Did I do the right thing re: Lunch for the kids

[Astrid]

The girls, mostly DD1 who is almost 7, are becoming a real pain with food. Dinners are pretty set, so it is eat or hungry, but snacks and lunches tend to be a bit more free.

I can't cook without being bugged every minute to help with with something (I assume this is fairly normal), but overall with eating they are driving me nuts.

DD1 cannot decide what she wants, any suggestion is declined. If I just go ahead and cook it, there is a 50/50 chance she will eat. If she actually make up her mind, she will eat it most of the time.

Today I asked her what she wanted, suggested a ham and cheese sandwhich (maybe toasted). Bluntly told no, I went on to prepare DH's and my lunch, all they while both girls are bugging me for craft help and keep on telling them not while I am cooking. I keep on asking what DD1 wanted to eat and she would not say. DH and I sit down to eat out lunch, then DD1 starts to sook that she is hungry. So I tell her I don't want to know about it, I have finished in the kitchen and she can go and get something herself, which she did.

So, I am torn. Do I just make the food and if she eats it, great, if not then it is wasted? Or do I continue to give her some choice, but just enforce that if she cannot decide quickly she feeds herself?

Honestly I dread weekends due to the lunch and snack dramas. Oh, I also dread the after school hungries, but I think that one is for another post

[Novella]

If she is capable of making it herself and you are happy with what she choses then I would let her, you can always offer her what you are maing forr everyone else and if she says no or cant decide leave it up to her. Im trying to pick my battles these days and I think that is one that doesnt have to be a battle

good luck on the afternoon snacks I hate the time between afternoon tea and dinner when they say they are hungry but you know if you give them something to eat dinner will be a disaster. To that I have no answers

[ss_storm]

Yep, if she's not happy with what you are making or can't make a decision when you ask then she can make her own! Seems fair to me! I'm sure once she realises those are the options she will know what is easier for her!

[KitFaerie]

My parents had the ''eat what we eat or make it yourself'' rule. Worked just fine, and I plan on doing the same thing with my son. Although there was a memorable occasion when my sister ate a whole bowl of melted cheese for breakfast.

[LimeSlice]

DD1 is still a little young for "make it yourself" - and TBH, that isn't how it will work.

I make lunch. Most of the time she is given Choice A or Choice B - that is her decision. Beyond that, it is eat it or not, but there is nothing else til dinner. So you can go hungry and waste the food (a big thing in the house at the moment since she sat down and watched some River Cottage episodes about killing the animals and what not, she isn't keen on wasting food at the moment) or you can eat it. But there is no other options.

Perhaps try limiting her choice a bit. Instead of "What do you want?" try "Which would you prefer, A, B, or C?".

[Astrid]

Thanks for the advice. Must admit my brain is often too fried to try and offer 2 or 3 choices, which is probably why I have gone for the "what do you want?" Hard enough at times thinking of one

[Rouge]

I cook they eat it. Or they go without. Or there's fruit.

I don't go out of my way to cook things they will hate and if it's a new food then I'll gladly let them have a sandwich. But the food may be restaurant quality (oh I am so funneeeee!) but it ain't a restaurant.

Today we had fish tacos for lunch. They ate it. DS pulled the salad out and said it fell out. So he had to eat it by itself. Next time he'll know that trick doesn't work and it actually tastes better altogether. But he didn't complain too much.

[Tinks]

I cook they eat it. Or they go without. Or there's fruit.

This is pretty much what happens in our house.

[Onelittleprincess]

Dd gets asked (what would u like on a sandwhich vegimite or jam' she replies 'cheese'. Knowing she only eats cheese she gets salad on a plate and eats it. Otherwise she may get fruit then a nap and nothing till dinner.