I may or may not have mentioned it in the groceries series, but my kids eat anything we eat except for stir fry (well, they eat but they're not happy about it) and curries.
So I got clever.
I laid out all the stir fry ingredients - onions, coleslaw, peas, black beans, cut sausage and rice (we were going with a Mexican theme - or at least, it felt that way to me), and made like it's a BIG privilege to CHOOSE your own food.
They took their bowls, walked along the line and put all the fryable things in that they wanted, I started frying, and then they dished their rice. They even got to choose their spices :)
BIG HIT!
They both ate everything without complaint.
Later that week we had a chicken curry. To be honest, I'd planned to make something else for them but I thought I'd try the same trick.
I let them dish their own rice and own curry. I had to do the carrots because they would have left D and me nothing.
And again, they ate EVERY SINGLE GRAIN.
Success.
The next thing I want to try is have them make their own wraps because I have to try the Se7en recipe.
Do your kids dish up their own food?
Great idea! Our boys love anything with dips (including hummus!) and they love fajitas. They tell us what they want on them. Liam is a more picky eater usually than Tommy, but then Liam will surprise us by eating odd foods and loving them. He really does love salmon sushi. We haven't had the heart to tell him the fish is not cooked. He loves sushi so much, he named his bear Sushi!
ReplyDeleteYour little sushi eater is too cute!
DeleteI've heard so many people say it helps when the kids "choose" and help with the cooking. Guess they feel like they are eating the result of their hardwork
ReplyDeleteDefinitely - I let them make their own salads too. Mine haven't had problems with veggies so this is purely to get supper done faster :)
DeleteWe are also very into, "the kids eats what we eat". I never make two meals. Ever. We always eat the same thing, even if they do it very slowly and with lots of little complaints. I did for them though, but I may start letting them try doing it themselves too.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't let them dish everything, only things they're a teensy bit fussy with.
DeleteNow that the curry thing is sorted, I'm stopping :)
No not yet but he does help me prep and cook. Fingers cross he has never not eaten what we give him to eat.
ReplyDeletexxx
oh, please post a pic - I'm sure the cuteness is too much!!!
DeleteCute idea! I parent by force. YOU WILL EAT THIS. And they do. lol.
ReplyDeleteYour kids eat very well - must be working.
DeleteI did this last night. I have about 60% success! but I'm usually battling a much OLDER baby along side them. :]
ReplyDeleteI don't envy you that at all - K said to D the other day, "Daddy, you're not having enough fruit" and I just SMILED!!!! FINALLY, they're taking over where I left off :)
DeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteNicola is pretty easy going...the only real hangups she has is anything saucy and eggs.
I don't get the eggs! We all love eggs :) and some of us are VERY specific with how we want our eggs - it would be annoying if it wasn't so cute!
DeleteWe are also of the "You will eat the food you get" school although I do make the exception with curry (we like ours strong). A has ventured into the curry on her own request. She dishes up for herself, I still do for the boys because if I do not L will possibly not eat much. (remember his meds suppress appetite). But I love the stir fry idea - mine does eat it but maybe this will be a cool idea.
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