Solutions for children's Poor Eating Habits - Part 1

Yes, I realize the post from yesterday is pretty much a rant and sometimes rants are a necessary way to express yourself. I have been extremely frustrated by my son taking on some of the attributes of our little visitor from last week, because he saw her get away with it and now he's trying to push the envelope too. You can't blame him or any kid for wanting to eat their favorite foods and only their favorite foods. They are kids, it's their job. Our jobs as parents is to nurture our children and raise them to have strong and healthy bodies and minds.

So, I offer up a few suggestions to healthier homemade eating. First up, I do not think it is ridiculous to expect your children to eat like you do, unless you are just shoving your pie hole full of processed trash. Then it is your job to make sure that your kid eats better than you do. I have never made a special meal for my son because I'm worried he won't like what we are having. It's my opinion that if you treat your child's meal as special from your own, they will always expect special. Why set your child apart from you? I find that kids want to be included and enjoy being an equal part of your world. When I make dinner it is for all of us, not just the adults. If he doesn't like it, then he has the choice of going hungry or eating anyway. When he decides to not eat and then wants a snack later in the evening, I simply reheat his dinner for his snack. Sometimes he goes for it and sometimes he doesn't. In general, he has just accepted that what's for dinner is on his plate and other things aren't an option. Of course he goes through phases where he wants one thing over and over, so I accommodate him by working his choice into the week's menu. Currently it is Shrimp and Pasta. See Recipe Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Simple, Fresh Pasta .

Speaking of menus... Try to rough out the weeks meals ahead of time, so you have an idea of what you are going to do. Having a plan in the kitchen really makes it easier when you get down to doing the cooking, because you do not have to pull ideas out of the ether. Instead you know what you are going to do, which makes pulling off the final product easier. It's a realizing expectations thing. Not so tough really. Tonight I know that I'm doing Pork Chops with Roast Sweet Potatoes and Succotash. Tomorrow Roast Chicken with Wild Rice and Green Beans. Maybe it's a little bit boring to plan out dinner, but once the planning and buying is done I don't have to worry about it. My neighbor is a lousy cook, but she lines up her recipes for the week in a notebook every Sunday before grocery shopping and then buys the ingredients from there. That way she has a plan as well as knows nothing will be missing when it comes to executing the dinner.

These are just a couple of things I thought of in working against the cycle of people not being engaged in the feeding of their families. I hope any of this helps someone out there.