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Hellllll no. I'm too busy watching my stories and eating bonbons.

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You'd better be doing all that in the kitchen!

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Kids

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Kill 'em all

/sarcasm

Mine are 6, 4, & 2. We use the what's on the table is dinner approach, so they can leave the table hungry, but what ever was served is the only option until bed time. This has worked pretty well - the older 2 love shrimp & fish, and the youngest eats broccoli like it's going out of style.

A couple of caveats though:
- If me & hubby want something we know the kids won't eat (sushi, spicy thai, etc.) we will make them a kid friendly option & let them try ours if they're interested.
- A lot of kids (all 3 of mine) go through a vegetarian phase between 12-24 months. Keep offering meat, but make sure you have other protein options on the table.

We sent him to bed hungry around 4.

If they aren't eating dinner, cut out the afternoon snack. Find something they like and put it on the table. When they ask for it, tell them they can have some when they finish what's on their plate.

My parents would let us go without eating whatever was on the table for dinner if we refused. They would put it up, and then you got the same thing for each meal the next day. If we could make it through that whole day without eating it, then the second day we were off the hook.

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Mine are 6, 4, & 2. We use the what's on the table is dinner approach, so they can leave the table hungry, but what ever was served is the only option until bed time. This has worked pretty well - the older 2 love shrimp & fish, and the youngest eats broccoli like it's going out of style.

A couple of caveats though:
- If me & hubby want something we know the kids won't eat (sushi, spicy thai, etc.) we will make them a kid friendly option & let them try ours if they're interested.
- A lot of kids (all 3 of mine) go through a vegetarian phase between 12-24 months. Keep offering meat, but make sure you have other protein options on the table.

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I'm hoping mine hits that eventually (between a year and year and a half). He refuses to eat fruit and veggies. all he wants is meat, cheese, and bread (or French fries, but wont eat mashed potatoes)

Setting an early precedent with a child that everything is up for debate and negotiation only starts the ball rolling for problems later on. Serve what you think is good for them and what you think they'll eat, but once food is on the table, that's all we're having tonight, like it or not.

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Setting an early precedent with a child that everything is up for debate and negotiation only starts the ball rolling for problems later on. Serve what you think is good for them and what you think they'll eat, but once food is on the table, that's all we're having tonight, like it or not.

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I do try to serve at least one thing that everyone at the table likes. If someone eats a dinner of only green beans, that's not my problem. You're crazy if you don't like corn or steak, deal with it.

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Mine are 6, 4, & 2. We use the what's on the table is dinner approach, so they can leave the table hungry, but what ever was served is the only option until bed time. This has worked pretty well - the older 2 love shrimp & fish, and the youngest eats broccoli like it's going out of style.

A couple of caveats though:
- If me & hubby want something we know the kids won't eat (sushi, spicy thai, etc.) we will make them a kid friendly option & let them try ours if they're interested.
- A lot of kids (all 3 of mine) go through a vegetarian phase between 12-24 months. Keep offering meat, but make sure you have other protein options on the table.

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I'm hoping mine hits that eventually (between a year and year and a half). He refuses to eat fruit and veggies. all he wants is meat, cheese, and bread (or French fries, but wont eat mashed potatoes)

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What kind of a communist child doesn't like mashed potatoes!?

Wait, wouldn't a communist child be more likely to enjoy potatoes?

I know the heartbreak of someone not liking: bananas, eggs, corn, rice, mashed potatoes, peas, and most meat. Don't most people like all of this stuff?

I think as long as they can understand what you are saying. My kiddo is pretty good at eating whatever we are but my struggle is that she eats sooooooooo slow. This is a problem because she doesn't finish her lunch at school and comes home super hungry. Kiddos are almost as much of a pain in the butt as they are awesome.

My 20 month old is a fruits and veggie guy only. He'll try a piece of meant and spit it right back out.

Better say goodbye to grandkids.

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Mine are 6, 4, & 2. We use the what's on the table is dinner approach, so they can leave the table hungry, but what ever was served is the only option until bed time. This has worked pretty well - the older 2 love shrimp & fish, and the youngest eats broccoli like it's going out of style.

A couple of caveats though:
- If me & hubby want something we know the kids won't eat (sushi, spicy thai, etc.) we will make them a kid friendly option & let them try ours if they're interested.
- A lot of kids (all 3 of mine) go through a vegetarian phase between 12-24 months. Keep offering meat, but make sure you have other protein options on the table.

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I'm hoping mine hits that eventually (between a year and year and a half). He refuses to eat fruit and veggies. all he wants is meat, cheese, and bread (or French fries, but wont eat mashed potatoes)

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What kind of a communist child doesn't like mashed potatoes!?

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Hey there!

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My 20 month old is a fruits and veggie guy only. He'll try a piece of meant and spit it right back out.

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Benny was the same way.

Now he will eat pepperoni straight from the package.

OP said "try food".

If they try it and don't like it, fine. Make reasonable accommodations. Show them you value them giving it an honest try and they will develop a broad range of tastes.

There's lots of literature out there explaining why young kids aren't necessarily just "picky eaters", but that their immature taste buds and perhaps genetic predisposition (e.g. bitter foods are often poisonous in nature) favor and reject certain tastes and textures early on. Kinda fascinating reading. That's why I don't support forcing very young kids to eat, but do agree with encouraging them to try new things and limiting their choices to what is put on the table at any given meal.

Then there's the kid who acts like they are dying as the "new" food goes into their mouth. Yeah, buddy, thanks for giving it an honest try.

No seconds on anything if they don't eat the firsts.

10 and 13

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No seconds on anything if they don't eat the firsts.

10 and 13

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This.

It's like my Dad used to tell me when I was young:

"Son you have two choices. You can either...


1) eat your green beans
Or
2) get your ass whipped and eat your green beans"

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My 20 month old is a fruits and veggie guy only. He'll try a piece of meant and spit it right back out.

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mine sticks his tongue out, touches the fruit or veggie too it. makes a horrid face, and then throws the food at whoever is nearest. or he feeds it to our dogs.