Honestly most of our APs haven’t liked our family meals (same re lots of flavors and vegetables). I won’t modify for anything but vegetarianism (cook meat separately). Currently my freezer is full of Lean Cuisines. Fine with me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did you discuss food when matching?

Not in depth. She said she eats anything. She got here and I simply think she had no exposure so she thought she ate anything. I guess that meant any type of potatoes and any time of beef, chicken and pork....with any type of salt and butter.

Depending on where she is from, that is anything.

Our first AP was on the picky side (nothing like yours though) we adjusted our meals to accommodate her but sometimes she will just go eat with her friends or stay in her room. I started resenting her because dinner time (which I find already stressful) was even more stressful. And she was a great au pair otherwise. Now I have another picky one and I didn’t do the same mistake. She can cook what she wants (she barely cook, mostly eat out with friends) if she is around we put a platte for her if she is not we don’t. She knows we eat around 6pm and my life is so much easier. Just cook what you would usually cook and if she doesn’t like it she is an adult and can figure out.

Also Most APs will tell you during matching that they eat everything and are good cook, but the reality is so much different. My Ap who was supposed a great cook can’t even fry an egg for my kids.

We tell our what we eat generally during matching, what we do not eat, and that we often eat leftovers because we are busy. Most have not been thrilled (esp for the leftovers part), but they can boil pasta or get frozen foods. She needs to meet you halfway. You can not adjust your diet for her.

We told our white-a-tarian what we tell our kids: There is one meal. You don't have to like it, but we are polite at the table. There is always fruit and yogurt after dinner. Or, she can cook after we've finished in the kitchen.
I would write out the weekly menu, stick to it, and see what happens. This is really not your problem.

I would do a combination. Buy a big pack of meatballs and a big pack of frozen french fries and tell her she can heat that up for dinner or go to wendy’s and I would give her a little extra cash (like $20 a week) to go to Wendy’s or similar.

Anonymous wrote:Did you discuss food when matching?

Not in depth. She said she eats anything. She got here and I simply think she had no exposure so she thought she ate anything. I guess that meant any type of potatoes and any time of beef, chicken and pork....with any type of salt and butter.

Anonymous wrote:Teach her to cook. She may refuse to cook as she doesn't know how. Otherwise, she eats it or makes something else, even cereal for herself.

I honestly don't have time to teach her to cook. It is a race against the clock for me most nights.

This is definitely unusual for us. Our last AuPairs had had much more exposure and absolutely loved my cooking and appreciated the large amounts of vegetables we ate. I even make one a cookbook of her requested dinners (I've always asked our APs to pick one or 2 meals a week they want me to cook) I have always had to tone down the heat for them as all have come from northern Europe and definitely aren't accustomed to spicy. But never one that eats like a toddler!

Anonymous wrote:Tell her she is more than welcome to eat whatever you made but if she doesn't like it she can cook for herself. Buy her sack of potatoes and bunch of meat and she can make it for herself every day if she desires. I wouldn't cook special meal just for her. Would I steam green beans and carrots as well because someone doesn't eat green beens? Probably but not cooking what I and my kids like because of one person is nonsense.

She absolutely will not cook. The food would go bad.

I think I'm just going to carry on our normal diet. Should I just tell her each night what we are eating so she has a chance to go to Wendy's?

We have a similar situation but our AP can cook.
We do not eat together at all after 4 months. We stopped asking or mentioning dinner.
She will take some of our leftovers now and again and use it for her dinner; that she makes her own about an hour after ours.
I wish we had your situation. Our ap is in the kitchen ALL the time and her list (we ask her to write down food we need) of ingredients is at least 5 items EVERY day.



If I had your situation I would happily buy a weekly $25 gift card to Wendy’s and call it a win.

Did you discuss food when matching?

Anonymous wrote:Tell her she is more than welcome to eat whatever you made but if she doesn't like it she can cook for herself. Buy her sack of potatoes and bunch of meat and she can make it for herself every day if she desires. I wouldn't cook special meal just for her. Would I steam green beans and carrots as well because someone doesn't eat green beens? Probably but not cooking what I and my kids like because of one person is nonsense.

This

Tell her she is more than welcome to eat whatever you made but if she doesn't like it she can cook for herself. Buy her sack of potatoes and bunch of meat and she can make it for herself every day if she desires. I wouldn't cook special meal just for her. Would I steam green beans and carrots as well because someone doesn't eat green beens? Probably but not cooking what I and my kids like because of one person is nonsense.

Teach her to cook. She may refuse to cook as she doesn't know how. Otherwise, she eats it or makes something else, even cereal for herself.

Our AuPair has a very limited food she will eat. All seafood is out, most vegetables are out and spices are out . She's German and meat and potatoes are it for her. I'm really sick of modifying for her.

What do you all do when you have an AuPair who eats like a toddler when you are a family that regularly eats no meat meals or seafood meals? For instance she almost died tonight when I made cashew cauliflower korma. I've modified for her and I no longer like eating so bland and our meat consumption has gone up and even my kids are sick of the bland foods. She has access to a credit card, but absolutely refuses to cook herself food. Should I just warn her what the meals will be and she can choose to go to Wendy's most nights? That is her favorite restaurant and does have to use her own money for dining out.

How do you all handle the picky eaters? Especially if you are a family that eats a wide range of foods?