Meals they don't like-Wdyd?

My DD (4 1/2) doesn't like spaghetti bolegnaise. She used to and now has decided she doesn't. I usually make this meal 1-2 times a fortnight. Everyone else loves it, particularly DS1 who is a fussy eater and this is the one meal I can guarentee he will eat without fail. So I make it regularly and won't stop, but what should I do for DD? She will just not eat it, which is unusual for her and then she will whine she is hungry, which I have no doubt she is!
Would you make a whole different meal? Just give her a sandwich or something, or like tonight, I just gave her plain pasta with parmesan on it! Not really healthy though!
What do you do when one of your kids don't like the meals you cook?

DS isn't a spag bol eater either. I give it to him separately (pasta, bol sauce and cheese) with a salad - it's a good opportunity for everyone to have a little salad. My bol sauce always has veges like carrot, zucchini, mushies and peas and he'll usually pick a few out (or we pick them out and he eats them, lol!). If I'm making it fresh, I'll leave out a raw mushy or two as he loves those. I always make sure he's offered dessert (fruit, yoghurt) on those nights too. Sometimes there's a few leftover veges (or something else) from the night before that he gets. I refuse to start offering alternatives though.... yes, mean mummy here!

Will she eat it in a toastie or on toast? On a baked potato?

Nights like that, DD1 gets 2 options - eat dinner, or toast and baked beans. They are healthy and always on hand. If she flat refuses to eat anything, it is the three spoons rule: she has to have 3 spoons of dinner then if she is still hungry she can have more. (Never say "If you don't like it you can leave it" as it is a negative idea. Always do the "if you like it then you can have more" positive statement here, totally changed dinner time!! lol ) If she doesn't want either she goes hungry. Which is fine, some nights I am not hungry either, some nights she isn't.

HTH :)

I was just about to post this exact thing! My DD is only 16mths though, but I don't want to get into the habit of making several different dishes or offering alternative meals. I once new a lady whose daughter was so fussy she'd make her several different breakfasts each morning - ah not gonna happen! I too also make sure that DD has a dessert if she hasn't eaten much (fruit & yoghurt usually) but in doing this don't want her to learn if she doesn't eat her dinner, then she will get dessert. I think when she is older, if she doesn't want what is being cooked, she can have a sandwich and a drink of water and there will be no dessert. Exception is if I definitely know she doesn't like it - ie like me with fish ew!

If my kids really don't like something and everyone else does, I'll offer them something else. But, the food has actually had to have been in their mouth before they tell me they don't like it. Why should the rest of the family not have something just because one doesn't like it, I don't eat things I don't like and don't expect them too either. As long as it's a genuine dislike after trying it I'm happy to offer an alternative, a healthy alternative, no junk.

DS isn't a spag bol fan and we love it - however he used to eat it as a young baby, but now turns up his nose. So I usually set aside a handful of mince and just make a few meatballs, and give him a plan spaghetti and we are all happy. I think the tomato based sauce is not to his taste LOL Fussy Bugger

DS doesn't like it either. He will however eat it with different pasta....so if that's what I have to do :dunno: I'm good with that. I also have to put it separately. Then he'll eat a few mouthfuls of meat as well whereas if it's on top/mixed, he won't have a bar of it.
We have a three mouthfuls rule here too. Unless he's particularly tired he'll at least do that for me.

However, if I don't like something I don't cook it, and if DH doesn't like something (OK so he'd eat anything) I don't cook it, so I do try and give the kids a bit of leeway. If I know it's something they really don't like I add something they do and give it to everyone else as well. Even if it is just extra veggies or salad. I find less stand off that way.

I think the same thing. There are things I don't like to eat too, and don't eat cause I don't like it. Noone makes me eat it just because that's what has been cooked! If I make a meal I don't like but others do, I eat something else that is easy, like a pp suggested, baked beans or something like that. But I also don't want any of the kids thinking they can just say they don't like something and get something else kwim? DD is usually really good and trys and eats a good variety of foods. So I think she has genuinely lost the taste for spag bol. Where as DS1 is totally different and will just say he doens't like things even if he hasn't tried it. I might have to try the positive talk thing, I usually say 'try it and if you don't like it don't eat it', but will change it to saying it positively. I'm not an ogre at dinner time, I don't make them eat anything, but I also don't want them taking advantage of the fact I will make something else if they really don't like a meal. Arrgghhh, why is/are food and meals so difficult!!??

Cos if they weren't we'd either be bored or find something else to stress about :hug:

Hun I pick my battles and if she flat out refuses to eat it, chances are she really doesn't like it!! I would do what you did and maybe grate up some veggies that go in the bol to the side, fry them up to soften a bit with a bit of onion and top with cheese, still healthy and easy for you but it's not going to cause you a heap of angst either. xoxxo