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Cook one meal for family w/1 1/2 yr old & 7 yr old?

I don't have the time to cook 2 meals for dinner - I need to cook food that my 1 1/2 yr old can eat and thats appealing to the rest of us (7 yr. old, husband & me).

How do you do this?

by Jessica over 2 years ago

Comments

  • Jane
    Jane

    Our problem was getting enough flavor for us and bland enough for our kids. When we did this, we started with simpler (read: bland) foods. Over time, we increased the variety of spices & flavorings. At some point it was too much for the kids, but then we set aside spices and added some after we took their food our or on the table.

    It worked for many meals.

    over 2 years ago
  • Sally
    Sally

    What kinds of foods do you and your husband like?

    over 2 years ago
  • Mattie
    Mattie

    I read somewhere about "deconstructed dinners" and that is how I cook. Basically, I will make 3 elements and we can mix.

    I.e. pot of pasta, pot of veggies (broccoli and carrots), skillet of meat (chicken breast cut in chunks) and a microwave bowl of sauce. The little kids will eat it all separately with just a little butter and salt on the pasta. The adults/teen will all mix it together as a delicious pasta dish with the sauce.
    I always make the sauce on the side.

    Or for Saturday mornings...I make scrambled eggs and I also make mushrooms, spinach, onions with salsa. The little kids just eat the eggs and toast. The adults add on the veggie mixture.

    It works pretty well!

    over 2 years ago
  • Karla
    Karla

    One word; vitamin drops! Also, I make stuff that would typically be processed by scratch if possible. pizza, nuggets, chips but using healthier recipes. We eat what the kids want most days and I throw in a salad for us.

    over 2 years ago
  • Christine
    Christine

    I have several kids and one VERY picky eater. she is 7 and i've been allowing her to help with some of the meal planning. She likes having a choice - and I remind that she chose!! Basically though we just make them eat stuff they don't liek. That is how it was when I was a kid. I always have one thing I know they will like. I do take pity on them.

    over 2 years ago
  • Candace
    Candace

    I just cook what we want and make macaroni, turkey cold cuts for the kids. I know it is bad. We then put a few veggies from ours that they have to eat.

    over 2 years ago
  • Kari
    Kari

    At 1 1/2 our daughter was eating what we were eating. Things needed to be cut very small (a chopper worked well for us) but once she stopped eating baby food we ate meals together, and every one had the same thing (our son as well). We did, however, always put 2 or 3 things on the table. So, for example, grilled chicken, steamed broccoli, and rice or noodles. Now that the kids are a little older (5 and almost 3). They can choose which of those 3 things they want, but they must take at least one 'no thank you' bite of something before they can turn it down. For the example I gave above, my daughter would eat everything, and my son would eat rice and chicken and have a no thank you bite of broccoli. The next nights veggie might be peas or carrots, which he would be more likely to eat. My children are not by any means picky eaters. I think making seperate meals, or allowing kids to demand only mac and cheese, or chicken nuggets teaches children to expect special treatment and closes their minds to a variety of foods.

    about 1 year ago
  • Donna (Food on the Table)
    Donna (Food on the Table)

    I agree, Kari. We always give options, and expect them to at least try one bite of everything offered. They never get away with refusing 'real' food and getting anything snack-like instead. Unfortunately, I still do wind up making special food because my one son has so many dietary limitations that he almost always needs a special meal. Luckily, his twin will usually eat the same meal that he gets...

    about 1 year ago

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