Anonymous wrote:Our children have always eaten the same meals that are prepared for the adults? I don't understand this American custom of making separate meals for children?

I am not American but my eldest will not eat the food we prepare. She will try but she is freaked out by foods with strong smells or flavors, foods with combined ingredients, and most meat. We try not to prepare her separate meals but it is not at all uncommon for her to only eat, for instance, rice and one vegetable side out of everything served. We will often supplement with greek yogurt or a simple bean paste so she gets some protein, but she will not eat most of what we eat.

I think some children are just picky. My husband was reportedly the same way, and I will admit that as a kid there were many dinners where I just picked at the edges of my food and didn't eat much. I would fill up on breakfast and lunch which tended to have fewer heavy, savory items. Those are precisely the foods my own kid avoids now too.

Anonymous wrote:I appreciate this thread. My husband made a delicious stew on Monday night, which he and I have been enjoying all week. But my kids won't eat stew, so they have eaten: greek yogurt, peas (at least one or two actual peas, I saw the peas go into their mouths, the rest were left on plates), PB&J, cheerios, strawberries, French fries, bagel with cream cheese, rice and beans.

I am currently trying to plan tonights dinner and come up with a dish that they will actually eat. It's so hard. I might do tacos, which they will eat if we crumble the shells and call it nachos but use the same ingredients. Sigh.

Who wants to eat the same thing for dinner 3 nights in a row though??

I try not to make meals I know my kids will absolutely refuse. However if they really don't like something, it's up to them to figure it out. For my one kid that usually means cheese and crackers and the other one will really eat whatever we eat.

I appreciate this thread. My husband made a delicious stew on Monday night, which he and I have been enjoying all week. But my kids won't eat stew, so they have eaten: greek yogurt, peas (at least one or two actual peas, I saw the peas go into their mouths, the rest were left on plates), PB&J, cheerios, strawberries, French fries, bagel with cream cheese, rice and beans.

I am currently trying to plan tonights dinner and come up with a dish that they will actually eat. It's so hard. I might do tacos, which they will eat if we crumble the shells and call it nachos but use the same ingredients. Sigh.

Anonymous wrote:Our children have always eaten the same meals that are prepared for the adults? I don't understand this American custom of making separate meals for children?

Most people (myself and friends I know) do not do this. We all eat the same food. I think some parents have raised super picky eaters though and do this.

Anonymous wrote:Our children have always eaten the same meals that are prepared for the adults? I don't understand this American custom of making separate meals for children?

This is OP. I don’t generally make separate meals either. But sometimes DD eats without us. Which happened yesterday.
I guess I was more curious if others are eating way more basic meals than on the other thread or if I’m a terrible parent lol

Anonymous wrote:S/O to the other thread full of great recipes and ideas. But be honest, what crap did your kid really eat this week?
We generally try and be healthy buy yesterday all my 13yo kid ate was a strawberry yogurt for breakfast. Leftover bread from Outback and an apple.
I’m winning at parenting

Was your child not starving? That is not a lot of food. Is any of that supposed to be crap? I am a little confused.

My kids are 12 and 16 and they eat what we eat. This week we did salmon/pasta, a tortellini bake, a night of chipotle, and shepherd's pie leftovers from the weekend. Breakfast is oatmeal, waffles, toast and eggs some days. Fruit. Many days my 16 year old will barely eat before he leaves though. I know they eat a bunch of crap after school on their walks home. 16 year old and i went out for ice cream after dinner last night.

I have plenty of weeks when I do not have my act together and the meals are pretty lame or it's more takeout than the above.

Monday: Leftover pizza
Tuesday: Fried eggs and toast
Wednesday: Spaghetti and frozen meatballs

That was what we ate as well.

Anonymous wrote:Our children have always eaten the same meals that are prepared for the adults? I don't understand this American custom of making separate meals for children?

I don’t think it’s a USA thing, but I know some who do this.
We make one meal and eat it together. Sometimes I let them do a freestyle lunch, like noodles with whatever vegetables are in the fridge.

Our children have always eaten the same meals that are prepared for the adults? I don't understand this American custom of making separate meals for children?

Our kids are 15 and 12 so they eat what we make for dinner. Lunch they buy at school. Breakfast - one doesn't eat (leaves at 6:40) the other makes himself a giant breakfast every morning - fried eggs, bagel, microwave sausage, and/or protein waffles.

Chipotle. Bonus he picked it up himself and now has enough for lunch the next day. Two meals in one.

My 13 year old refuses to eat breakfast but she does well in school and we’ve gotten no complaints about behavior so I’m not going to fight her on it.

Otherwise, our kids eat what we do for dinner. If they try it and really don’t like it, they can heat up some leftovers or eat a bowl of cereal or a sandwich. This happens maybe once a month.

Anonymous wrote:S/O to the other thread full of great recipes and ideas. But be honest, what crap did your kid really eat this week?
We generally try and be healthy buy yesterday all my 13yo kid ate was a strawberry yogurt for breakfast. Leftover bread from Outback and an apple.
I’m winning at parenting

Btw this sounds fine to me.

My 13 year old has a chobani protein shake or Fairlife protein shake most mornings for breakfast. My daughter routinely gets school breakfast. We are all running out the door without much time.

S/O to the other thread full of great recipes and ideas. But be honest, what crap did your kid really eat this week?
We generally try and be healthy buy yesterday all my 13yo kid ate was a strawberry yogurt for breakfast. Leftover bread from Outback and an apple.
I’m winning at parenting