Somewhere in all of this, they completely stopped eating what I make for supper. I'm not sure if we just stopped offering it to them, thinking they wouldn't like it anyway, or what?? I think, I was making meals for a little while that didn't seem very kid friendly, so I just automatically gave them something that was. That, or when James travels I never cook and we just eat random stuff...they may have gotten a little used to that in the whole month James was gone last winter.
Anyway, fast forward to today....if I put MY supper on THEIR plate, they act like it is rat poison and refuse to even let their fork touch it. If I make tacos....they will eat it....without the meat or veggies...just cheese and a shell. If I make something with spaghetti sauce, but it isn't spaghetti...uh uh, no way are they going to try it. And please, don't even ask them to eat ANYTHING with meat in it! We don't do veggies much in this house (I have it with my breakfast every day, but of course they don't eat what i'm eating for breakfast)...so they definitely aren't getting their veggie nutrition.
One of my kids is so picky --- she only likes her milk with chocolate syrup in it, water only if it has juice in it, macaroni only if it is Kraft and the original shape noodles (I thought pumpkin shape would be fun -- nope, not having it), hot dogs only if they are microwaved (who doesn't like grilled hot dogs?!?!?!). UGH!
Okay, I totally get it -- I created this problem all on my own. I have no one else to blame. When they first started eating solids, I made their foods and gave them everything (except meat because I didn't think that would taste very good in puree form). They were both great eaters for a really long time and loved everything they ate. (hold on, I'm having an "ah-ha" moment.....I'll get back to that..) They even ate what we were having for supper once they could chew. I have no idea why I ever decided to start giving them "kid foods" like hot dogs, chicken nuggets, mac n cheese, PBJ, etc. But as soon as I started I must have decided they always needed to eat those foods ----actually, it was probably more like, I realized how easy those foods were to prepare.
So, I've been wanting to get my kids away from all the crap they eat and not only have them eating healthier, but also eating what James and I are having for supper. We have been trying to get them to try our foods, but neither will. I know what the answer is and what several friends have recently told me they do...... don't offer them anything else! (this was my "ah-ha"....when they were first learning to eat, they didn't know other options existed, so of course they always ate what was in front of them...duh!)
Today we were at a friends house and her three children ate grilled chicken, peas and sweet potatoes for lunch. I was shocked....you'd never catch my kids eating those foods. She told me that the kids know there is no other food....eat that or go hungry. I'm SO AFRAID that my kids will actually starve themselves if I only offer them one meal. They both go hungry at school when they don't like the lunch (or snack in Rylee's case as she doesn't have lunch at school). Which reminds me--- I was looking forward to my kids having to try new foods at school...hoping they would come out of their picky shells.....but instead, they are perfectly happy to not eat.
I have heard of parents making their kids try one bite of every food. Wyatt just won't open his mouth and Rylee gags so bad I'm afraid she will actually throw up one of these times (my niece did that once when forced to try something). When we do force her to eat something that we KNOW she will like, she makes a face like she is eating bugs and won't eat anymore --- so stubborn!!!
I've started researching (by that I mean pinterest and google of course) healthier foods that kids actually like and will start trying some out. My first step was to move all of their snacks up high where they can't reach them and eat all day long (the little rascals always still find a way to get to them). I've been denying them snack times too, which is tough because I also don't like hearing "I'm hungry" a million times. Both of my kids like to have a constant flow of beverages too, so I've started saying "no" to some of their requests for drinks. Seriously, Wyatt would drink milk the entire day with no food and be happy....pretty sure he can down a gallon all by himself in one day. When the pediatrician told me not to let them have more than 3 servings of dairy in a day, I was like, "Haha, yeah right!!"
I know it won't be an easy feat to get my kiddos eating better, and more importantly, eating what James and I eat, but I'm giving it a shot. It's annoying to have to bring them their own food everywhere we go because I know they won't eat what someone else made. I was picky like them and my mom always made me whatever I wanted, so I didn't branch out much. I don't want my kiddos to miss out on yummy and nutritious foods (Rylee and half her class passed up apple crisp for snack at school -- crazy huh?!?!?!). I didn't try my first strawberry until I was in my 20's...couldn't believe what I had been missing out on for so many years!!! I just started eating sweet potatoes a little over a year ago and they are now one of my fav foods!!
Besides wanting the kids to be healthier and less picky, I'm pretty sure my grocery bill will be cut in half when I stop buying so much of the foods they are used to....that in itself is worth the effort!!
If you have any great food ideas for me to have them try, I'm all ears!! :)
Things they will actually eat that are healthier:
Apples (sometimes with PB)
Applesauce
Berries
Grapes
Cheese
Yogurt
Cottage cheese
....and that's about it.
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