My kids just won't eat the meals I cook!

[sneakysparkle]

Mmm i dont know any kids that like lettuce (i.e salads), so i wouldnt worry about that.
GL!!!!

haha well my 3 yr old DD LOVES salad! Before her birthday I asked her what sort of cake she wanted and she said that she didn't want cake. I said "But what will we put your candles on?" Her reply - "A salad!"

both my girls are fairly good eaters, but they don't eat everything, so I just work with what they like. One thing they both love is sushi - great for lunch - and full of veg!

[Nelle]

Ahh it's a pain hey! I was going to suggest limiting snacks and eating early, but 5:30 isn't that late really!

Some of my other tricks are to eat the dinner meal at lunch time, or (probably a bad habit in the long run) to sit them in front of a movie/tv while eating (I set up little ikea stools as tables and have little chairs) - then they're not focussed on the food and it gets eaten while they're entranced. That's usually a trick for if they haven't eaten much all day.

But yeah really, mine tend to eat the most at breakfast, moderately at lunch, and then seem least hungry at dinner time. Crazy kids!

[sirenz]

I think everyone has pretty much covered everything.

Just wanted to say, have you thought of keeping a food diary? I think you might be quite surprised as to how much healthy stuff your kids actually eat.

You did mention they like sweet potato mash, carrots, lettuce potatoes, cutlets, chops, spag bog etc.. well IMO i think this is pretty good for kids their age and you do grate veggies into most things so i really don't think you have anything to worry about, sounds like they are a couple of healthy normal children

Just keep cooking meals you and dh like and the kids will eventually begin to learn to taste new things. The worse thing you can do is stress about it and make a big deal over them not trying things, cause this will prob make them less inclined to try things etc.

Your doing a great job

[*Ali*]

Have you tried giving them 'dipping sauces' for their veggies etc. My 2 love having gravy in a small bowl and they dip in their veggies and eat them like that. I found them much more willing to eat when there was some kind of sauce available, gravy, mayo, tom sauce etc.

I am pretty lucky in what my kids eat, but we go through days when they won't touch their dinner, and I havve just learnt to let it go. We found really cutting back the afternoon snacks makes a difference, they usually have a snack when they have finished resting about 2:30ish, and then generally they dont eat again till dinner time- this has made a huge difference in what they eat at dinner time.

[Daydream Believer]

The other thing you could try is not giving them fruit after dinner but to put what they dont eat back in the fridge & if they ask for something after dinner reheat that for them.

[Vixstar]

Kids eh?! lol

My DS#1 is 3 years old and eats a great breakfast, normal morning tea, good lunch, good arvo tea and small or no dinner.

My DS#2 - who will be 2 in April.......small breaky, normal morning tea, reasonable lunch, good arvo tea - massive dinner!

I used to carry on like a nazi with DS#1 but he is healthy, lively and in a good weight range.

Hope that helps.
xxxx

[MeganH]

I too feel your pain. DD is very very fussy and Drs say she is normal and will eat it eventually if she is hungry enough but IMO she is not normal and has become very sick from not eating, low iron and almost anaemic, so we had to find things she would eat and try to make it healthy, for example, she will eat lasagne so I puree vegetables and put them in, grating wont do coz she will see them and pick them out, spaghetti bolognese is also a hit with her and I use the same sauce as lasagne so I do the exact same thing and puree the veg.

So she will eat, nuggets, chips, lamb chops, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese, bread, cheese, vegemite, steak, a little mashed potato, plain white rice, 2 minute noodles, she will eat vegetable soup but I have to strain it because she wont eat the chunks.

So our meal revolve around what she will eat.

What I will suggest to have something he will like one night then some you and the rest of the family like the next that way you know he will be eating a good dinner every second day and hopefully he will start to try the things you eat on the other days.

If he will eat mashed potato you can puree cauliflour or zucchini (skin removed) or any white veg and put it in, bolognese sause I will use whatever veg I have (even just frozen mixed veg if I dont have any fresh) and puree it and put it in. The soup is obviously good even if it is strained as the goodness from the vege's are in the liquid.

She will eat a nice big bowl of Sustain cereal for breakfast which is good and has nuts and dried fruit etc so I figure she gets a little goodness from that coz she wont eat any fruit or veg whatsoever.

DS for me is ok, he will try stuff and I believe he is a normal fussy toddler who will eventually eat something if he is hungry.

I always put the salad and vegies in the middle of the table so if they ever want any they can help themselves. I find that if I ask them they will say no and sometimes crack up so its best to just have it there and let them decide when they want it.

Im hoping eventually it will get better.

So anyway, not sure if this has helped or not but hopefully maybe a little.