Food War | Imamother

justforfun87

Mon, May 14 2018, 7:29 pm

I just can't deal with the guilt anymore. My kid's will only eat processed garbage. My husband and I eat a range of fruits, veggies, tofu, whole grains, proteins, basically anything! We have healthy relationships with food. It isn't like they aren't exposed to a range of food. I have literally given up making dinner. It takes up so much of time and the kids are so demanding of my attention and after all that they only take a bite and say "icky". It has come down to a rotation of whacky mac, matza/cream cheese, hot dogs, oatmeal, yogurt, fish sticks, noodles, anything out of the freezer, and repeat. Shabbos they may eat a few bites of grilled chicken and kugels but ahh the junky yogurt/ candy on shabbos. I think this is more of an emotional rant as I feel guilty the junk I am putting in their body but I am just so tired. It makes me feel less of a mother when I see people making elaborate meals for their family.

OutATowner

Mon, May 14 2018, 7:45 pm

I can relate. And sympathize. I just make sure they get enough protein somewhere in there. I opt for healthier versions of freezer foods. Ex: nitrate free hot dogs and chicken nuggets, tastes the same. And use whole wheat noodles. But they eat a lot of french fries...

LiLIsraeli

Mon, May 14 2018, 7:54 pm

I hear you, OP. I also wish my kids would eat more healthy food but they will serve themselves cereal and milk or sandwiches if they're not happy with the supper I make. I do allow fish sticks and the like 1-2 evenings a week because I have to pick my battles.

Sometimes my kids eat healthy food better when it's presented in a fun way. One of my kids loves to dip things, so I make him dipping sauces so he'll eat chicken and fish. My kids got to like mashed potatoes because I made faces out of pickle slices on them. I sometimes squirt ketchup into the shape of their initials and they feel so proud eating their healthy food with it. My kids like cold cuts so I make salad with cold cuts in it and they gobble it up.

If you keep offering the healthy food, hopefully one day they'll come around and try it.

southernbubby

Mon, May 14 2018, 7:58 pm

OP, there is plenty of nutrition in what your kids are willing to eat. If they are healthy, then relax and figure that when they get older, they will be more willing to eat more choices. Few people keep up their childhood pickiness.

Tell us the truth OP, what kind of eater were you as a child Wink

justforfun87

Mon, May 14 2018, 8:35 pm

I guess I feel disappointed in myself for giving up. I use to scoff at moms who buy the m&m yogurts and now I find myself putting them in their lunches. It's not that the healthy food isn't there it is just to the point where we get home and I pop pizza bagels in the oven. I have GIVEN UP! In my defense though I do try to serve trader joes nuggets/frozen veggie patties/ frozen broccoli dinosaurs. It's still frozen/processed though.

southernbubby

Mon, May 14 2018, 8:40 pm

justforfun87 wrote:

The reality is that when mothers are busy, they need to rely on convenience food and to rely on food that children will actually eat rather than make a stressful fight out of every meal. At least there is supper on the table and there is protein, calcium, vitamins and the like and nobody is starving and the kids are happy.

Mommyg8

Mon, May 14 2018, 10:17 pm

justforfun87 wrote:

Welcome to the world of childhood! The menu you listed is very typical. Actually, it's always a surprise if kids eat any veggies or fruits at all! And the only proteins the typical kid will eat is hot dogs, yogurt, fish sticks - you got it. You listed them all!

A trick I learned from someone (I forget who) - when they come home from school, have a plate of cut up vegetables or fruit waiting. If this is the first thing they see, there's a chance they'll give it a try! (If they're really hungry.)

In any case, your kids are very normal, and this is a very normal kiddie menu. That's what all kids like to eat!

amother

Firebrick

Mon, May 14 2018, 10:21 pm

my kids had sweet rolls for dinner tonight. Last night was mac n cheese. On Shabbos they eat borrekas and rice. Rolling Eyes

Their doctor said as long as they eat some produce sometimes and get protein from dairy (even if it is from ice cream or chocolate milk) they are fine.

chocolatecake

Mon, May 14 2018, 11:06 pm

I make whatever I make for dinner and if you dont like it you can have cereal and milk or a peanut butter sandwich. My five year old has cereal and milk at least every other day. I stopped feeling guilty. Milk has protein and there are plenty worse foods out there than Cheerios and honeycomb. It’s not a battle worth fighting.

FranticFrummie

Mon, May 14 2018, 11:24 pm

OP, I feel your pain. DD's eating habits used make me literally cry in frustration!

What I did to ease the guilt, was to have this rule: I would put one bite of each of the "normal" foods on their plate, along with what they want.

She had to try it. She didn't have to finish it. She didn't have to like it. She didn't even have to swallow it, she was allowed to spit it into a paper napkin (politely).

She was not allowed to say "YUCKY!", but she was allowed to say "I don't care for this one."

Rinse, repeat, at every single meal. Doctors say that a child needs to be introduced to a new food at least 10 times before they will develop a taste for it. DD loves steamed broccoli now, and honestly I never thought that would happen. Very Happy

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, May 15 2018, 6:22 am

Mommyg8 wrote:

This. Excellent tip!

amother

Papaya

Tue, May 15 2018, 7:23 am

saw50st8 wrote:

I just don't buy most of that. You can eat dinner or not. Eh, my kids aren't starving. They are also turning into much better eaters than most of their peers.

same! I don’t have that food in my house. They can eat supper or not. They also have to try everything, it takes time for kids to get used to new foods. That said, those Trader Joe’s dinosaur and burgers are healthy in my opinion! And if we have pizza bagels it’s on whole wheat wraps, made ourselves, not bought. Same for regular pizza. White whole wheat flour or even regular flour is probably better than bought.

Bnei Berak 10

Tue, May 15 2018, 8:25 am

saw50st8 wrote:

I just don't buy most of that. You can eat dinner or not. Eh, my kids aren't starving. They are also turning into much better eaters than most of their peers.

Probably because they have a mother with a no-nonsense down-to-earth attitude who won't let food become a battle field. Kol Hakavod!

amother

Ginger

Tue, May 15 2018, 10:17 am

I'm not saying this is your case op, but I have a friend who cooks extremely healthy and then complains her kids wont eat anything. I can't help but think if she would make good old fashioned breaded, fried, shnitzel and white rice her kids might eat it. Shockingly they don't like the quinoa and grilled veggies...
So they are eating yogurt for supper because the are just SO picky Rolling Eyes