Short Order Cook......r u one?

For most of my kids lives I have been a short order cook. Cooking something for dh and I, something for Bella, something for Payton and something for Taylor....I got tired of it and decided that I wasn't going to do that anymore. I try to cook atleast one thing I know each of them will eat but sometimes Taylor won't even eat that. She will cry the entire time. If they don't eat what is for dinner I will offer a bananas or a piece of cheese of yogurt but sometimes Taylor will throw a fit the entire meal. I usually just decide she isn't going to eat and let her get down. But I am not sure I am doing the right thing. She is a tiny thing, just 20lbs at 2 years old. But at the same time I am not going to just give her whatever she wants. KWIM?

 

Wow, I admire that you do so much. We have very busy lifes so Dh sorts himself out, he hates warmed up food, and I cook for the girls and myself. If I had to do what you do, I wouldnt cope. You deserve a medal.

 

I try to incorporate something that I know they will like into almost every meal. If they choose not to eat that is their problem, but my kids are huge so I know that one meal isn't a big deal. I think if I had tiny kids, I'd probably be more willing to cook different things out of guilt that they might be hungry.

 

I refuse to be a short order cook... now the babies can not always eat what we do so sometimes they get different dinners. All of my kids are pretty good eaters and not too picky now because of it. That being said RaeLynn refused to eat my fajitas last night and was sent to her room and it was saved in the fridge for BREAKFAST. Which I completely forgot this AM, so she will get it warmed up for lunch. That is usually the cure around here..."fine you dont want it for dinner, then you will get it for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow." After that we go months without having a complaint. I have had to do this with all three of my big girls. I offer them other things at each meal so they wont get hungry (fruit, applesause, cottage cheese, yogurt) but eventually they will get sick of looking at that darn fajita after two meals, give in and eat it. FWIT my RaeLynn is also tiny, 33lbs at 4 years old. But she is healthy as a horse. HTH.

 

I absolutely refuse to be a short order cook. I cook a meal that I know all of us like. Generally we have a grilled meat, veggies and a potato. I also make alot of casseroles, etc. If it is something that I know they wont like, then I will make them something else but usually we all eat the same meal.

 

Nope. I did that for about a month because I'm the type to worry if they don't eat a good meal. BUt then I decided it was a bad habit to get into, so I usually offer 3 different things per meal, and they eat what they eat. Last night, Lilly wouldn't eat anything, but I think she was more in a mood than it was the food..and she survived. As long as they don't skip meals too often, I'm not going to worry. Also, because of this, they are becoming less picky eaters.

About your tiny toddler, I'd just ask your pedi....some folks are just smaller than others, but if it is a real concern, then I don't blame you for accomodating her. I'd probabky do the same in that case.

 

I have tiny kids (21 and 23 lbs at 18 months) and they don't always eat every meal. I have never offered to be a short order cook and if that means they skip a meal so be it. If they do skip a meal, the next meal I make sure is very nutritious and filling. Yesterday the skipped lunch and so dinner was a bigger than normal meal. I didn't go out of my way to make sure they liked it but they ate it up even the things they typically hesitated to eat. I've always done this... Good luck and I have no idea how you have the time to cook all those meals!

 

QUOTE(7Ms @ Apr 4 2008, 09:51 AM) [snapback]704421[/snapback]
That is usually the cure around here..."fine you dont want it for dinner, then you will get it for breakfast, lunch and dinner tomorrow." After that we go months without having a complaint. I have had to do this with all three of my big girls.


I agree with this, I have done this with my oldest and while he's a picky eater, he does eat what I serve him after a few meals of chili. I always say, most things taste better the first day!

 

Heck no! I don't enjoy cooking all that much, so if I had to make multiples meals, I'd be one unhappy mommy!

That said, I do prepare meals that will work for everybody. The problem is, we're all kind of burning out on what we've had for the past 6-9 months, so it's time to change up my routine. Thankfully summer is close and we'll be able to grill out more without FREEZING every time we have to run outside to the grill. Shoot, we may even eat outside a few times to see if that gets them excited about eating meatloaf!

 

No way, they eat what we eat. DH sometimes wants to give them something else if they don't eat well, but we've hashed that out.

 

Nope- The girls now eat what we eat (though they do get a 'side' of fruit or something in addition)- Unless it is something they cant eat (super spicey for my reflux girl).

As PP said- they make up for it in other meals or snacks. My DDs are small too...one is 25 or so lbs at 2.5. I offer a lot of full fat options (cottage cheese, milk, yogurt, etc) to help up her calorie intake.

Dinner is the only meal we all eat together so it is no big deal if they skimp a bit if we are eating something they are iffy about- though that said, they will often eat it once they see us eating it.

KC

 

I have never d one that and never will. They eat what I make or don't eat at all. I do think that is doing the chidren a disservice in the long run.

That said, I will make a seperate versioin for the kids at times. I LOVE spicy foods and the kids don't so I will put a little aside for dh & I and spice it up the way I like while keeping the other food more subtle. That is no big hassle.

 

Generally, no. On occasion, when I want something I KNOW they wont eat, I'll offer them a quick fix meal. Oatmeal, eggs, spaghettio's, or mac n cheese, but I never cook an entirely seperate meal for each of them.

 

QUOTE(twoplustwo @ Apr 4 2008, 10:31 AM) [snapback]704749[/snapback]
I have never d one that and never will. They eat what I make or don't eat at all. I do think that is doing the chidren a disservice in the long run.

That said, I will make a seperate versioin for the kids at times. I LOVE spicy foods and the kids don't so I will put a little aside for dh & I and spice it up the way I like while keeping the other food more subtle. That is no big hassle.



This is a great hint. We also do that for the babies, but my 4,6 and 8 year olds LOVE spiced up food now! My 6yo even eats the spicy mustard from Chinese restaurants!

 

I used to do that when my now 5 year old DD was a toddler. As a result, I have a very picky eater and we are now tying to break the habit.
Therefore, I no longer make more than one meal and rarely offer a substitute. I am trying to avoid my little ones turning the same way. They eat plenty throughout the day so I am not going to cater to them at dinner. I am lucky though that they are not very picky at this stage.

 

I cook one dinner here and everyone eats the same thing. That said we plan our meals and make sure that everyone will like/eat what we are having.

 

NOPE!

The boys have been eating what we eat since about 13 months. There are certain meals or items I may make something different for them, but I won't cook two completely different meals. I will plan those non-kid dnners on a night when we have a small amount of leftovers (but enough to feed two toddlers). I also make a pan of 'meatloaf muffins' and stick them in the freezer to pull out for quick and easy toddler-size meals if dinner isn't kid-friendly.