of foods can be a taught skill.

We always served them what the adults were eating. It's always a theee course meal (entree with a veg side, salad, bread, and cheese course/dessert) so they usuallybwould eat something. Perhaps you are not serving enough sides.

Anonymous wrote:My elementary kids have the most erratic taste buds! One day they like something, the next day they won't touch. At the moment, I have one child living on kiwi and channa marsala and the other on egg tacos and peanut butter granola bars. Any suggestions on how to deal with dinner time? Meal idea? Strategies to introduce foods? Especially veggies?

This isn't erratic taste buds. This is a power/control thing.
Maybe give them a choice between 2 options (so that you are not their personal chef taking custom orders) or let them not eat and see what being hungry feels like (if you know they like(d) the food, of course).

What worked for us was to involve them in cooking and “playing “ with food such as using veggies to make faces, eg red pepper for a mouth, peas for eyes etc

My elementary kids have the most erratic taste buds! One day they like something, the next day they won't touch. At the moment, I have one child living on kiwi and channa marsala and the other on egg tacos and peanut butter granola bars. Any suggestions on how to deal with dinner time? Meal idea? Strategies to introduce foods? Especially veggies?