I am a super-taster, which means some bitter things taste and feel like sulfuric acid. I was forced to eat many super nasty things. I almost choked to death trying to swallow a whole Brussels sprout. Chewing it was pure sulfuric acid.. My father thought I was just picky. People have no excuse for not knowing about super-tasters now. It has become common knowledge. Too late for me but hopefully not others.

You don't like the menu? You can make yourself a PB&J.

Just hammer the bung back into the barrel.

Just kidding -- we don't have kids, in or out of barrels.

Meals should be sequential at a certain age. If each previous step is completed, one may move on.

0. Wash hands thoroughly
1. Salad/Vegetables
2. Bread/Potato/Pasta/Rice
3. Main dish/Meat
4. Dessert

We're in the make your own PB&J camp, too.

Nothing. They don't have to eat if they don't want to. Their only options until the next meal are raw veggies.

Eat what you're served or go hungry until the next meal. Period.

I don't have kids of my own (yet), but I frequently babysit my nephew and niece. When they refuse to eat what I give them my actions depend on how important it is for them to eat this particular meal. Sometimes I bribe them with something like a story-telling, sometimes - offer some other meal and sometimes I just wait for them to get a little more hungry ;)

We have a rule that you have to try one (legitimate sized) bite of any new food. If you just don't like it, make a meal of whatever else is served. The kids should be expected to try new foods, but they are not expected to like everything any more than the adults are.

Only thing I offer mine if they dislike the meal is a banana. Why? She doesn't like bananas ether...

I agree with the school of eat it or go hungry.

My daughter lived through it without starving to death.

Wiredog wrote:We have a rule that you have to try one (legitimate sized) bite of any new food. If you just don't like it, make a meal of whatever else is served. The kids should be expected to try new foods, but they are not expected to like everything any more than the adults are.

Bingo! It's what was was called in my household a "no thank you helping". It was usually no more than a spoon size serving and no penalty was ever handed out for not finishing it.

It provided a way to introduce foods and tastes while the adults can learn what the child WILL eat.

My daughter is the worst of my three. I used to fight with her, but now, if she doesn't want what I put in front of her, she doesn't eat. It's as simple as that. I have neither the time nor desire to cook separate meals for everybody based on their preferences. So, it's eat what I fix or starve in my house.

they either eat or don't eat...of course, at this point, they're the ones doing a majority of the cooking anyway...

When I was a kid I mixed up my lunch all into one mess of food and then decided that I did not want to eat it. Unfortunately for me my mother worked as a teacher in the same building. She made me eat it for lunch that day, dinner that night and then breakfast the next morning until I finished it. Needless to say I still don't mix my food often...

Give them back to their parents, who are my kids.

First off I always make sure there is at least one thing in a meal that I know my kids will eat. Then depending on the childs age I make sure they at least try everything that is being served. After that they are allowed to have something like a slice of bread with butter or a piece of cheese (ie. something simple that I am not 'making' something special for them) to compliment their dinner. If they do not try everything then they are not allowed to have anything else for the rest of the evening.

That was our policy when my daughter was young. It seemed to work well for her. She will taste anything once. She also tries foods that she didn't like as a kid because your tastes changes as an adult and after you have kids.

I was forced to eat everything on my plate, which is one reason why I am overweight now. It is hard to break such ingrained habits. I try to just put smaller amounts on my plate and that helps.

Wiredog wrote:We have a rule that you have to try one (legitimate sized) bite of any new food. If you just don't like it, make a meal of whatever else is served. The kids should be expected to try new foods, but they are not expected to like everything any more than the adults are.

let them stare at it on their plate all night until they eat it.

I do the same thing my mother did to me. If you don't like what I've made feel free to make yourself a PB&J!

gholt121 wrote:Eat what you're served or go hungry until the next meal. Period.

Seriously. Wakko Talks Faboo! is wrong with people these days? They're raising a generation of namby pamby, narcissistic, spoiled brats. Oh, wait...that's the parents. God only knows what horrible creatures the next generation will be!

Children are like dogs. If you don't train them, they will train you. Make healthy meals (WITH your children so they can start cooking for you), serve them, set the timer... Dinner is OVER when it's over. They'll eat long before hunger becomes a medical problem.

Just be sure all animals have 24/7 access to clean water.