KingstonMom, I keep a journal for each child and under the title of Food I list the foods I serve at each meal and if they ask for seconds I note 2X and if they refuse the food I cross it out. I use this as a reference if I'm going to cook something and I can't remember if they all liked it or not the last time. But after a while you get to know all the children's likes and dislikes.

I had a boy who wouldn't eat combined foods and that was the worst because sometimes I was rushed when we were outside all morning so I used the crockpot. He wouldn't eat any of it, but I gave him lots of extra servings at afternoon snack. But sometimes I wouldn't even let him have his fruit at lunch because I made him sit there until he tried some food and 'did his very best'. That's my line with the children to try to get them to eat a little bit of the things they say they don't like.

Picky eaters, naptime, toilet training, these are our very special challenges!!!