July 18, 2008
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I Need Help!
Brandon, my dear 4 1/2 year old son, used to be such a good eater. One of his favorite snacks was lima beans, I kid you not. He's tried california rolls in his lifetime. He used to eat damn near anything we put in front of him.
Alas, 4 1/2 year old appetite has apparently taken refuge in his belly.
I can get him to eat grilled cheese sandwiches, sometimes with pickles. Peanut butter sandwiches. Chicken fingers, but NOT the good, home-made kind. Only the kind you buy pre-made at the store, or at a restaurant. Macaroni. Plain spaghetti with "special cheese" (parmesan sprinkle crap). Crab legs. CRAB LEGS, of all things! Meatloaf. Mashed potatoes. Apples. Pears. French fries and tots.
Seriously, I just don't know what to do. My mom spent a lot of time catering to my fussy brother, so it wasn't uncommon for her to make several things at mealtimes to accommodate one or both of us. Craig's parents would send the boys to their rooms when they didn't want to eat what was set forth in front of them. I want to find a good middle ground, in the hopes of preventing this from happening with the baby (who, at this point, is NOT picky. She'll eat bugs and acorns and twigs if the opportunity presents itself!)
I would love some great ideas or advice on how to get healthier meals into my family. I am not opposed to cooking large servings ahead of time and freezing. My meatloaf recipe goes over so well that I swear I have to make it fifteen pounds at a time. In fact, I would *prefer* things I can make ahead. Dinner time is my biggest stress-out situation, and I would really like to cut that down. Any good recipes, books, websites, resources, or other advice would be welcome.
And so would a shot of whisky.
Comments (10)
OK, so I don't have kids, so you'll probably want to take everything I say with an enormous grain of salt. Possibly a whole ocean's worth.
It's probably just a stage he's going through. If you're making something that's not on his list, maybe you could make a side dish of something that is, like macaroni or spaghetti or mashed potatoes and put apples or pears on the table, too.
It's probably not worth fighting over too much (again, no children here), but I think the thing you have to ask yourself is: Is this the hill I want to die on?
I've given up on trying to please everyone. I plan meals that the majority of us will eat, and if someone doesn't like something, they just don't eat it. Sometimes this means that Connor's dinner consists of a slice of garlic bread and nothing more. The rule here is, I'm not making a dozen different types of food. If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it, but don't expect me to make something else just for you. If they want to make something on their own, the rule there is, it has to be simple, with little to no cooking involved. (Otherwise, Connor would opt to eat ramen at every meal.) PBJ sandwiches or cereal are fine substitutes if you really don't want the awesome spaghetti I just made. Stupid, but whatever floats your boat. There have been nights where Brenna just opts not to eat. Ehh. Yeah, gotta pick your hill to die on.
@auntlada -
Just because you don't have kids doesn't mean you can't dole out some useful advice. I suppose I've just never really thought that it's *okay* to let him just eat his mashed potatoes or macaroni or whatever, and quit worrying about it, he'll eat what I make when he gets hungry.
@Acorn7 -
Growing up in a house where your mom specifically catered to your eating needs has been hard to get over. On top of that, my mom is an excellent cook, and I can't remember really anything that I didn't like eating, though I do remember my "pizza for breakfast" phase.
So if I'm not dying on this hill, who's having me over for dinner? I'm still alive
@darkerviolet -
Heck, I still have times when all I have for supper are fried potatoes because I'm the only one home and that's what I want. I know it doesn't sound healthy to eat only potatoes or macaroni, but as long as he eats something else some other time, it evens out eventually. (I've also had suppers that consisted of a bag of potato chips because I was too lazy to fix anything, and I wasn't very hungry anyway.)
@auntlada -
Potato chips!?!? Sounds like a good meal. When Craig takes the kids to dinner with his parents and leaves me home alone....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM CHIPS. Because then I don't feel guilty for letting the kids see me eating badly.
I have one kid who will eat anything I put in front of him (Ryan) and one kid who eats about 10 things (T.J.). I REFUSE to get into food battles because I remember them from when I was a kid and my sister and I have both had food issues our whole lives. I offer him everything that we serve and sometimes he'll at least try them and other times he won't. Some times I tell him that he does like something he just doesn't remember it. Case in point, I had some getting old bananas on the counter a few days ago and so I made banana bread. T.J. came into the kitchen and said "Mommy what's that wonderful smell." I told him it was banana bread. He got this disappointed look on his face and said "too bad I don't like banana bread." To which I replied "But you do like banana bread it's one of your favorite things it has just been a long time since I made it and you don't remember." So he goes running off to his room yelling "Hey Ryan I DO like banana bread so you can't eat it all." They ate the whole loaf about 5 minutes before it was "cooled completely before slicing...." I know exactly how it feels to worry that your kid only ate some macaroni and an apple the whole day but T.J. is healthy and growing and some days he eats everything I put in front of him.
Don't die on hills that aren't worth dying on...kids eat when they are hungry and the less of a big deal you make out of what they eat the less of a problem they'll have later.
Oh hell I forgot to offfer advice on getting dinner on the table...
I have a computer file that I plan my meals on usually two weeks in advance because "what's for dinner" used to throw me into a homicidal rage. I look at the grocery store ads and pick out whats on sale and build my menus around that. Everyone likes the system because they can look on the fridge and see "what we're supposed to eat." Tim is so used to it that he gets upset if I haven't put a new menu on the fridge. I think I got the original file from organizedhome.com (yes I know I know it's just a wish that I might have an organized home I'm sure it will happen right after pigs sprout wings and I fit into size 2 jeans HA)!!
later,
B
@wildboysmama -
The menu thing is going to have to happen. Last night, I made some super-duper home-made chicken fingers with my own breading, thankyouverymuch, and peas, mashed potatoes, and peaches. Brandon must not have been very hungry, because he didn't even eat many taters. He was warned, however, that while he would still get his snack, it wouldn't be huge, and it would have to be healthy! He got a peanut butter sandwich, and was obviously hungry because he wanted seconds, but I stood firm. It was hard, but I know I've got to do it. So many changes! I think we can get through this, though. God, I hope so.
This week
Monday Taco Salad
Tuesday Chicken Fingers (I make my own too), Mashed Potatoes, Peas
Wednesday Hamburger Helper (ok soTim likes it and sometimes I just don't feel like cooking!!)
Thursday Pizza (made the crust from scratch and even grew the damn basil and oregano because I'm one of THOSE women hehehehehehe JK obviously not if I had Hamburger Helper yesterday!!)
Friday Grilled Chicken, Grilled Zuccini, Sliced Tomatoes, Oil & Garlic Pasta
Saturday Hamburgers & Fries we'll grill the burgers and I'll make hand cut fries
Sunday The boys are going to a birthday party so I'll probably just make sandwiches for Tim & me
See that's not so bad here try this link http://organizedhome.com/printable-forms-menu-meal-planning
later,
B
well you can go ahead and try to fead your baby some more of the vegies and fruits and stuff. i am not an adult and dont have children but i have taken care of kids for the last few years and have noticed that as they develop if you give them a lot of fruits and vegies, Then there bodies get used to it and they dont require any of those junky foods. It takes a week or so for the body to acllimate to a certain food. Then it kinda gets to the point where like your sitting there and your thinking of something to cook and randomly you get the fealing you want a certain thing. They at that age get that too. So rather than giving the baby french fries and potato chips give it celery and peanut butter. A healthy choice and the taste gets aquired. All the better. I hope to be an anthropologist when i grow up. That is a study of anthropology. HaHa but seriously that works for the kids i always take care of. Any questions look me up. Oh and a bit of whiskey mini.
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