Anonymous
Post 02/11/2023 14:59     Subject: dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP cereal is a bad snack. Give them a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Or even slices of banana with peanut butter topped on each. Fat + protein.


You people that want to feed your children like orthorexic middle-aged women are insane.

It is ok for kids to have a carby snack.


Still much better to add fat and protein, as the carbs will give you a blood sugar rush and still won't make you feel satisfied. If your cereal is with whole fat milk, sure, bit otherwise the snacks above are better.
Anonymous
Post 02/11/2023 01:23     Subject: dinners that kids like
This is what both my kids will eat without any problems

Smitten Kitchen everyday meatballs

https://smittenkitchentestmigration.food.blog/2016/02/23/everyday-meatballs/

Ohsheglows lentil soup

https://ohsheglows.com/2016/04/03/glowing-spiced-lentil-soup/

Recipetineats Korean spare ribs
https://www.recipetineats.com/slow-cooked-beef-ribs-in-korean-bbq-sauce/
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 18:58     Subject: dinners that kids like
I have 3 kids. One will eat almost anything, while the other two are pickier about textures, but they are all pretty good about eating fruits and veggies and trying new things.

They all get excited about:
Meatloaf
Chicken pot pie
Tacos
Mac and cheese (I have found they’ll eat whatever main course I serve with it)
Fish sticks/breaded fish
Chicken tenders—we usually make our own and bread them in cornflakes or just bread crumbs
Meatballs
Burgers
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 18:16     Subject: dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:Background:

My 3 kids vary in age. Elementary would be the average.

They're not "picky," as I have seen other kids be picky. They try lots of stuff..but the question is do they *like* the stuff to fill themselves up?

Fortunately I got a lot of good advice from a family member from when my oldest was age 3. This relative did intense food therapy for one of her kids. It was a medical issue, and she had the best feeding therapists to teach how to eat! Really applicable to all kids. We've used this advice well.

So, we've had a really good foundation (I'll post some of the "rules" from food therapy later.)

My middle and youngest are giving me more trouble lately. Sometimes they try a bite of our meal. And they like it! Win! But they won't eat much, and they're hungry again and again before bedtime. Sometimes they try a bite of our meal, and they don't like it. They eat the alternative--cereal. Then they're hungry again because that's not really filling.

After not caring for a while, DH and I are getting more frustrated about this second-dinner they need. I try to keep it to dry snacks, but they want something more. We tell them, fine, go get it, but don't bother us. *the youngest can't help himself though.

A few other notes:
-As I said, they like a lot of foods. Middle kid generally doesn't like food mixed together like a casserole or skillet meal. He also likes one thing one day "I love sausage!" and then the next week, he won't eat the same meal
-We are thinking about moving dinner later, so even if there are double meals, it doesn't feel like a surprise second meal juuuust before we thought they were falling asleep.
-oldest kid doesn't like typical kid foods like mac and cheese. will eat what we eat. Chicken / veggies / one pot meals / one sheet baked meals / soup and bread, etc.
-middle kid is so skinny. No danger in filling his stomach. We notice he snacks all day, but like a bird. I just want that kid to have a huge meal one day out of the week. Lol.


What is your kids current schedule? We have dinner at 5 and my kid chowsssss. If it's later than 600 it's an uphill battle because he's honestly ready for bed.
My kid eats bfast 645-715am
Snack at school 915/930
Lunch 12/1230
Snack 230/3
If he is hungry again before dinner at 530 he gets a veggie and fruit plate with some type of cracker or muffin (this only happens when he is really hungry and doesn't seem to change dinner intake. Sometimes it's because he didn't eat a lot of lunch or he's growing)
Dinner must be between 515-545 or it's a sunken ship
We tried later like right before bed and it went abysmally. Randomly had dinner earlier and it was magic. Kept doing it and it's been stressful but necessary
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 17:48     Subject: Re:dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe you need to adjust your thinking on them stuffing the selves so they don’t bother you for a snack later. We eat dinner early, like 345/4 most weeknights because that’s when my kid is hungry. She generally eats a lot. She still has a snack before bed though. Why can’t your kids eat and still have a healthy snack later? Assuming it’s not like an hour after the meal.
Tonight we were going to have pesto salmon but I dropped it on the floor and broke the bowl it was in. Plan B was black beans over rice with cheese melted on top. Tomatoes and cucumbers for the veg. Tomorrow we’re having lentil soup mixed with the rest of the beans from tonight, we are having naan bread with it, I’ll have a small side of salad ( from a bag) and DD will prob have tomatoes/cucumbers again. Yesterday we had rotisserie chicken, frozen mixed veg, and corn on the cob.


That's not dinner time - that's after school time! That's not a weekNIGHT. That's literally still the afternoon.

I know but I was doing snack at 315 , then hungry at 4c still hungry at 430, waiting til 5 for dinner… but then I thought why? So now we eat at that time, and it works so much better. She had swim twice a week anyway which is at a normal meal time so would meet to eat either early or at 7pm. I don’t want to make dinner at 7pm it’s too late. I’m a morning person 🤷‍♀️


If this is what works for you then do it. But if your kid is eating at 3:15 and hungry 45 minutes later, then you aren't feeding them enough fat and protein.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 09:13     Subject: dinners that kids like
Kids like foods that they are trained to eat from a very young age. So my answers will be very different from your answers. My kids ate everything we ate which included spicy and complex flavors from a young age. We toned the spice down or scoop out a portion before adding heat. But you understand what I mean.

Of course they like chicken nuggets and pizza, but what they will eat for dinner is any meal I make.

FWIW we are a Latin family, so we’re foods had the Latin flavor profile and of course added American, Italian, Korean and any other regional dishes here in Maryland. My family in particular is not a big, snacking family and we eat three main meals at the table. I’m not sure if that helps but it’s what my family does, how my husband and I both grew up and how our children are growing up.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 09:05     Subject: dinners that kids like
I’m just here to commiserate mainly. I have three also that eat a wide variety of things. Oldest two are tween and teen. The older two eat A LOT. At dinner, they will do the same: they will have one serving or less, say it is fine, then right after dinner they are getting snacks and before bed, they need a second dinner. Youngest is harder. She’ll take a couple bites of dinner then want fruit and cheese.

I don’t really fight it anymore. My tactic is to make sure I have heathy snacks in the house. So.. when it comes time for snacks and second dinners, it is usually come combo of cheese, plain yogurt, nuts, fruits, dried fruits, peanut butter, whole wheat pitas, lot of glasses of whole milk.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 09:04     Subject: Re:dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe you need to adjust your thinking on them stuffing the selves so they don’t bother you for a snack later. We eat dinner early, like 345/4 most weeknights because that’s when my kid is hungry. She generally eats a lot. She still has a snack before bed though. Why can’t your kids eat and still have a healthy snack later? Assuming it’s not like an hour after the meal.
Tonight we were going to have pesto salmon but I dropped it on the floor and broke the bowl it was in. Plan B was black beans over rice with cheese melted on top. Tomatoes and cucumbers for the veg. Tomorrow we’re having lentil soup mixed with the rest of the beans from tonight, we are having naan bread with it, I’ll have a small side of salad ( from a bag) and DD will prob have tomatoes/cucumbers again. Yesterday we had rotisserie chicken, frozen mixed veg, and corn on the cob.


That's not dinner time - that's after school time! That's not a weekNIGHT. That's literally still the afternoon.

I know but I was doing snack at 315 , then hungry at 4c still hungry at 430, waiting til 5 for dinner… but then I thought why? So now we eat at that time, and it works so much better. She had swim twice a week anyway which is at a normal meal time so would meet to eat either early or at 7pm. I don’t want to make dinner at 7pm it’s too late. I’m a morning person 🤷‍♀️


It works for you so grest. Ny kids get home at 4:30 from ES. The other parent and preschool kid get home until after 5 so we eat dinner at 6:30.
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 09:00     Subject: dinners that kids like
Homemade Ramen noodles = Ramen + beef broth + splash soy

Breaded + fried thin sliced chicken = chicken tenders

Baked salmon

Spaghetti with meatballs

Hamburgers

Steak

Tacos

Paneer + sauce + rice
Anonymous
Post 02/10/2023 08:56     Subject: dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP cereal is a bad snack. Give them a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Or even slices of banana with peanut butter topped on each. Fat + protein.


You people that want to feed your children like orthorexic middle-aged women are insane. It is ok for kids to have a carby snack.


I'm literally telling the OP to give her kids fat. A bowl of cereal won't satiate hunger.


And if she uses whole milk? There is fat and protein. You are splitting hairs.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2023 20:32     Subject: dinners that kids like
I get the shaved steak from Wegmans and do a Bulgogi bowl with rice and broccoli.

Chicken pot pie but with biscuit topping

Grilled chicken with French Fries and a veggie on the side.

Smash burgers with fries and a veggie

Taco/quesadilla night with various dips and chips

“Sushi” bowls: make some sushi rice and add toppings of choice (one of my kids likes the fake California crab stick they use in California rolls).

Pasta bolognese (can even hide veggies in the sauce).

Ramen bowls (I use the packaged noodles but make the other components myself)

Pizza and Caesar salad

Lasagna (big winner but I need to make it on a weekend.

Spaghetti carbonara or an Alfredo style pasta with chicken
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2023 19:41     Subject: Re:dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Maybe you need to adjust your thinking on them stuffing the selves so they don’t bother you for a snack later. We eat dinner early, like 345/4 most weeknights because that’s when my kid is hungry. She generally eats a lot. She still has a snack before bed though. Why can’t your kids eat and still have a healthy snack later? Assuming it’s not like an hour after the meal.
Tonight we were going to have pesto salmon but I dropped it on the floor and broke the bowl it was in. Plan B was black beans over rice with cheese melted on top. Tomatoes and cucumbers for the veg. Tomorrow we’re having lentil soup mixed with the rest of the beans from tonight, we are having naan bread with it, I’ll have a small side of salad ( from a bag) and DD will prob have tomatoes/cucumbers again. Yesterday we had rotisserie chicken, frozen mixed veg, and corn on the cob.


That's not dinner time - that's after school time! That's not a weekNIGHT. That's literally still the afternoon.

I know but I was doing snack at 315 , then hungry at 4c still hungry at 430, waiting til 5 for dinner… but then I thought why? So now we eat at that time, and it works so much better. She had swim twice a week anyway which is at a normal meal time so would meet to eat either early or at 7pm. I don’t want to make dinner at 7pm it’s too late. I’m a morning person 🤷‍♀️
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2023 19:33     Subject: Re:dinners that kids like
10 yr old likes the following. My family has to eat a bowl of salad (veggies, fruits, nuts, berries) before dinner since we end up eating a lot of non-veg foods.

Panang chicken curry with rice
Chicken satay (with peanut sauce and toast)
Goat biryani with cucumber raita
Butter chicken and garlic naan
Japchae
Yachaejeon
Chicken dumplings and spicy carrot salad
Pilaf with peas-paneer curry and okra
Copy cat Ikea platter - meatballs, mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam and gravy
Chicken alfredo with salad
Turkey lasagna
Cheesy sunken burritos
Shrimp in coconut curry with cashew rice
Baked chicken with corn casserole.
Paneer Kathi rolls with mint chutney
Mexican lasagna
Chicken and rice casserole in mushroom soup
Shepherd's pie
Crispy fish with quinoa veggi pilaf.
Tandoori chicken legs with raita
Dosa with potato stuffing and coconut chutney

Anonymous
Post 02/09/2023 19:16     Subject: dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP cereal is a bad snack. Give them a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Or even slices of banana with peanut butter topped on each. Fat + protein.


You people that want to feed your children like orthorexic middle-aged women are insane. It is ok for kids to have a carby snack.


I'm literally telling the OP to give her kids fat. A bowl of cereal won't satiate hunger.
Anonymous
Post 02/09/2023 19:15     Subject: dinners that kids like
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP cereal is a bad snack. Give them a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Or even slices of banana with peanut butter topped on each. Fat + protein.


You people that want to feed your children like orthorexic middle-aged women are insane.

It is ok for kids to have a carby snack.


DP. Nothing against carbs(love them) but the latter is more filling than 95% of cereals.