Do you make them something else?

[MrsFabuloso]

Not sure if this is the best place for this topic?? Please move it if there's somewhere else more appropriate!

My DS is becoming a fussier and fussier eater by the day! DD is ok, she eats some stuff and generally if I offer her a food she will try it which is fine by me if she decides she doesn't like it. But DS will not even try some things. And both of them will flat out refuse some meal I make and just not eat any of it.
Recently I have made several meals and they just will not eat it or try it. Like beef stroganoff, chicken drumsticks with veg, DS even won't eat schnitzel. I try to make sure there is something on the plate they will eat. I made a ham plate last night for dinner- ham sliced off the bone, salad, potato salad, beetroot. DD ate the ham and some of the potato salad. DS threw it on the floor. Wehn I made the srtog, neither of them ate it. I served it with pasta (and veg), which they both usually love. But they wouldn't touch it. Because they have been not eating I had stated to make a sandwich or something small for them to have before bed so they're not hungry.
But I can't send them to dinner on empty tummies, right?? But then, I don't want to continue making more and more food either. I'm not terribly worried about DS as he is still bfing and has his booby before bed and sometimes through the night, but if DD doesn't eat dinner, then she' would have had nothing between about 3.30/4ish until she wakes up in the morning. I mean a sandwich isn't hard to make, but it's not all that nutritious, and I don't want them not eating dinner caue they think/know I will make them a sandwich or something. What should I do? What do you do??
TIA

[Arimeh]

Nope I'm a hard arse. If you don't eat your dinner - thats it!!

FWIW, DS hardly ever eats any dinner - but he doesn't wake up during the night for a drink or anything, just his normal time of 6/6.30 and then has a drink of milk before breakfast.

[Emma1979]

i don't make anything else.... but i'm a bit predictable and only serve her up what i know she will eat.... she eats vegies (i just give her the frozen kind), so will have brocolli, cauliflower, peas, carrots, corn etc, and then i give her something with it, like chicken, or whatever meat, or fish etc... she is often eating a different meal to us, as she doesn't eat salad (which we eat pretty much every night) and won't eat spicy foods etc.... i figure as long as she is getting meat and a reasonable variety of vegies i don't mind...

i will make the next child eat salad though from an early age, missed the boat with this one. and will also introduce a heap more of foods with the next one so i am not limited.... within reason, i make the hottest hottest meals with chilli so wouldn't subject my kids to that, hehe.

[Lulu]

I'm a bit of a hardass too.

My kids are 3 and 5, so maybe it's easier for me (so take that into account ok?) but I insist they try to food first.

I was/am a a very fussy eater and when I look back I wish my parents pushed me a little bit harder to at least try stuff. It is very successful for me. I respect if they really don't like something but more often than not they DO like what I ask them to eat.

Also, I make sure they kids watch me enjoy something. If they snub their dinner, I say - yay more for me and start picking of their plates. Lots of times they protest but they DO eat it!

Don't forget the bribes of sweets after dinner (please don't crucify me ) - you can get 3 more spoonfuls into them that way.

When they are little, I do NOT make an issue of food but when they get older I get a little bit harder...

[Laranna]

No, I don't make DS anything else. If he doesn't eat what he's given, then he doesn't get anything else. It doesn't happen very often because he loves his food, but sometimes he will just tip it off his plate or throw it on the floor and then that's that. Nothing else for him. It usually doesn't bother him either, he'll whinge for a minute and then forget about it.

[Arimeh]

Ooh Lulu reminded me of things that I do - I do steal stuff off Aricyn's plate - its amazing how much its HIS food when I start nicking it... lol

Oh - and we totally bribe him with an ice cream after dinner - but he has to eat at least 3/4 of his dinner. Tonight he actually GOT an ice cream (its rare..lol) because he ate most of his omelette (talking about that omelette maker in that other thread got me wanting one.. lol)

[CrystalBoo]

I always agonized over this too when DD was younger. Now that she is older, I tell her she can eat dinner or go to bed. Usually she chooses to get down and go to her room but is back out within a minute, climbing back up to eat.

Then, as long as she has eaten a decent amount, I give her something I know she really likes (frozen berries, yoghurt etc) If she doesn't choose to eat then she doesn't get anything else, but has about 1/3 cup milk before bed.

It's hard to be tough, even when you know you should be isn't it? Good luck!

[Curly]

DS loves helping me in the kitchen and that is getting him to at least consider eating some new foods. We get him to have at least one bite...we get a bit tough if we have to, we might let him start with a lick and then we go from there. We might tell him if he has 3 spoonfuls then he can have a yoghurt, which usually works (under sufferance). He loves his yoghurt.

I find that next time then the food isn't quite so unfamiliar and he won't kick up as much. Also helps if a new food is served up a little earlier...if he is tired he flat out refuses to eat anything at all. I also tend to talk up the food during the day "tonight we're going to have XYZ and it's going to be so yummy" just so he doesn't get a shock when I serve up something unfamiliar. I also only try one or two new foods a week max.

We've really only started getting tougher with him now that he is 3 but I was more motivated because DD is a fabulous eater and will try anything but will also only eat if she sees her brother getting the same thing and I didn't want her menu to be limited by her older brother's fussiness.

[MrsFabuloso]

(talking about that omelette maker in that other thread got me wanting one.. lol)

hahahah!!!!

[beansbeans!]

hi there;
ever since DD1 was on solisd I have had the policy that if you don't want to eat dinner, then its fruit and only fruit.
Tonight for instance, I made this yummy dinner, she was actually taste testing it for me whilst it was cooking but once it was in her plate she wouldnt eat it. So as her replacement she got fruit. Tonight she had grapes, banana, and apple.
I figure that if she doesnt want to eat what I make then she can have the healthiest things in the house. I figure at least that way shes still eating well and isnt missing out too much.

Justine

[Pinny-mum]

We too do the fruit only rule... I usually offer dinner with a few things that I know DD eats and there is no pressure to eat, encouragment but she is not forced to eat anything she doesn't like, I always offer new things too, but if she doesn't eat dinner then there is only fruit... seems to work well in our house, and you know they are not going to bed hungry.