When I was kid, we ate what
was on the table when it was put there.
My mother didn't ask us what we wanted for dinner. She didn't spend $5.00 on a high salt, high preservative, high fat, high sugar, high calorie, no vitamin after school snack so she could make my friends happy. That $5.00 bought a whole chicken, some potatoes and a loaf of bread.
Why do we cater to our children? What's so wrong about being a "picky eater" or leaving food on your plate if you don't want it, or not wanting to eat at dinner time? Put the food out there when it's time to eat, leave them alone, and they'll figure it out. We did.
FOOD FIGHT ANYONE?
But my kid won't eat peas….neither will my uncle. But my kid won't clean her plate…..neither does every healthy, non-obese adult I know. But my kid only likes sweet things…..so buy fruit. But my kid only wants chicken….fine, if that's all you want to eat, otherwise, well let him fill up on water.
Mommy, I don't want to eat this. Ok, Kid, you don't have to. Mommy, I want you to cook a special meal for me every night until I'm 18 and leave the house…..Ok, Kid, I live to be your personal chef.
Well, I know it may sound naive, since I'm not raising your kids, but it seems to me that if we just let them figure it out for themselves, they will.
Do you eat when you're not hungry?
Do you eat foods you don't enjoy?
Do you eat more than you want to?
Do you eat every time someone tells you to?
Do you want something to eat when you feel hungry?
Hmmmm…think our kids feel the same way?
Do what my Mom did, what my Grandmothers did, what their mothers did….those generations were healthier, had far less instances of obesity, and ate what was available locally and seasonally. Put good food on the table and let them eat what they want.
Otherwise…..there's the peanut butter, kid.
And that's No Crap Cooking.
2:00 PM on December 15th, 2009
Wow. Here I thought I was the only one who thought this way. My kids eat at the table with me and like almost everything. I never babied them or fought them. THey just figured it out, like you said.