Why Skipping Prenatal Vitamins Isn't a Good Idea
Delicious Pineapple Upside-Down Muffins
Is Adele Taking a Break From Music?
Michelle Obama's Tips for Getting Kids to Eat Healthy
Take Action: Stand Up Against Weight Bullying
Things Your Son Can Teach You About Men
Past 'Sports Illustrated' Covergirls (PHOTOS)
Are Egg Donors Really 'Mothers'?
Your Lipstick Could Be Bad for Your Health
Jennifer Aniston Slams Brad Pitt
Justin Bieber's Touching Valentine's Date (VIDEO)
Valentine's Love Advice ... From a Psychic
Kate Winslet's Most Impressive Role Yet
15 Worst Valentine's Day Gifts 
10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Having Kids
Photo by deaner2
You'll never see a can of tuna, liverworst, lamb chops, beets, clams, or green peppers in my grocery cart. When I shop for my family, I tend to buy stuff that I like. I really have no idea whether my kids like or hate beets, lamb or tuna, because I never use them in recipes and cooking.
I was thinking about this yesterday after reading in the Newcomer's Club that some moms routinely pawn off food on their kids: tofu ice cream, tomatoes, turnip greens, carrots, pickles.
As one mom said, "For some reason, my son hates the same foods I hate!"
It's not all that surprising when you consider that children develop their food preferences early in life. It's important to expose them to variety -- even if we ourselves don't like that particular food.
Still, I have a hard time preparing something that I myself won't eat.
1. It's not efficient (because I'll have to make two different meals).
2. It contradicts the message I'm constantly sending to my family, that I am not a short-order cook: The dinner is the dinner, your choice is what's on your plate.
3. Beets and tuna are just yucky.
What foods or dishes do you serve your kids and family that you yourself would never touch with a ten-foot pole?
Comments (11)
none
The only food I don't serve (besides any animal products) is whole tomatoes. Like raw...they really gross me out.
green beans, onions, green peppers....i hate them but i cook with them all the time since my daughter loves them and they are good for her...on the flip side i love spicy food and she wont eat it
I am the world's pickiest eater so I have to make things that I don't like or my family would not eat. I also will not tell my kids if I like or dislike something until after they try it and give me their opinion. If they ask me, I say "you try it, tell me what you think". For the most part, my kids eat just about anything even beets and tuna which, I am with you! Ewwwwww
My husband is a picky eater and my 7 year old ate everything I gave her until she learned how to "read" her father. She's now getting back on the right track to eating healthy, whole grain foods and more fruits and vegetables since she see her friends eating them. My 2 1/2 year old eats all the great stuff with me so hopefully she'll stay on the right track without a fight.
I'll cook my son cheeseburgers but at the same time grill myself a veggie burger or portabello. But since it's the two of us, it's no big deal to me to make variations in the meals we eat. I'm not cooking different meals, just variations on a theme.
No pork (religious reasons), no beets, no brussel sprouts. However, if we are out somewhere and I find out she likes something I don't normally buy, I will get some and make it in her lunch. Like asparagus, we all hate it, but Mercy loves it. So I make it for her for lunch two or three times a week.
I have no problem getting my little ones to try anything, they love healthy foods. It is me that has a hard time choking them down without gagging in front of them at the dinner table. As the saying goes, You are your child's first role model, dang that saying, I hate spinach.
There are a few certain foods either my husband or I don't care for but we still serve every now and then and force ourselves to eat along with our three children. We believe it's important to feed them a wide variety of food to support their growth. We also believe it's important for them to understand that just because we grown-ups don't want to do something we still do it because it's good for us.
I'm a stay-at-home mom and babysit a few children who have limited food choices at home because they have picky eaters for parents. These children seem to have stunted growth (a 7 year old wears the same size clothing and shoes as my 3 year old), are overweight, and can't identify popular fruits and vegetables.
My dh and kids love asparagus and brussel sprouts, blech, blech, blech...but I do make them for them, I just refuse to eat them. But I have given them a love for (and a million uses for) spinach, not to mention raw veggies, lilke the dreaded carrot..lol. so I'm not all bad....brussel sprouts, ugh....