Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......

My DD is 6 and is EXTREMELY picky, she won't touch a single veggie or even fruit. She's impossible. My DS is 2 and he's a better eater than her but still tough.

First, I stopped making everyone their own meal. I usually make a protein, veggie, and starch at dinner and I just tell them that they have to find something to eat from the three. If my DD complains she doesn't like something I stopped fighting with her and just say, "OK". She doesn't have to like everything I serve but she does have to find something to eat on the table, it's her choice what she wants to eat. Sometimes she goes to bed hungrier than other nights but that's life, she has to learn to eat what is served and eat something other than cereal at every meal. In doing this, she has started to warm up to some new things...........even a veggie or two. It's slow going but it's progress!!

Second, I have made a real effort to cook as much as I can myself so even if they are eating pancakes, waffles, cookies, chicken tenders, etc. they are eating something homemade and I don't have to feel that bad because I know what is in it. I feel better at least knowing they aren't eating a ton of processed, artificial cr@p even if they aren't eating the *best* foods.

I make huge batches of waffles and pancakes and freeze them so they are always on hand for breakfast. I make my own cookie dough and freeze that too so we can make cookies fast when they want them. Same with cake mixes. I bought cheap quart size mason jars at Target and they are filled with homemade batters and mixes so all I have to do is scoop out the dry mix, add the wet ingredients and I have something homemade for them in a flash.

I also make homemade ice cream, ice pops, chicken tenders, soft pretzels, pasta sauce, muffins, etc. It's so easy and if you do a big batch of these things at once you can easily freeze them to have on hand. The best money I spent was on a vacuum sealer, it's an awesome kitchen tool!! I use it ALL the time. If I can make it myself, I try too. It not only tastes better but it's usually healthier and cheaper in the end.

For dinners I do try and cook meats that I know they will like such as meatloaf, burgers, chicken (grilled or made into tenders), steak, etc. I also find if I give them things to dip their food into they are more likely to eat. (ketchup, gravy, yogurt, etc) It's not an easy task getting them to eat but I keep trying. I also find that making things from scratch and having my DD help me cook/bake makes her more excited to try new things and eat because she helped to make it. Whatever works.

I have a ton of cookbooks but some of my favorites are from Food Network, "1,000 Easy Recipes" and "Great Easy Meals". Many of the meals contain things my kids would actually eat and the recipes are usually pretty quick and easy. I also LOVE Food Network Magazine, it's hard to find a bad recipe in that magazine!! You can also find many good recipes on the Food Network website or at AllRecipes.com and Food.com.

Good luck!

Message edited 6/23/2015 10:48:38 AM.

Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......

Posted by Hofstra26

My DD is 6 and is EXTREMELY picky, she won't touch a single veggie or even fruit. She's impossible. My DS is 2 and he's a better eater than her but still tough.

First, I stopped making everyone their own meal. I usually make a protein, veggie, and starch at dinner and I just tell them that they have to find something to eat from the three. If my DD complains she doesn't like something I stopped fighting with her and just say, "OK". She doesn't have to like everything I serve but she does have to find something to eat on the table, it's her choice what she wants to eat. Sometimes she goes to bed hungrier than other nights but that's life, she has to learn to eat what is served and eat something other than cereal at every meal. In doing this, she has started to warm up to some new things...........even a veggie or two. It's slow going but it's progress!!

Second, I have made a real effort to cook as much as I can myself so even if they are eating pancakes, waffles, cookies, chicken tenders, etc. they are eating something homemade and I don't have to feel that bad because I know what is in it. I feel better at least knowing they aren't eating a ton of processed, artificial cr@p even if they aren't eating the *best* foods.

I make huge batches of waffles and pancakes and freeze them so they are always on hand for breakfast. I make my own cookie dough and freeze that too so we can make cookies fast when they want them. Same with cake mixes. I bought cheap quart size mason jars at Target and they are filled with homemade batters and mixes so all I have to do is scoop out the dry mix, add the wet ingredients and I have something homemade for them in a flash.

I also make homemade ice cream, ice pops, chicken tenders, soft pretzels, pasta sauce, muffins, etc. It's so easy and if you do a big batch of these things at once you can easily freeze them to have on hand. The best money I spent was on a vacuum sealer, it's an awesome kitchen tool!! I use it ALL the time. If I can make it myself, I try too. It not only tastes better but it's usually healthier and cheaper in the end.

For dinners I do try and cook meats that I know they will like such as meatloaf, burgers, chicken (grilled or made into tenders), steak, etc. I also find if I give them things to dip their food into they are more likely to eat. (ketchup, gravy, yogurt, etc) It's not an easy task getting them to eat but I keep trying. I also find that making things from scratch and having my DD help me cook/bake makes her more excited to try new things and eat because she helped to make it. Whatever works.

I have a ton of cookbooks but some of my favorites are from Food Network, "1,000 Easy Recipes" and "Great Easy Meals". Many of the meals contain things my kids would actually eat and the recipes are usually pretty quick and easy. I also LOVE Food Network Magazine, it's hard to find a bad recipe in that magazine!! You can also find many good recipes on the Food Network website or at AllRecipes.com and Food.com.

Good luck!

Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......

Posted by MarisaK

Posted by Hofstra26

My DD is 6 and is EXTREMELY picky, she won't touch a single veggie or even fruit. She's impossible. My DS is 2 and he's a better eater than her but still tough.

First, I stopped making everyone their own meal. I usually make a protein, veggie, and starch at dinner and I just tell them that they have to find something to eat from the three. If my DD complains she doesn't like something I stopped fighting with her and just say, "OK". She doesn't have to like everything I serve but she does have to find something to eat on the table, it's her choice what she wants to eat. Sometimes she goes to bed hungrier than other nights but that's life, she has to learn to eat what is served and eat something other than cereal at every meal. In doing this, she has started to warm up to some new things...........even a veggie or two. It's slow going but it's progress!!

Second, I have made a real effort to cook as much as I can myself so even if they are eating pancakes, waffles, cookies, chicken tenders, etc. they are eating something homemade and I don't have to feel that bad because I know what is in it. I feel better at least knowing they aren't eating a ton of processed, artificial cr@p even if they aren't eating the *best* foods.

I make huge batches of waffles and pancakes and freeze them so they are always on hand for breakfast. I make my own cookie dough and freeze that too so we can make cookies fast when they want them. Same with cake mixes. I bought cheap quart size mason jars at Target and they are filled with homemade batters and mixes so all I have to do is scoop out the dry mix, add the wet ingredients and I have something homemade for them in a flash.

I also make homemade ice cream, ice pops, chicken tenders, soft pretzels, pasta sauce, muffins, etc. It's so easy and if you do a big batch of these things at once you can easily freeze them to have on hand. The best money I spent was on a vacuum sealer, it's an awesome kitchen tool!! I use it ALL the time. If I can make it myself, I try too. It not only tastes better but it's usually healthier and cheaper in the end.

For dinners I do try and cook meats that I know they will like such as meatloaf, burgers, chicken (grilled or made into tenders), steak, etc. I also find if I give them things to dip their food into they are more likely to eat. (ketchup, gravy, yogurt, etc) It's not an easy task getting them to eat but I keep trying. I also find that making things from scratch and having my DD help me cook/bake makes her more excited to try new things and eat because she helped to make it. Whatever works.

I have a ton of cookbooks but some of my favorites are from Food Network, "1,000 Easy Recipes" and "Great Easy Meals". Many of the meals contain things my kids would actually eat and the recipes are usually pretty quick and easy. I also LOVE Food Network Magazine, it's hard to find a bad recipe in that magazine!! You can also find many good recipes on the Food Network website or at AllRecipes.com and Food.com.

Good luck!

Thanks !
I do all of the homemade stuff now too - pancakes, muffins, sauce, I just hate them eating so much sugar and carbs - even though I know what I'm putting into the pancakes and waffles and muffins and stuff .......the fact that are are NO vegetables to balance it bothers me. Maybe I just have to get over it.

I do have to stick to my guns about you eat what I cook or you don't eat.

thanks again !!

Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......

Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......

I would not boil the vegetables, it loses all the nutrients. Boiling vegetables is probably the worst way to eat them. Stick to raw, steamed, roasted, etc.

I think putting shredded vegetables into the meatballs, hamburgers is a great idea if you want to "hide it" plus it adds a lot of flavor.

Potatoes are vegetables. Give them a baked potato and let them add their own toppings, or make sweet potatoes which are so much sweeter. Or turn them into "fries" just make them the same shape and roast/bake them.

Can you grow some vegetables together? That would help them get interested. Or take them to the supermarket with you and have them pick or bag the vegetables for you?

I agree with the dips. she likes raw veggies when I give her a bowl of hummus to dip them in.

Putting it in soups or adding it to pasta used to work for me, DD used to devour it. Now if I add it she just picks out the pasta or drinks the broth and leaves all the vegetables. Yesterday I served her: shredded snap peas, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and carrots salad (she didnt touch it) with pasta in sauce with peas and corn (ate the pasta didnt touch the peas and corn) and grilled mushrooms and green bell peppers (ate one or two dipped in yogurt, but then refused it). So here I am serving like so many different kinds of vegetables prepared in so many different ways and she just wasn't having any of it. It all went in the garbage and made me upset to waste all of it. But I just keep trying!

Re: Help easing my stubborn family into healthier .......