refusing to eat a certain food

A bit of background info: I'm doing a grad school internship right now, and thus am gone 3-4 days a week, which means I am trying to leave easy lunches for our sitter without using a lot of convenience foods (because of their soy intolerance).

Last week, I made sausage balls and had the boys try them - they LOVED them and were begging for more. I don't really care for sausage, and even I thought they were really good (apples, nuts, raisins, etc.). I froze the rest in portion sizes so I could thaw out and heat up. SO, I left some for Tuesday lunch, and DS1 (who is usually my REALLY good eater and eats just about everything, every time) completely refused to eat them. The sitter said he kept spitting them out, pulled out the raisins and refused to eat them (which he loves raisins normally), etc. So she ended up giving him a jar of meat sticks instead and he ate those just fine, as well as his veggies and milk. DS2, who has always been a more difficult, picky eater, ate his meatballs up.

So my question is: if your kids totally refuse to eat something that they have eaten before and liked, do you fix them something else? Or do you say either they eat that or they don't eat? If I had been home, I would have just said eat what was offered or don't eat and I REALLY don't want to start a bad habit. I think I need to be direct with the sitter about how to deal with it if it happens again, but I wanted your all's input first.

Thanks!!

 

I am not a short order cook, so they get what they get and they eat it or they don't. They know when they're hungry, and they're incredibly fickle at this age, so I just don't stress about it. So I would ask the babysitter to offer a range of healthy options and if they don't eat leave it at that. I agree about instilling bad habits; my parents tend to try and please the kids and I know when they've been at grandma and grandpa's house I am going to get two demanding little beasts coming home.

 

Nope. If they don't eat, they have to wait until the next meal/snack.

 

As an aside, that sounds like an awesome recipe. Do you mind sharing it?

 

I don't fight the food battles. I offer a couple of things they know and usually eat when doing a newer food. What they eat is fine, what they snub is fine. I grew up hearing "This is not a delicatessen" from my dad who tried to have me eat what was made every night and he did not win. Instead they ended up with an incredibly picky, sensitive kid who self-selected further. It's only as an adult that I've finally been brave enough to try things I would've refused due to being pressured as a kid.

Thus far my boys have not gone through a picky stage although my S will often say 'I don't want to eat that' now. Once I say ok he usually does eat it just fine-I figure he's 2 and doesn't really know what he wants but if I don't make a big deal out of it, he won't, either.

In regard to the meatballs, how were they reheated? A lot of times for me I don't like the texture of left overs ESP if heated up in a microwave.

 

I cook what they like. I mostly eat salads and they are not into those yet.
When we go out to parties they would try say pizza and will eat a little bit but I never at home make one or have them eat ordered pizza.
For me most important they eat and I don't like them skip meals and then whine until next meal that they are hungry.They are on set activities/ classes/meals schedule and it works fine for me. I never ever hear them saying I am not hungry , when I call for breakfast, lunch or dinner they just sit and eat.

 

As long as there are other agreeable options, I just have them skip what they are refusing to eat. One meal without protein isn't going to kill them. I do have one child who, although always picky, would eat things that he won't now. At 9 1/2 he won't eat red meat. Period. He also does not prefer to eat potatoes--really doesn't even love french fries. So, if we have a meat and potato meal--the rest us do like those meals, I will make an alternative for him. Usually a sauteed chicken breast.

 

They were reheated in the microwave, but the texture is almost exactly like meatloaf, which they eat about once a week and LOVE. So I'm not thinking texture was the problem (plus they have never been picky about texture).

I guess the thing that really surprised me is that it was DS1, who eats even when he if sick (seriously, he is 35lbs, 36in and in 3T clothes at just over 2).

I guess maybe I just need to try them again and see what happens. I wasn't the one who heated them up, so maybe they weren't warm enough or something??? It's hard to know for sure, but it sounds like most of you wouldn't fix something else, so I think after trying them once more, we'll stick with that.

And yes, I'll come back and share the recipe later when I have the time to type it up.

 

Or they could have dried out from being slightly overheared in the microwave?

It also could have just been an off day for him-we've all had meals that just don't appeal sometimes even when typically it tastes great.

 

I always serve my children the same food my husband and I are eating for lunch or supper. If they try it and don't like it I offer them a piece of bread and butter. I am often surprised what they end up eating, but other times I'm shocked what they don't. I can't figure it out but I do know that they will consistently eat bread and butter.

 

They eat what we have or they don't eat. OR, they can always choose to eat a banana or apple instead. And every now and then I have a rare night where I let them eat Sun Chips or something for dinner just because.

They eat what we have or they don't eat. OR, they can always choose to eat a banana or apple instead. And every now and then I have a rare night where I let them eat Sun Chips or something for dinner just because.

 

Toddlers are very inconsistant. I wouldn't worry about it. I serve the food. The boys choose what they put in their mouth. I try to make sure I offer foods I know they like but sometimes what they ate last week and loved isn't the "in" food the next week. They almost always eat all their fruit and veggies so I just give them seconds on fruit and veggies. They get plenty of milk and protein so one meal without protein isn't a problem.

I really wouldn't worry about it. Offer it again.

 

Ditto!

 

They eat what we eat. I do not make them special foods for meals.

 

Thanks again for all the feedback. I actually do make separate meals for the boys for lunch since they are home and we are not, and often for dinner, too, because they are soy intolerant, which leaves out many of the foods DH and I like. But, I really don't want to let them start refusing to eat what I leave for them and it becoming a big issue.

Anyway, here is the recipe for those who asked.

Sausage Balls with Apple and Raisins

1 lb mild bulk sausage
2 cups buttermilk baking mix (I used HeartSmart Bisquick)
1 1/2 cups grated apple with the peel
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans.

In a medium mixing bowl. combine uncooked sausage, baking mix, apple, raisins and pecans mix well.

Roll sausage mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a rack in a shallow pan. bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 15 to 20 minutes or till browned. Turn occasionally while baking.

Serve immediately or freeze then thaw and reheat before serving.

 

I don't fix them anything else. If they eat it, awesome, if they decide to be picky and refuse to eat then they have to wait until the next meal is served. For lunch I generally serve the same things over and over that I know they will eat. They tend to be pickier at dinner time, so if we make something we know they will likely refuse (e.g. fried chicken) we will offer something else extra like a roll so we know they at least get something in their bellies. But if they flat out refuse to eat no matter what, that is it for the night. I don't want them to get into bad habits of refusing food and demanding something else. Too much work!

 

OMGosh never ever do what I did with our oldest!!!!! Never EVER!!!!!! If he would not eat what we ate I let him eat cereal or fixed him a grilled cheese sandwich. It got to where he would not eat ANYTHING except what he demanded. If we ate grilled cheese he refused it and begged for cereal it was really really bad!!!! He is almost 18 and just now has started eating a great variety of food. With all of my other kds they ate what we ate or they could have a piece of fruit - and that was the end of that.

 

to answer your question, i do nothing if they won't eat something. that is their choice and i can't make them eat or do anything.... i recently read a great article about having an easy alternative food that kids can eat at any meal if they don't want what is served. it has to be something very easy, so you do'nt have more work, and something not too exciting, so they won't choose it other new things. this has worked for us. ours rice cakes and sunbutter. the author's was cottage cheese.

do you think this is his way of protesting that you are out of the house more?

best of luck!
jl

 

The only time I will make my kids (all of them) something different is if I have purposely made something that is spicy. In that case I try to make a not spicy alternative. I always offer them vegetables at lunch and dinner. If they don't want something I don't worry too much because I give them a fruit sauce that I make with an apple, pear, kiwi, orange and banana. They get this everyday after their afternoon nap. So if they didn't eat a great lunch I am not concerned and if they don't eat a great dinner then I know they got a great snack. I am not a fan of fillers (crackers, bread etc) They lack nutrition. The only time there is a "have to eat" in my house is on dessert Thursday (that is the day we do dessert in my house) If they don't eat all their dinner they don't get dessert. So the choice is still theirs, but there is incentive! I am not a fan of giving an "alternative" to what is prepared, I think that gives in to the picky eating and the demanding something else. Rather I give them a variety to choose from. They are sure to eat something! I know they wont starve!

 

I don't prepare something else if my children don't eat something. They usually get a few things with each meal, so hopefully they like something off their plate. Like for lunch yesterday they each had a chicken taquito, milk, and strawberries. I think my daughter only ate a few bites of her taquito, but she ate her strawberries and drank her milk. I do TRY to make things that I think they would like.