Ive done the 'well thats all you get, so eat or go to bed hungry', Ive done the 'you will eat this whether it be for breakfast, lunch or dinner, you will eat what is on this plate', Ive bribed them, used reward charts, given in and let them have fruit and yoghurt instead, Ive helped them, by getting them to close their eyes and let me spoon feed them.. I can keep going, but lets just say, Ive done everything the books say, the internet says, what other mums/friends/family have offered for advice. None of it worked. These days I just try to make sure I put something on everyones plate that they like, some that looks like something they will try, and etc. If they don't eat, then thats up to them. One day my kids love spag bol, the next they won't have a bar of it.
I have no answers, except i no longer take it to heart. If they eat then they eat, if they don't eat dinner then they know thats it til breakfast time.
I always took the approach of putting something on the plate that I knew they would eat, so new or unfamiliar or not-very-liked food would be one portion on a plate that also contained familiar or liked or frequently eaten food. That way everybody wins. My only rule is you have to chew and swallow one mouthful of whatever it is before you say you don't like it. But we also ask the child to eat X mouthfuls before they abandon the plate (X being the child's age). My DDs quite like being able to count the mouthfuls, and it goes quicker if you load up the fork/spoon for them (especially if the issue is tiredness).
Othertimes, if there's total food refusal, it might come down to tiredness, or having eaten too much earlier. We have always provided "dessert" by way of small portion fruit+yoghurt/custard/rice pudding as that provides everyone with a graceful exit. That way the kids don't go to bed hungry and there's not a massive fight either.
And sneaky mummies "win" by providing hot and savoury or nutritious finger foods as lunch or late afternoon snacks, so that it doesn't matter how much of dinner they eat. Keeping aside a portion of each night's dinner for the following day works well for this.
I try to accommodate them to a certain extent, so there's always something they will eat. But otherwise they just go hungry. If it's a regular thing, it's generally that it's too late (and they're too tired to eat) and/or they've eaten enough earlier in the day.
Same as the other mums. I always try to provide something each one likes, and if it's a one pot type meal make the bits they really don't like cut large enough that they're easily removable. I know, it's a bit tedious and monotonous at times.
I've had that kid that only at 5 particular foods and it was him that taught me to worry less and serve more for lunch and arvo tea and serve dinner earlier.
In this house they eat what they are served or go hungry. Its not a restaurant and I'm not a chef so its eat it or starve till breakfast in this house. I make simple meals though so there is always something on the plate they like. Whether they feel like eating it is another thing......
Re: When your kids won't eat what you make.
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