Monday, January 28, 2013

How I get my kids to eat dinner


I often hear complaints from parents about how picky their children are when it comes to food that they will eat. I must say, hubby and I are pretty lucky because our two little boys are not REALLY picky. Sure, they have their moments where they don't want to eat what was made for supper (which almost always ends with them eating it – I don’t serve them food I KNOW they don’t like – I insist they eat at least 2 bites of everything on their plates and then they generally finish it off, I will make them a sandwich if they follow through with my request and STILL insist they don’t like it) That' it...no tricks, no bribes. I fully believe that kids are capable of deciding when they have had enough. I don't buy into finishing your plate, or eating more dinner to have dessert. We simply eat until we are satisfied.

They both eat a wide variety of foods (including fruits AND vegetables!); my biggest challenge is coming up with new ideas. Chicken and pasta are 2 of my favorite meals, so I am always on the lookout for new chicken recipes to try out. We do get tired of eating the same flavors over and over, so if I can change it up and add in a new recipe every few weeks - the boys (hubby included) are thrilled to be my taste testers! What I love is when I find a recipe for pasta WITH chicken!  I also tend to make larger amounts than what is needed, so we have leftovers in the fridge. That way, I only end up cooking 4 or 5 dinners a week instead of 7.


What about you? What are some of your favorite meals?



8 comments:

  1. My children were never picky eaters and then my first Grandson came along and I don't think he is picky, I think it is texture that he has a problem with because he would gag every time we tried to feed them to him. Getting him to eat good is a huge task because it is mainly vegies that he has trouble with and we know he needs them so we have to try several different ways to get the good food made so he will be able to eat it.

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  2. We just made a little list of "go to" dinners that our whole family will eat - it's not a huge list, but I have it on the fridge and hope to be able to add to it as time goes on. Great post - I stumbled it!

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    1. great idea with the list! I find it really difficult sometimes, because the boys have VERY different tastes......

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  3. We always had a rule of finishing what was on your plate. My kids are now teens and will eat just about anything.

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    1. that's great they are not picky! I am not a fan of finishing your plate (especially when someone else is serving the food), we teach our kids to eat until they are satisfied. I have a very small appetite and even as an adult, often don't finish what is on my plate. Thanks for stopping by

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  4. I agree with you on every point. I also have a 2 bite rule and if they still won't eat it, my go-to is always a sandwich. I also never make them finish their meal or try and reward/bribe them with dessert. It works in our house and I'm happy with how my kids eat as a result of it.

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    1. thanks for stopping by and commenting ! Have a wonderful day.

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