dinner time guilt (page 3)

OUTLAW

BLack Swan..You and I have the same views on the family dinner table..It should be a place of enjoyment..My dinner table is a very happy place and my Adult kids still come for dinner...OUTLAW

Our dinner table was always enjoyable, too. I remember laughing and telling jokes and talking about our respective days. But, at the same time we were staring at the green beans and moving the rice around on the plate and contemplating the carrots knowing at some point we were going to have to eat!

You don't have to have one or the other. Set one simple rule: I'm cooking wholesome meals and my children are going to eat them and say nothing about it. Now, how was your day?

EDIT: Sorry, Outlaw, I'm thinking like a MOTHER.

BlackSwan of Memphis

BLack Swan..You and I have the same views on the family dinner table..It should be a place of enjoyment..My dinner table is a very happy place and my Adult kids still come for dinner...OUTLAW

I'm coming over for dinner! You sound like us...food is not worth eating if it's not enjoyable.

JourneyOn: I am talking about dinner. They eat fruit during the day (my husband doesn't) they eat yogurt for snacks, they eat nuts etc. Dinner is an issue. Because while one won't spaghetti sauce, the other one will. And it's just a pain in the butt to deal with. Why make the other one eat it? I just don't understand that. If my husband made me food that I didn't like I'd say, thanks but uhmmm no. That was nice of you to make it, but you know I don't like it, so I'm not eating it. Why treat kids differently? This teaches them...............................?

To eat what's put in front of them because they don't have a choice.

As I said it's control.

And kids need to feel in control of their life to some extent. I'm not saying let the kid go off and fill up on candy.

I'm saying...what's wrong in finding ways of making food that Everyone Can and Will enjoy? If they hate it, why not let them have a bowl of oatmeal or a grilled cheese? Or etc...I mean, isn't that nutritious?

mrsjones5

why not let them have a bowl of oatmeal or a grilled cheese? Or etc...I mean, isn't that nutritious?

If my youngest one Joshua thinks I'm taking too long getting lunch or dinner on the table he will request cereal and I usually let him have it. If he then doesn't want or eat dinner that's ok too.

restrangled

Black Swan, you have a tough situation there!

I suggest sitting everyone down and let each person pick a meal they would like to have for dinner. So that every night it's someone's favorite dish night. I don't know how old your children are but getting them to help prepare meals also encourages better eating. So have the person who's favorite dish it is help with that meal or set the table.

Good luck!

r.

journey-on

Because while one won't spaghetti sauce, the other one will. And it's just a pain in the butt to deal with.

Then why not write out your menus for the week. On Monday you have such and such (whatever Suzy likes), on Tues. choose something Bobby likes, etc. etc. Make it fair. Kids need BALANCED nutrition with a wide range foods. But it sounds to me like you're making sure they're getting the right nutrition with nuts and dairy and fruits for snacks. If they're healthy, you must be doing something right.

OUTLAW

Journey on..So your thinking like a mother?..Thats cool..But..Good food dosen`t have to taste bad..I am a Chef so I have a bit of an advantage..LOL!!..My suggestion to Black Swan,is so she can get her kids to eat something they may not normally.....My food is never moved around on a plate.It`s gobbled up!!..If a kid dosent like one vegetable I may exchange it with another of equal food value..Or..Create a sauce that will make it enjoyable to the child..................Black Swan..That would be fun..There is no end of Cusine or flavour at my dinner table...OUTLAW

BlackSwan of Memphis

Journeyon and Restrangled: You know that is a good idea. My biggest problem would be getting Hannah to communicate to us what she wants. My husband, perhaps this is mean....if he doesn't like what I make he makes something else. I'm cool with that. I think you guys are onto something. Journey: I am not a huge fan of vitamins, except for my older daughter, so I really try to have fruit around the house and nuts, string cheese. I keep the frozen veggies in my freezer and Try to hide them. But that's hard!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What I would LOVE is for someone hint hint to pass along some great kid friendly recipes hint hint. Hmmmm whos a chef around here? MrsJ: Yep, that's me. If I've had a long day and dinner's taking awhile, if one of them wants to snack on cereal or fruit or yogurt, sometimes I'll say ok. So... OUTLAW, you're a chef huh? Hmmmmmmmmmm dressing up the food so it is more appealing is tough. I'm wracking my brain trying to find a way to dress up tomatoes so that Jun might eat it a different way and think, hey this isn't so bad! I AM open for suggestions on how to prepare healthy food so that a child might enjoy it! hint hint hint hint..........

OUTLAW

Black Swan..Yes,I`m a Chef..Sometimes kids don`t like foods for reasons they don`t know..A tomatoe can be very acidy to a child if it`s not ripened properly..So make sure the tomatoe is properly ripened..Don`t give him big Honk`n chunks of tomatoe..LOL!!..Cut it into bite sized portions like a french fry..Kids love finger food....Now get a small bowl you would put out for dipping food..Put "Ranch Salad Dressing" in it..It`s very much like a chip dip!..Let him dip Carrots,tomatoes,celery or what ever else he wants in the Ranch Dressing..Just make sure the veggies are cut Kid Size..Making food fun,is part of the trick with kids.....One more secret from OUTLAW`S Kitchen..Tomatoe based Sauces can give your guests the "Farts" and Indigestion(The Burps!)..LOL!!..That won`t do in a High-End Restaraunt..Put Brown Sugar in the sauce to counter the acid..It`s done to taste..As soon as you can taste a hint of sweetness in the sauce you have enough...OUTLAW

dinner time guilt

Share this