Feeding a 7 Year Old

I want my son to have good nutricious meals, but sometimes the food he likes isn't the best for me to eat.  Fish sticks vs cod; things like that.  Its almost like I have to cook two separate meals for us and it's just the two of us.  I have ample funds for groceries so that's not really an issue; however, it is time consuming.  I have tried to introduce new foods to my son in hope of more blending.  Any suggestions?

From what I hear it's a bad idea to let them have separate meals -- they should eat whatever you fix for dinner.   If you fix them a plate and they don't eat it they should get nothing else until you're ready to serve another meal.  I'm not expert and I didn't do this with my kids... it's something I've seen on some of those "healthy eating" shows on TV.  That said my daughter eats everything now and my son is still a super picky eater.

One thing they also talked about on those shows is having the kids be involved in the preparation.  If he gets to help fix the meal he might be more willing to eat some of it especially if everyone is bragging on what a great job he did and how good it tastes. 

I'm in the same situation. I don't expect my kids to eat the things I eat at mealtime (broccoli, onions, bean sprouts, celery, lemon herb sauce and tuna is what I commonly have for supper), so I make them something that they like and is nutritious, but just isn't on my menu.

What if you tried making the fish with shake and bake coating for him, without for you? Make your vegetables plain, and then if he likes cheese sauce or something on top, add it on his at the table instead of over the whole pot of veggies. For that matter, the sauce on the side could apply to many meat dishes as well (sweet and sour chicken or meatballs, bbq pork chops, glazed ham, etc)

My son is 2.5, and he eats what I eat for breakfasts and dinners but usually something different for lunch.

Maybe you could try making him the more kid friendly things he likes for lunch (on weekends or days home) and then he can eat the same as you for the other meals.

I got lucky in that I got my kiddo eating brocolli and carrots and all that jazz early on, now he will ask for more broccoli (raw, sometimes with ranch) or whatever veggie we are having.

Trying to get your son to eat more nutritious would be the best bet, then you can eat the same meals. Of course I know how hard it can be to introduce a change in foods, especially with a kiddo who is a bit older (more opinionated). Its kind of touchy subject on how to get your child to eat more things...but slowly introducing new things is probably the best idea.

Good luck! My kids eat separate from my husband and I. For one, he gets home too late for us to all eat together. The second reason is my oldest son who is almost 5. He has a very short list of things that he will eat. When I make him try things, he gags and sometimes makes himself throw up. Today, I told him that carrots make your eyesight really good. He was eating them with peanut butter. When I "wasn't looking" he tried to eat a carrot without peanut butter and made himself gag. He tried it all on his own so I know he wasn't faking it or using it as a control thing. He truly has that new food phobia. Anyway,since his short list of foods is not too bad, then I guess it is ok. I don't want food to be an issue. I do get tired of cooking for them and then for my husband and myself. However, the food thing is a battle that I choose not to fight right now. My friend only makes "grown-up" food for dinner, and if her son doesn't like it he doesn't eat. He also throws up in the mornings sometimes because he is so hungry from choosing not to eat. This is too much for me to deal with so I choose not to.

Sorry, this thread isn't all about me! Got carried away. I think the food issue with alot of kids is a common problem. I don't think you can force them to like things. Good luck!

You can't force kids to like things but having them learn to eat a few things they aren't that fond of is a good life skill. In the future you don't want them to be at a friend's house, see what's for dinner, say "Ew gross!" and refuse to eat it. So I agree with the first reply; cook one meal and expect them to eat it. That's what I do with my kids. I try to cook things that everyone will like but there are times when we have peppers, mushrooms or onions and my kids have learned to eat them without complaining. Also, if I want something a little healthier, I can add a salad as a side dish that I don't require them to eat.

I was told to have them try one new thing at a time.I was told to give them a little bit of something and make them finish all of it this is along with whatever they are eating.I know you can not make a child like something but most of the time kids say they don't like something but never even tasted it before.if they would taste it instead of judging it by what it looks like they may just enjoy it.

I have an 8 year old who recently went throught a picky phase. She was not picky when she was younger but as she got older and around other picky kids in school she started imitating them. She would want me to take the crust off her bread when the crusts used to be her favorite part and stuff like that. For awhile it made me crazy and i tried to force her to eat things she didn't want to in an your not going to leave this table until you eat all that  little lady kinda way but that didn't really work to well.

Eventually we sat down and wrote out a list of all the vegetables she liked and didn't like and the ones in between. It turned out she liked a good bit i was just pushing her a little to much so i toned down on the stuff she didn't like and if i knew i was making something she didn't like i would always make several sides to choose from as long as she eats something healthy im ok. And we made up a game we started calling her a food adventurer and daring her to try new things if she didn't like something she did not have to eat it but to be a food adventurer she had to give something a good try, it has worked really well she has started opening up a lot to stuff she says she doesn't like.

Last night i was making vegge chilli and as she seen me cutting up the onions, zucccini, peppers and mushrooms she was like oh no i hate those veggies. But i explained to her that they taste much different cooked in chilli she didn't trust me at first but after she smelled it cooking she decided to try it and she loved it. It is really important for children and adults to continue to try things in different ways there are so many foods i thought i didn't like because i didn't like the way they were prepared when i was younger.

Be creative with the menu kids are really easy to trick into eating healthy instead of fish sticks try homemade salmon or crab or tuna pattys and tell him they are crabby pattys like sponge bob makes he would probably really enjoy helping form them into pattys.

Good luck it takes time but in the end its worth it knowing you are helping him make the right choices now will keep him from having to battle with weight and poor health later on.