Food for kids...help!

[grilldaddy]

As a former professional chef, it is a tad embarrassing to admit this, but I need some advice about food for my kids.

When they were babies we were very proud of the fact that they never got any processed baby food from a jar. I would steam and puree all their veggies and fruits myself and cook all meals from scratch when they got a little older, but now I have slipped into some pretty bad habits.
Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, mac and cheese from a box, chicken nuggets, and that type of thing are just too damn easy to serve them and I need to stop.
I still make them other things, of course, but I guess I would like some feedback about what you all are serving up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for your kids.

Thanks!

[Bollux]

Food and my son has always been an issue. He doesn't eat what you give him when you give it to him. He doesn't eat veggies, but that is partly my fault as I dont eat alot of veggies myself. My son will not eat anything of a "slick" nature, veggies, fruit.. whatever. I got a dehydrator for xmas and have been making all natural fruit roll ups to get him to eat fruit. Thankfully that has worked. (the bigger trick is keeping my gf from eating the roll ups since I make them primarily for him.) He is a very picky eater, some days he will eat something others he will not. He eats pasta with a little bit of butter, last night he had some mac&cheese. He like chicken tenders if i make them for him. But it is very difficult to get him to eat anything. Normally he will pick at it then want to be put down...then when gets hungry will go back for whatever it was he left on his tray hours later. I always fear he is not eating enough or not eating the right things but there is no way I can IV feed him peas or carrots. Very fustrating to say the least. :???:

[sao95]

if PB&J's are a bad habit then I'm guilty :lol: that, spagetti circles (we don't call them o's) chicken strips et cetera et cetera.... breakfast I have tried everything under the sun, pancakes (all types), french toast, bacon and eggs, hash browns, oatmeal, cream of wheat et cetera et cetera, but getting her to eat is near impossible :roll: lunch I use what we've mentioned, just for time sake than anything else, plus she'll actually eat that stuff, dinner I've gotten into the habit of meat/ veggie/ starch. sometimes I take my time and things turn out, and sometimes I rush it. taco's have become a big thing around here, just because Jilly will eat them. Spagetti as well because it's easy. I use to enjoy (pre baby) grilling out, cooking steaks really slow (while having a beer), after they have marinated and then keep basting them, but again no time anymore :roll: I've also taken to using alot of seasonings instead of marinating. Casseroles are always good, quick, easy, and you can throw anything in them and they'll be edible :D also crockpot. cream of mushroom soup in either, with potatoes, carrots et cetera, does wonders. veggies are hard, cause what can you do with a veggie? I do simmer on low, with a bit of olive oil and basil, and that's different and pretty good. I got some veggie seasoning but it's not great. au gratin potatoes I make alot, also mashed, rice is probably the biggest staple though. I've been using alot of Balsamic Vinegar lately and that's been pretty good, especially in marinades with some wine, garlic, and other spices.

[floridamcmarion1]

say he eats everything everytime but we've the standbys of hotdogs, yoghurt, soup and (get this) couscous in the fridge in case.

The couscous doesn't surprise me at all. I have yet to find a kid who didn't like the stuff. I can squish up veggies and meat, put it in the couscous, and my 18 month old will eat it all. Usually I can do the same thing using some type of flavored rice mix. She also likes spicy food so I can mix up some Zatairan's with meat and she'll devour that.

At the younger ages, I say feed them what they'll eat. Constantly try new and healthier things, but just make sure they eat something. As they get older (2 1/2 or so in my house) they start to get the same thing I fixed for everyone else. My kids have always seemed to adjust to that pretty good. I just have to be more stubborn than they are.

[Dr. Goldfoot]

I've also fallen into the convenience of chicken nuggets etc... I just try to offset the negatives with positives. If we're having chicken nuggets for lunch we're also having fresh fruit(banana/apple), milk,veges(green beans/sweet peas), bread slice and cottage cheese. I'm not much of a breakfast person. We usually have whatever is easiest. 75% of the time that's eggs, slice of bread, milk and a juice. I concentrate on making sure he's getting whatever may have been missed at snacktimes. If we haven't had fruit today, we will at snack time. I enjoy taking the time to make a quality meal for dinner. We've been pretty lucky with his eating habits. He wont eat spinach(can't blame him there) and that's it so far.

some favs @ our house


Stuffed Zucchini (http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com/az/ItalianStuffedZucchini.asp)

Smashed Cauliflower (http://sidedish.allrecipes.com/az/MckMshdPtts.asp)

Pork Chops (http://pork.allrecipes.com/az/FmsPrkChps.asp)

Apricot Glazed Pork Loin (http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasdin/apricot-pork.htm)

Spaghetti w/ meatballs (http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/ItlinMtblls.asp)






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[Jackson's Dad]

Jack's always been a picky eater, so we usually make him stuff that (a) is easy to prep, and (b) is easy to store as leftovers.

Breakfast: bagel, oatmeal, applesauce
Lunch: yogurt, fruit pieces
Dinner: a "charlie brown thanksgiving". We make a plate with all sorts of little things: chicken nuggets, turkey meatball, apple slices, cheese, grapes, these veggie chips he likes, etc.

We use chicken nuggets, but get some pretty decent ones from Whole Foods. The meatballs are frozen meatballs from Trader Joes -- very low fat and healthy, and only a minute in the microwave.

[Will'sdad]

I've also fallen into the convenience of chicken nuggets etc... I just try to offset the negatives with positives. If we're having chicken nuggets for lunch we're also having fresh fruit(banana/apple), milk,veges(green beans/sweet peas), bread slice and cottage cheese. I'm not much of a breakfast person. We usually have whatever is easiest. 75% of the time that's eggs, slice of bread, milk and a juice. I concentrate on making sure he's getting whatever may have been missed at snacktimes. If we haven't had fruit today, we will at snack time. I enjoy taking the time to make a quality meal for dinner. We've been pretty lucky with his eating habits. He wont eat spinach(can't blame him there) and that's it so far.

some favs @ our house


Stuffed Zucchini (http://vegetarian.allrecipes.com/az/ItalianStuffedZucchini.asp)

Smashed Cauliflower (http://sidedish.allrecipes.com/az/MckMshdPtts.asp)

Pork Chops (http://pork.allrecipes.com/az/FmsPrkChps.asp)

Apricot Glazed Pork Loin (http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/christmasdin/apricot-pork.htm)

Spaghetti w/ meatballs (http://beef.allrecipes.com/az/ItlinMtblls.asp)






[/url]

Those look great Dr.; Easy and delicious. Thanks chugchug:

[Will'sdad]

Jack's always been a picky eater, so we usually make him stuff that (a) is easy to prep, and (b) is easy to store as leftovers.

Breakfast: bagel, oatmeal, applesauce
Lunch: yogurt, fruit pieces
Dinner: a "charlie brown thanksgiving". We make a plate with all sorts of little things: chicken nuggets, turkey meatball, apple slices, cheese, grapes, these veggie chips he likes, etc.

We use chicken nuggets, but get some pretty decent ones from Whole Foods. The meatballs are frozen meatballs from Trader Joes -- very low fat and healthy, and only a minute in the microwave.

My family is addicted to those meatballs from Trader Joe's. So good!

[homemongo]

Meals can vary depending on growth spurt, teething, direction of the wind.

All in all Henry's a pretty good eater.

While I'm making his meal he has fruit or veggie stars, zwieback or some finger food that he can eat himself (he's starting on banana and apple and eats the cereal bar instead of crumbling it into dust). After his meal he gets a bottle of milk to wash it down.

Breakfast is usually oatmeal (2 minutes in the microwave, make it with milk, not water, add maple syrup) or scrambled egg, yougurt (he likes the kids version from yoplait (they have blue's clues on the cup).

Lunch is tricky and depends on how much and when he had breakfast. It's usually a Beechnut Tabletime "can" he likes the Spaghetti Rings and mac and cheese, lasagna and veggie stew. The chicken and stars and turkey stew he does ok with the veggies but spits out the pieces of meat (I don't think he can chew them). He loves the Garden Mashers dinners.

Dessert is usually still a jarred baby food (stage 3) he really likes blueberry buckle and vanilla custard. But if he's being particularly fussy he doesn't get dessert.

Snacks are peanut butter crackers or a few Ritz or some goldfish.

Dinner is similar to lunch (and is often leftovers from lunch if he doesn't finish).

He likes a variety of spices and flavors (I add some garlic powder and grated cheese to the Spaghetti rings), nutmeg to the Sweet Potatoes and Carrots, a little paprika to the veggie stew. He eats some of our dinner from time to time (he likes tortellini with pesto sauce). He likes the Sausage Soup at Olive Garden.

The biggest thing we have figured out is when to give him his milk. We were in the habit of giving him a bottle when he woke up from his naps. And then we were fighting to get him to eat. Now in the morning he has a bottle of Apple Juice (with vitamins) and when he wakes from his naps he gets a small bottle of water and meals aren't usually that big a fight (he still has his moments). The bottle of milk is after the meal. It works out to 3 meals, 3 bottles of milk and some snacks.

He's 15 months and 21 pounds (but he was a 10 week preemie) so he's doing good, just on thin side.

Time to go, someone is waking up from his nap.

[dad2jeff]

anything with ketchup :wink: i try to keep them eating good. like all of us want. sliced apples bannanas. or eggs with cheeze. cottage cheeze with sliced fruit/peaches they like. yogurts they like. but it looks like good grub at louis house. keep it simple for you and them. heck sometimes i let them pick. and its still apples an yogurt. and they still get there share of junk food from time to time.

[Don-Dad]

A good replacement for breakfast is using a carnation instant breakfast drink. My son's doc mentioned it for son #1 as he would not eat breakfast. Wouldn't you know it but #2 is the same way but he will drink a whole sippy cup of carnation drink.

My kids love cheese cut in cubes and stick a pretzl stick in it.

[Remington]

cereal

[Bollux]

Yeah my son drinks one of those protein shake thingies for breakfast since he doesnt get alot of what he needs during the day. He loes the stuff and usually downs the entire cup in under 10 minutes.

[longtimesahd]

It's amazing what a kid will eat if they are hungry. Get them hungry, then put healthy food in front of them.

Whole grain bread and cereal. Fruit (give them peanut butter to dip in).

Vegatables once a day is a must in our house - and potatoes and the like don't count. Spinach, Brocolli, cauliflower, carrots. Add margarine or melt shredded cheese on it if you have to, but veggies are a must.

Chicken nuggets or patties are good if you check the fat content. Use dipping sauces to make it tempting and fun: ketchup, honey, sweet and sour, honey mustard.

For snacks I like high fiber cereals you can take in a zip loc bag - shredded wheat, oat bran squares. Carrot sticks work too.

To get a kid to eat healthy you have to be willing to say no, and to let them get hungry when they refuse what you offer them.

It's important. And don't forget, none of this will matter if you set a bad example.

[silviomossa]

My daughter (four years old) is terribly picky. She's not an unhealthy eater, though she could be better. That isn't a big worry, it's mostly the limited variety that can be a pain. She used to eat more (waffles, blueberries, peas, edemame, bacon, pineapple, milk, and many others have left the list), but is now mostly limited to:

Breakfast: Cereal/milk. cinnamon bread/ygogurt, or a PBJ sandwaich

Lunch: PBJ sandwich, pasta, a fruit (about six(!) varieties at the moment), wheat thins, yogurt, chips

Dinner: entree/corn/fruit, then a cookie or some treat; entrees include pasta, sandwich, ham/rice, chicken/rice, fish/rice, noodle soup, and.... I'm trying to think of more, but I can't!

She used to drink milk and water, but has pretty much cut out milk. Maybe lemonade when we go out.

We've given up on introducing new foods -- everything is "too (fill in the blank)" as soon as it enters her mouth. So the above is like a school uniform: Bland and uninteresting, but it gets the job done in a base way without requiring any thought or creativity.

[Math Daddy]

I don't know how old your rugrat is; mine is 13 months, so my suggestions are based on that. Simon loves chicken nuggets, hotdogs, toasted cheese, turkey...things like that. For breakfast, we start off with some Cheerios, then we have some kind of fruit. I might mix a banana with the Yobaby yogurt, which he wolfs down. He also likes oatmeal or grits for breakfast. For dinner, it's whatever we're having. We don't give him steak, because it'd be too tough for him, but chicken, pasta, small chunks of hamburger meat, veggies (Mom's rule, not mine!), etc. His favorite food is a sweet potato. Not that baby food kind; that was good, but he got a "real" one at Thanksgiving, and doesn't really want the baby food now. Mommy has to cook it up, add in some maple syrup (which is JUST what I love her doing; hyperactivity is great!), and serve it to him using a "big boy" spoon or fork.

[Don-Dad]

Note to self, we really need to make a nice food section. Chef Dave was going to take that on at one point. I guess I should look into that again. I have this fancy software for adding articles and never use it :cry:

[Bollux]

Well if need a co-mod for the food area, let me know.. thats my secondary thing......next to gaming. Hey if I have to cook every day might as well be good.

[stretch]

Well if need a co-mod for the food area, let me know.. thats my secondary thing......next to gaming. Hey if I have to cook every day might as well be good.
I'm up for a food area for sure. Love to cook and always looking for good recipe recommendations. (Preferably optimized for the SAHD lifestyle, eg: minimal prep time, little attention required once on the heat, contains booze etc. etc.)

[grilldaddy]

Thanks for all the tips, guys. I got some great ideas and will be implementing some changes in mealtime around here.

I also think a food forum is a great idea and would be happy to help out if you need me!