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Farm Kitchen:  Getting my kids to eat! No more short order cook!  |
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plantcarazy
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Jenn
Montana
USA
116 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 19 2011 : 3:26:44 PM
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I am progressively changing my families diet to a healthier more organic menu, with one big problem-- the kids are absolutely not going for it  ! They are toddlers, so of course, as most toddlers are, they are naturally more picky about change, but I am wondering if any of you have suggestions, recipes, or little tricks up your sleeves that can help out- boy would I sure appreciate it!
I often find myself wandering down country roads..................... |
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Calicogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
5216 Posts
Sharon
Bruce Crossing
Michigan
USA
5216 Posts |
Posted - Mar 19 2011 : 5:19:29 PM
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Hey Jennifer, good for you!
I don't have children so I don't have any first hand advice.
A couple of ideas that might help:
~Incorporate vegetables (such as zucchini or carrots) into muffins or breakfast cookies.
~Have them help. I know that they are still very young but there might be something that they can do to help.
~Take their favorites and make a healthier version of that. IE: Chicken Nuggets use chicken breast meat cut into chunks, dipped in egg or milk and then crumbs and bake them. Or homemade fishsticks by taking white fish filets and cut into strips, dip, crumb and bake.
~Maybe you could find a children's cookbook and sit down with them showing them the pictures and they can help you chose recipes to make.
I'm sure that some of the ladies here with children will be able to point you in the right direction :) If all else fails, hunger is a great motivator :)
~Sharon
By His Grace, For His Glory
http://merryheartjournal.blogspot.com/ |
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highlandviewpantry
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
WV
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 06:21:42 AM
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Horizon makes a few products that my kids really love - their boxed milks with straws and their yogurt tubes. My family however does not like the taste of Horizon large milks - to us it tastes flowery. We buy the store brand generic. My kids also like Lifeway Kefir - comes in strawberry and blueberry flavors. They disliked organic mac and cheese and a lot of the boxed cereals because they didn't taste like the "regular" varieties. If your kids like eggs and oatmeal those are easy switches to organic. Organic fruits and yogurts are easy switches. Organic popcorn is a great snack. Serve vegetables with dip - it makes all the difference. To sum it up organic processed foods aren't easy to switch to because the taste can be so different - but raw ingredients and cooking from scratch is pretty easy. I don't have any toddlers anymore but when one of my five older children complain about dinner I say "You could go a house further and see what they're cooking." I say it jokingly because it is what my kid's great-grandma said when someone complained.
www.thehighlandviewpantry.blogspot.com |
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rosarita78
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Reina
Drought ridden High Plains
New Mexico
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 06:30:44 AM
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I have this same problem and I didn't change anything! Yes it can be hard but stick to your guns!! I only make one meal and that's it, I am not short order cook either. I found that my kiddos prefer raw veggies. A little trick that works for me is, right before I start cooking I go and cut up a plate of raw veggies. It's usually carrots and broccoli. And I put it on a plate on the table with some sort of dip. I usually get the "I'm hungry" right as I'm making dinner so I direct them to the veggies ORR they find them. This usually works. I also found that when I'm cutting veggies to offer them a piece. They love that and recently have been eating raw spinach. I dont' care how much they eat before dinner if it's veggies. I have had them help me make dinner and only given them veggie choices. For example we make pizza (i have a great crust recipe if you want it) I let them help me do it all (takes a little prep on my part) then we make the pizza and I cut up lots of veggies and them put the veggies they like on their personal pizzas. They LOVE to cook. I'm also make applesauce muffins with zucchini and butternut squash added. Which are okay for a snack. I told you that my kids like raw veggies, we eat a lot of salad and they like the salad. Yes my toddlers ate salad. The best way to eat veggies, raw!
And yes I believe hunger is a great motivator. I did cut down on the snacks with my kids and that seemed to help around dinner time. We also talk a lot about why we eat and what is healthy to eat. OH I FORGOT......another fun thing we do is a tasting game. I blind fold them and then give them little tastes of different things. And I do everything from ketchup to fruits, veggies, hummus, leftovers they didn't eat like spag sauce, and I throw the veggies in, I do the different greens etc. They LOVE this game. I didn't think they liked it but they kept asking to play it. Then we talked about if they liked eat thing and what it was, was it a healthy food, dessert, you get the idea.
I know this can be very frustrating, and don't take it personal. It's just their little personlities shining through. I hope I gave you a few good ideas. I'm hoping eventually my children will just fall right into place and eat the way I want them too without having to trick them all the time. I believe it has worked with my 5 year old, he does better and I make my kids take at least one bite of veggies before they leave the table. But my 5 year old gets the whole "healthy eating" idea. And he knows that things like cookies are for dessert and can not be eaten all day/everyday.
If you're interested I have some great recipes pizza crust, chicken nuggets, mac and cheese (not so healthy but homemade), I also serve veggies with watered down ranch, so they don't get so much of the ranch. Good luck to you!!
Reina |
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plantcarazy
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Jenn
Montana
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 08:43:23 AM
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Thank you so much ladies for writing (typing!) back! Reina, I would love to have some recipes and have been looking for pretty much the exact ones you mentioned!
Thank you again,
Jennifer
I often find myself wandering down country roads..................... |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 09:57:13 AM
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I have been doin much the same thing with my family. I have slowly weeded out all the junk food in the house while slowly addin in more veges and baked instead of fried foods. I have had some complaints, but I simply stand my ground and if they get hungry they will eat it.
I also found out that if you let them grow some of the veges they are more willin to try them. Even if it's just a couple of potted veges in the window or on the porch. You can still grow lots of stuff. If you have room for a tomato plant you can put a ring of onions and a ring of carrots under it. The plants will all help feed each other and grow nicely.
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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SusanScarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
317 Posts
317 Posts |
Posted - Mar 20 2011 : 6:03:04 PM
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| My children are adults now but I remember the frustration of this happening. One thing that worked for us when they were little kids is I would say, "Do you want your carrots cooked or raw with your supper." I didn't care, as long as they ate the carrots. But it seemed to give them a little control and they liked having the choice. I can remember one particular incident when my DD was that particularly difficult pre-teen age. She came to the table, looked everything over and said, "I only like one thing we're having." My reply, "Well, they it won't take you long to eat dinner tonight." was met with her famous pre-teen eyeroll. |
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msdoolittle
True Blue Farmgirl
1145 Posts
Amanda
East Texas
USA
1145 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2011 : 06:21:34 AM
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Toddlers are just tough cookies. We always try to make something that we know they'll eat. It took us a few years to get to where they would taste things more readily. I'm not the Food Nazi...I do not enforce plate cleaning or anything like that. Food should be fun, and mealtimes should be stress-free.
My only house rule is that you MUST eat at least a bite or two of a new food. If they don't like it, that is perfectly fine. My 4 year old (almost 5) used to be so pig headed about this, but now she will taste a new food with no problem. There is almost always something at our meals that they can eat, whether it's a side dish, fruit, or bread...even if they hate the entree. Now that they are older, they also have the choice of making a bowl of cereal or oatmeal if they really don't want what I have. I pretty much know what they don't like, so I can plan for that reaction. For example, they both don't like tacos (go figure), but I WILL make them a cheese roll-up in a tortilla, since I already have out all of the stuff.
As I said, my 4 year old is a stubborn little goat. She, even now after years of consuming it, claims to hate meatloaf, though it is one of her favorites. She has to eat that one bite, and then miraculously 'remembers' how much she loves meatloaf.
It gets easier as they age and discover new foods that they like.
FarmGirl #1390
www.mylittlecountry.wordpress.com |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2011 : 10:22:34 AM
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I grew up with 17 siblings.......um there was no short order cooks. We ate what mom put on the table or we didn't. But, I don't remember any one not. In fact, just a few days ago my brother was joking and said yeah, it was like being in prison or something when you seen food you ate it before you even knew what it was, so no one else would get it! lol When food hit the table it would be gone in seconds, every one wanted their share! lol hahaha There wasn't enough to be picky! lol haha
Any way, I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. I know it may be too late for some people now, but I will say with my 4 year old we just never gave her junk. She never even had soda pop till about a year ago when a family member unknowingly gave it to her. They felt really bad about it when they found out I had never given her any before. I personally wasn't mad....I knew at one point some one would give it to her (I mean I figured one day she would go to a friends house or something and I wasn't going to get mad if the mother was giving her own children soda pop or and gave mine some too. I had already planned on just letting it happen. At the same time, I had already planned, I would NOT be the first to give it to her, so it could be put off as long as possible. Any way, she still tells every one she HATES pop (we never told her to!), she then proceeds to make all those little kid disgust sounds about how horrible it taste. And then tells them she only likes water and milk, but water is her favorite! lol haha
Any way, now I'm not trying to brag, she is still the normal crazy 4 year old! She's not always happy to see what we put on the table, and sometimes groans. But, you know what kids will not let themselves starve! So I put it there, we have a number of bites rule. (depending on what it is) At least 1 bite is ALWAYS the rule. Other then that it varies from meal to meal. I may say you can't leave the table till you eat 10 bites at one meal and maybe 5 bites at another. (depending on how I think her nutrition has been the rest of the day/week). Any way...she may not like it but she does it. Other wise there will be other consequences. Which each child is different. So you have to find what works. For Lela (my 4 year old) telling her she won't get to watch movies with my little sisters (her aunts, but they are her age) gets her every time! And she will do it. Of course if she doesn't we have to go through with it and not let her go to the movies with them! Oh that really upsets her and she remembers!
Yesterday we went out for Mediterranean food, not something my kids are exactly used to. But, it was my husband and I's anniversary. I knew she liked chicken, and pita, and hummus so it wasn't too bad. But, of course somethings looked really strange to her! lol haha They had children's meals, but I refused to pay 5 dollars for chicken nuggets or hamburger for a 4 year old! So, we bought her a appetizer of mediterranean chicken which was about the same price as the children's meal of chicken nuggets (of course the meal came with soda-which hey she likes water any way, so didn't need that! and a cookie and french fries too. Well she sure didn't need the cookie we had anniversary cake at home, and french fries, I really try to limit them and if she doesn't know they are there, she doesn't care about them! It was all adults there so no one else had fries so she didn't even ask). Plus I bet the meal only came with probably like 3 or 4 chicken nuggets where the appetizer came with at least 10 little grilled chicken wings, maybe more. Any way........funny her chicken came, and it had herbs all over it. I cook for my own children, husband, self, and about 10 of my younger siblings, sometimes they have friends over so them too, and my parents as part of my apartment rent to my parents. So I don't always have time, and especially recently as I'm in my first trimester of my 4th pregnancy, and nauseated to take a lot of time on our meals making them look pretty. So even though I use herbs in my cooking I rarely take the time to chop extra fresh herbs and sprinkle it on top of the food. So when she seen her chicken it had fresh parsley sprinkled all over the top. She said well, I'm going to eat the chicken, but I don't want the pieces with the grass on it! We about died laughing! and then told her that it was not grass it was herbs, and she proceeded to eat the whole thing and was upset there wasn't enough for left overs! We also bought the pita and hummus appetizer for all of us (we splurged cause it was out 10th wedding anniversary and we thought it was a big deal, of course we always celebrate out wedding anniversary but 10 is kind of a milestone) and she loved the hot pita. And she did get a bit of a dessert, not a cookie, but their bakery there at the restaurant is a french bakery so they make these sweet yummy biscuits they bring the whole table for free, just as restaurant policy type thing (like getting a fortune cookie at a chinese restaurant, just custom). Any way......not one problem. But, still we had to laugh at the grass comment. I guess my point is, if you just do it and stick to your guns as a previous poster said they will acclimate. I think once in a while they will try to push their bounderies though no matter what, and no matter on what stand you have with them (weather it be food, or not running in the street or what ever rules you make) they just want to see what you will do. As long as you are consistant, it usually doesn't last long and they see you aren't a push over and they learn to roll with it.
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on Mar 21 2011 10:34:33 AM |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2011 : 10:40:47 AM
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I hear ya!!!!!! I have a 2 year old and we just went to her 2 year appointment where I discussed my frustrations with the Doc....She's never had food that WASN'T organic, unless it was given to her by my mom  and being two, she's UBER picky, but I seem to be combatting that a bit. Here's what we've been doing (and then I'll tell you what the Dr. said)...
I buy Dr. Praegger's Veggie Bites. They are organic, come in shapes that kids love, and are full of veggies. The flavors are: spinach, sweet potato, and broccoli. I first bought the broccoli and spinach because I felt she needed greens. She LOVED THEM. She loves sweet potato fries when I make them, so I bought sweet potato. Wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot pole 
I belong to an all organic delivery service that brings us a bin of organic milk, eggs, fruits and veggies every other Friday. I make sure to order things for her, and I make a SUPER big deal of opening the bin with her. She loves to help put away the food, and if I'm not careful, she will take a bite out of every apple before I can put it away!
I buy Plum Organics fruit smushes and Yo Toddler meals (by Stonyfield Farms). That's a great way to sneak veggies into foods they love, like yogurt, and the fruit smushes are totally portable and perfect for self feeding, which is so important in this "I do IT!" phase.
I keep on hand cashews, peanuts, craisins, sesame sticks, etc..and make my own "snack mix". She snacks on it and REALLY enjoys crunchy textures it seems. I like that there is protein and good fats heading her way--great for inbetween meals or if we're on the go and I know a food crisis is coming.
Now, as far as cooking at home goes, I make a lot of "pistas" as she calls them (pizza to you and me). I make veggie pizzas and she's never aware, it seems. Just goes right to town eating everything. I suppose if it's a texture issue, you can always add pureed veggies to the tomato sauce before layering the cheese on. We also eat spaghetti and sauce, which I include carrot puree or something like that.
Smoothies: any recipe, any type where you can sneak in some "green" ingredients :)
Now, as for being a short order cook, my pediatrician simply said, "don't do it." The why? Because if you only make them food they will eat now, then you have 15 year olds who only eat chicken fingers, grilled cheese and cheese sticks. And you'll make yourself NUTS. She has 4 kids, and is the head chef at her house. She also said, "they eat what you're eating for dinner, and if not, there's always breakfast. They won't starve between now and then!"
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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walkinwalkoutcattle
True Blue Farmgirl
1675 Posts
Megan
Paint Lick
KY
USA
1675 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2011 : 03:50:51 AM
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I second Jonni's advice. My mom only made ONE dinner. I ate it! My grandma, however, always made me whatever I wanted as a kid. Bless her heart-but thats what grandmas are for, I guess!
Starbucks and sushi to green fried tomatoes and corn pudding-I wouldn't change it for the world.
www.cattleandcupcakes.blogspot.com |
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2011 : 07:01:52 AM
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My children are grown, but I found out something interesting about them. The oldest one got only homemade babyfood. That was back before microwaves and so I would cook up a whole bunch of stuff in one day, blend each item to a pulp and put it into ice cube trays. I'd pop out the food cubes and store them in tupperware - veggies, meats, fruits - all labeled. For each meal, I'd take out a couple of cubes for each food that she was going to get, put those in empty babyfood jars that I had gotten from relatives and would heat those in a pan of water until just warm. She got everything from brocolli, to green beans, to squash, bananas, meats and you name it. I even made her desserts.
My son got about half homemade and half store-bought because I got lazy since we were working on a ranch. The interesting thing is that my daughter would eat anything you put on her plate. My son would not. I just wonder if my daughter had tried so many different kinds of foods that were fresh vs processed baby food that she was more open to anything.
However, that said, I was not a short order cook either. I didn't force clean plates and I didn't force eating but they knew that if they didn't eat what was in front of them, that was all there would be. No snacks if meals weren't eaten. It didn't take the son long to start eating what was in front of him and now, at 27, he is the most amazing cook who will try anything short of bugs! :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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HollyG
True Blue Farmgirl
214 Posts
Holly
Hamburg
Arkansas
USA
214 Posts |
Posted - Mar 22 2011 : 10:25:57 AM
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My mom had Msdoolittle's philosophy. Before we decided we didn't like something, we had to try it. This was called "The Three Bite Club". Of course, mom only put three bits on our plate. As it is, we culled very little (as referenced by my hip/thigh size now.) We tried lots of new foods - and if after three bites, we were still hysterical (as my brother was with purple-hull peas) we didn't have to eat them. Mom always made sure to cook things we liked - at least one side, anyway. She didn't cater to us and refused to be a short-order cook. If we didn't like what she prepared, maybe we'd like tomorrow's menu. Not having kids myself, I can't speak from experience, but it sounds like you're getting good advice. Don't give up. I wish I'd never tasted processed sugars, fast foods, and junk foods. Starting out little is the right thing to do. I'll keep you in my prayers - there's nothing like a grumpy toddler!
HollyG
Farmgirl #2513
www.mydeepwoodslife.com |
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pnickols
True Blue Farmgirl
808 Posts
Patricia
Parma
Ohio
808 Posts |
Posted - Mar 23 2011 : 05:10:51 AM
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| my kids were great eaters as little ones but got progressively pickier as teens especially the girls. we even went so far as to have to speak to a dietician with our oldest daughter, she basically stopped eating, control issue, the doctor told us to serve dinner, if she ate that was great, if she didn't, remove the food but no screaming or yelling but no more food until breakfast. It worked. I of course tried to serve something I knew she liked each time but no more special orders and she started eating again. It sure does take the fun out of cooking though when they get so fussy about everything |
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rosarita78
True Blue Farmgirl
206 Posts
Reina
Drought ridden High Plains
New Mexico
USA
206 Posts |
Posted - Mar 23 2011 : 05:38:46 AM
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KUDOS! To all of you. I see so many moms who cater to everything and let the kids control the house (my other issue). But you all have said how you are not short order cooks and I'm so excited to see that. We are the parents and we should take care of the needs of our children not cater to their wants. That's a life lesson!
So PAT YOURSELF ON THE BACK! Good job moms!!
Reina
http://reinascountrykitchen.blogspot.com
http://icookinnewmexico.blogspot.com |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 23 2011 : 08:03:05 AM
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Mary Beth exactly!
Personally I have never bought baby food at a store.
I also understand being tired. Things have changed a lot. So your generation probably didn't think much about it and only thought about baby food. (so much work! to make homemade at least! And to feed them too! UHG! lol) But, I thought before companies came out with baby food. 100 years ago our grandmothers didn't have canned baby food, nor did they have a blender! lol haha
So I just look at each of our meals, and what is soft enough and malleable enough and that's what I feed my babies. So far no choking, again no short order cook, and no store bought baby food. And me, I'm not over tired, cause they just eat what the rest of us are eating.
A few examples of this-if we are having mexican food, then I cube up some of the ripe avocado and that's what baby gets! A older baby may also get some of the ground hamburger meat, from that meal, maybe olives, and tomatoes too. Depending on their eating level at the time. My dd is 1 now (just turned one) and pretty much she can eat all the foods we eat. But, at six months is when we started giving her just little parts of our meal, again would start out with avocado. Or banana. Or cooked potatoes. I say cooked, cause funny thing is since my children have never had "baby" food, or purees (except for fruit smoothies I make) they do NOT like mashed potatoes! lol They like baked! lol A baked potato is really soft and really don't ever need to be mashed for a baby to handle. Cut up a little maybe, but even at some point I don't do that either, they just dig in with their fingers! lol haha I have tried to give them mashed and they think mashed potatoes are weird! lol Yet love baked ones. Silly girls! lol haha
Oh and I didn't mean to be disrespectful about the "your generation" thing. As far as I know this not giving baby food is a "new" idea. Since canned baby food become popular. Cause my mom did the make her own baby food too. And I thought that would be what I was going to do as well! I'm a older mother (didn't have my first till I was 30). If I had had my first at 20, I probably would of made baby food! But, at 30 when I had my first, I heard of this new thing.....where you just give your baby finger foods they can handle and skip the baby food. And decided that sounded like that was just the thing for us! And as far as I know it was a new idea at the time. That's what I meant by the "your generation" thing. I just think this is a new idea that has just started being circulated around. And I am liking it! So glad I heard about it and skipped the baby food all together! I have so much more time I think, and my kids don't get the junk from the jarred prepackaged baby food as a result of my tiredness!
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
Edited by - MagnoliaWhisper on Mar 23 2011 08:08:24 AM |
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traildancer
True Blue Farmgirl
485 Posts
Loyce
Glide
OR
USA
485 Posts |
Posted - Mar 23 2011 : 09:52:54 AM
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My mother was not a short order cook (we were all born in the 60s). My brothers didn't like "green things" so my mom allowed them to eat Kellogg's Raisin Bran. You should have seen how high they filled the bowls and then added milk! And salmon patties (we grew up in Alaska) no way until Mom let us dip them in 1000 Island dressing. She used store-bought baby food.
One time my youngest brother would not eat his peas (cooked; we all ate them frozen). Anyway my parents tried everything, including spanking. He NEVER ate those peas. Years and years later he married the PEA farmers daughter and they served--gasp--fresh, cooked peas at the wedding. They have been married almot 25 years.
When she was young, my daughter refused to eat tuna noodle casserole. I loved it as a child. I tried everything I could think of and in the end decided that she could eat it for breakfast. No way. So she got it for lunch. I was going to serve it for dinner, thinking I could wear her down with hunger. Did not work. She must have had some of my brother in her. I don't think I ever made tuna noodle casserole again.
So, no advice but some amusing stories.
The trail is the thing.... Louis L'Amour |
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MagnoliaWhisper
True Blue Farmgirl
2817 Posts
Heather
Haysville
Kansas
USA
2817 Posts |
Posted - Mar 23 2011 : 2:40:22 PM
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lol Loyce, it is true there is some foods some children just will not like. Just like there is some foods we all don't like. But, in general my opinion is as long as they eat a little of the food we put out they won't starve, and they will make up for it at the next meal! lol hahaha
http://www.heathersprairie.blogspot.com |
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Farm Kitchen: Getting my kids to eat! No more short order cook! |
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Getting my kids to eat! No more short order cook!
