Why do I bother making lunch...

Depending on the day, I either have 4 or 5 kids during the day. Some of the kids don't eat the lunch I provide. I offer a variety throughout the week. Usually pasta dishes a couple times a week, soup & sandwich, chicken dishes with fries and veggies, rice dishes, fish with sides, etc.

My 18 month old doesn't eat anything I feed him for lunch. His mom provides me with baby food jars and after about 10 mins staring at my food, I give him baby food, which he eats. If it were up to me, he wouldn't have the baby food option but the mom wants him to eat something.

My new 19 month old eats pretty much everything :)

My 25 month old only likes to eat pasta dishes. He's my son. I'm trying to get him to eat a variety and I don't offer an alternative if he doesn't eat it.

The older kids I watch tend to eat my food (the ones that have been here for a bit) but I have a new 3 yr old who hasn't had any lunch all this week. He doesn't like red sauces so it's been hard to accommodate.

**I usually have the kids sit for 15-20 minutes and I encourage to try the foods. Then I offer a dessert or fruit. Should I just be serving the fruit together with the lunch at the same time?

**If a child doesn't like red sauce, should I offer the lunch with NO red sauce?

**I have some kids that through their food on the floor, and I just take it away. What have you done for this?

I really don't want to keep throwing food out but I don't want to offer pasta every day so they will eat.

I try to offer two or three items at lunchtime so that if they don't like one thing, they will at least eat something. For example, I will serve a homemade soup with cornbread and cheese so I know that those who don't like soup will eat the cornbread and cheese. I also have kids who throw food on the floor...it's a constant challenge, but I have found that being on top of them about it and holding their hands either at their sides are above their heads for a minute or so each time they do it and tell them "we don't throw food, we eat food" helps.

First I scaled back my menu to be very simple and basic since that is what most young kids like the most so less hassle. Leave the combo meals up to the parents. I try to accomodate likes and dislikes within what we are doing so doesn't like red sauce would get just the pasta although I might add a hint of margarine so it doesn't just stick into a glob. They get apple and cucumber slices on their plates since they all eat this although some don't eat the skin but I refuse to peel for over 18 months. Anything else dessert wise is served ONLY to those that finish what is on their plate and too bad if they don't like it. Dessert which could be another fruit, pudding, yougurt, cookie, etc. is served to those that are still hungry not instead of the first course. Sometimes it motivates the others to try and eat at least some or more than they did and other times not but the rule stays the same. I do little piles of food on a plate so some pasta over here, some veggies over there ( ususally use frozen mixed then they can pick out and eat the parts they like and leave the ones they don't), and then a meat. Anything breaded seems to go over better than just plain. I make up for the meals at snacktime and make sure they get a fruit and cheese, etc. I serve milk with snacks and water with lunch so they can't fill up on liquid either.

Is it possible your serving too much at am snack so that they aren't hungry? Most little ones prefer pasta tossed in a little bit of butter (with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese). I don't serve any drinks with lunch as they can fill up on juice and milk then they won't eat.

KISS: Keep it simple stupid (best acronym ever), kids when given too many options will toss there food and play with it. Protein, veg, grains, fruit for dessert!
Kids also hate there food mixed! Like playfelt said place the food in seperate areas on the plate.

My kids will sometimes groan if they see "plain" red sauce. I throw a bit of cream or even Philly Cream cheese in it and it totally changes the dish...plus the sauce is now more orange than red ;)

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Originally Posted by Sarah A

Depending on the day, I either have 4 or 5 kids during the day. Some of the kids don't eat the lunch I provide. I offer a variety throughout the week. Usually pasta dishes a couple times a week, soup & sandwich, chicken dishes with fries and veggies, rice dishes, fish with sides, etc.

My 18 month old doesn't eat anything I feed him for lunch. His mom provides me with baby food jars and after about 10 mins staring at my food, I give him baby food, which he eats. If it were up to me, he wouldn't have the baby food option but the mom wants him to eat something.

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Really???? 18mo and still on baby food??? Wow, that's just crazy. You'd think she'd want to stop wasting money on that and just give him what they have at meals.

My dck only get milk once they are at least half done their food so they don't fill up on liquids.

As for the sauce, i'd jut leave it off for that child.

Firstly; there is no way an 18 mo old should still be eating jarred baby food. He should be eating pretty much what everyone else is eating!! If you put food in front of him, he will eat it, just don't give him another option.
Anyway, I would check out a few of the things the others suggested. I found that morning snack had to be scaled back to basically a piece of fruit and a cup of milk. Much more than that, and the kids won't eat lunch, but are then starving halfway through naptime and waking up.
Like the others, I have found that simple is best. Stick with the basics and add new things one at a time. If I am introducing something "exotic" I will do it with some of the tried and true things as well. I always serve a couple things at a time, so that the kids can choose. IE: chicken, noodles and veg. If they don't want one of those, they can eat the others. However, if they want seconds, they must eat all of what was on the plate first. Except for the real little guys, and lets face it, those aren't the ones with the issues.
I will not make different meals, or cater to picky eaters. I don't mind leaving sauce off of noodles or not putting jam on someone's toast though. I agree with asking them to stay at the table for a certain length of time. And if someone is throwing food, or (past the age of about one) making a deliberate mess on the table/tray, the food is removed for a period of time. That usually means they are done, and getting bored anyway. IF they are still hungry, they are reminded that food does not go on the floor and given another chance.
I think it's about finding a happy medium between serving them the foods they want (chicken nuggets and fries everyday much??) and the very healthiest things we want them to eat all the time. I found that casseroles don't go over well, so I don't serve them. No sense in wasting food. I will separate the food groups if need be, so that the food gets eaten!

Thanks for all the ideas.

I don't agree with giving my 18 month old baby food because he just gets used to eating it and not eating the food I provide. But that's what the mom wants because she doesnt want him to go hungry.

On the other hand, I have my son who is 26 months and getting so picky with eating. I told my M.I.L. that I provide him with a variety of food during meal times but sometimes he doesn't eat at all. She doesn't agree with me and somehow I think she thinks I am a bad mother for letting him go hungry. She said that I shouldn't be doing this at such a young age.

Anyways, during lunchtime I don't feel it's right to feed alternate food while the other kids have to eat what I serve.

During the daycare day my kids followed daycare rules. That included only the food I offered at the times I offered it. After hours/weekends they could ask for a drink or snack - if I approved. Mostly mealtimes were served all days as a take it or leave it. Snacks I chose to make up for what was or wasn't eaten at mealtime so they didn't starve and met nutrtion basics.

Figure daycare kids have that same privelege. At my house they do the daycare thing and at home they can do whatever their parents allow and they catch on pretty quick that there are two sets of rules.

There is a very good chance your son is seeing the 18 month old get fed by you and that is what he wants is the attention more than the baby foods.

I think that Mom-in-laws mean well, but often forget the logistics of raising children, since most of the time it's been many years since they have!!!
I also have more strict eating rules during daycare hours, and my kids abide by those, during daycare hours. And since doing so; I have found them to be better eaters in general!! It has been a wonderful side effect, since they can be pretty picky.
I really, really believe that if kids are hungry, then they will eat. I read one time at our public health office "It's a parent's (or caregiver's!) job to decide WHEN the child eats and WHAT to serve. It is the child's job to decide IF they will eat, and HOW MUCH." I liked that.
PS> This mom really thinks that her child will absolutely starve if she doesn't offer that jarred junk food??? Yikes. Methinks there are bigger problems to come!!

I really am getting tired of making food to throw in the garbage. Another day that the kids didn't eat lunch. I am trying to simplify the lunch so that the kids will eat. I served chicken quesadilla (small pieces of chicken mixed with a little salsa and shredded cheese) and apple slices and oranges. STILL the small ones didn't eat and threw it on the floor.

I really don't want to fed the one child baby food if he doesn't eat because what gives him the incentive to eat MY food. THEN she wants me to give him a bottle just before naptime. How can I tell her that this needs to be cut out? I think the other kids get jealous that he gets to eat different food. Even my 3 year old says that he gets baby food at home, thinking that maybe I will give him some.

I want my kids to eat. Any have ANY ideas of simplier foods to feed them that they might like?

**I usually have the kids sit for 15-20 minutes and I encourage to try the foods. Then I offer a dessert or fruit. Should I just be serving the fruit together with the lunch at the same time?

I serve fruit & veggies at lunch.

**If a child doesn't like red sauce, should I offer the lunch with NO red sauce?

Yup.

**I have some kids that through their food on the floor, and I just take it away. What have you done for this?

I take it away and they no longer get it for the remainder of lunch time (or snack time). They also get a big NO from me too!

I serve the whatever the dish at lunch time, and that's what they eat. They don't like it, tough, I'm not making separate lunches - it's not fair. I have one really picky eater here, but he'll soon learn that he has to eat what's on his tray!

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Originally Posted by Sarah A

I really am getting tired of making food to throw in the garbage. Another day that the kids didn't eat lunch. I am trying to simplify the lunch so that the kids will eat. I served chicken quesadilla (small pieces of chicken mixed with a little salsa and shredded cheese) and apple slices and oranges. STILL the small ones didn't eat and threw it on the floor.

I really don't want to fed the one child baby food if he doesn't eat because what gives him the incentive to eat MY food. THEN she wants me to give him a bottle just before naptime. How can I tell her that this needs to be cut out? I think the other kids get jealous that he gets to eat different food. Even my 3 year old says that he gets baby food at home, thinking that maybe I will give him some.

I want my kids to eat. Any have ANY ideas of simplier foods to feed them that they might like?

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Maybe try separating the foods instead of mixing them in something like a quesadilla. Instead serve chicken, cheese, veggies and tortilla all separate and maybe salsa for dipping for those who like it. A lot of kids won't eat things mixed, especially mixed with something like salsa even if it is mild. At least the kids ar elikely to eat something and not waste the entire lunch. Also, I would just serve small amounts so that there is less waste if they don't eat it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sarah A

I really am getting tired of making food to throw in the garbage. Another day that the kids didn't eat lunch. I am trying to simplify the lunch so that the kids will eat. I served chicken quesadilla (small pieces of chicken mixed with a little salsa and shredded cheese) and apple slices and oranges. STILL the small ones didn't eat and threw it on the floor.

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I would have made a full quesadilla for my lunch but for the kids they would have gotten it all separate on their plate so the chicken warmed up and in a small pile with a small dab of very mild salsa - with the chunks mashed out beside in case they wanted to dip (or substituted spagetti sauce), a pile of mixed frozen veggies boiled longer than we would like so they are really soft, cut the cheese into strips so they can pick it up with their hands instead of shredded, and the pita or bun or some sort of bread cut into pieces, and then the fruit on the plate. I don't serve oranges or raw apple to under 18 months so they would have gotten banana or slivered grapes or pears which are softer than apples so less chocking. The idea here is that the stuff is separate not assembled. That allows a child to eat some of the meal if there is something they don't like. So together if a child doesn't like salsa, the entire meal is non edible. Apart there is no excuse for not eating at least half of what is there.