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Hi All!
I have an older dcb who often won't eat any of his lunch unless it is slathered in ketchup...today we had fish, sweet potato fries and corn... Wanted ketchup on every morsel including the corn. Asked for ketchup several times. The rest of the dcks want same now. Everything does get eaten this way and I'm watering down the ketchup (i don't bring in the bottle and squirt away). Wondering if u think too much ketchup is bad or just be grateful they're eating? As always thanks bunches!
I actually just threw out a bottle of ketchup awhile ago from the dc fridge...it was almost 4 years old!! I bought it for when I had a couple school aged kids one summer. I very very very rarely give the kids ketchup. It's not necessarily due to health reasons (altho, it is high in sugar!) but just because I'm not a dipper myself so I don't think to use it anyways. I also do think that young kids need to eat their food "naturally" so they can taste it and decide if they like it or not. It's probably only been in the last year that I give them ranch dip too lol....I'm a meanie I guess!!
I'm the same way, I never give the kids ketchup, because I don't think of it, and they eat fine without it. I have kids that eat it all the time at home, but never ask for it here. Maybe they don't even realize I have it. Lol
Im the opposite. Lol. My kids love to dip!! So I let them have ketchup and salad dressing etc. I use in moderation though.
That's a good solution for this situation, I think. You could give this child a small amount in a dish, and let him know you're not refilling it?
I don't think there is anything wrong with having ketchup (or condiments) once in awhile, but the thing that would not work here is having it on everything and then the other kids expecting it on everything too. Let his mom know that you will be limiting the ketchup from now on and that it will probably mean he isn't eating as much at daycare. Decide ahead of time what things you will put it on. (I use it on meat mostly, chicken breasts that are dry or meatloaf.)And tell dcb before he sits down that this will be a "ketchup free" meal. If he doesn't eat, that's his choice. He can have a ketchup slathered supper at home instead.
Do you have an empty mustard bottle? Clean it out and fill it with ketchup. If they can't see the ketchup in the fridge, maybe they'll stop asking for it. (Maybe not... :))
I have those little silver dip dishes like in restaurants. I put the dip in there and they don't get a refill. We eat a lot of ranch and ketchup here.
I love Ketchup and Ranch myself but for the children I have infant and toddlers so not part of their meal yet - unless they have a fussy food day and it sure comes in handy those days LOL
I stopped putting condiments on anything because too often I was getting one child asking for mustard just because they saw another child get it and then not eating their food because they didn't like mustard and getting mad because I couldnt' take it off and it just wasn't worth it. You eat the food you see and enjoy the unmasked tastes. The exception is pancakes for the older kids - they get a little dish to dip their pancakes in - I make them like little fingers vice round so they dip. On the rare time I make French fries I will give a dollup of ketchup for dipping but not in a separate little bowl so doesn't mix with anyone's food.
Love all the advice! Everything in moderation true at daycare level as in life. I do like for them to have something in their bellies as I find quiet times run smoother that way... Just not with a half gallon of ketchup! I limited it today and surprisingly he was fine with that and continued to nibble. Have a great weekend. Hope everyone will get an end of summer heatwave!
why don't you make ketchup at home which will be better