Sugestions/Thoughts on my Lunch Menu

[Brooke91]

so if I was to do what most of you do...

id do 2 veggies,1 fruit,1 meat, 1pasta,and 1 cheese??

so it'd be couple slices cucumber, couple baby carrots , couple slices of apple, couple chunks of cheese and a small portion of pasta?

[monkeymama]

I make one meal. You don't eat it, You wait until snack. All my kids know this at this point because Ive never budged on it. I try and make sure there is atleast one thing everyone likes. They certainly aren't going to starve. Snack is always fresh fruit and veggies and a grain. Lunch is always home made, nothing pre packaged. I offer yogurt or applesauce after lunch is eaten so this is always an incentive to finish. I have 2 children with dairy allergies ( one is my own daughter) and one dck with egg allergy so this affects how I cook/ plan my menu. I know a lot of my dck eat things here they wont eat at home, because they know they cant get away with it here. I don't make meal time a battle. Basically it gets put on their plate (always start with small portions) and that's it. I don't bribe, reward to get children to eat.

[Calgarymom]

Ok, sorry to hijack your thread brooke91 but most answers say if you don't eat it all there is nothing else until snack as a way of making kids eat what you serve, I love this and always do this - also no dessert (yoghurt, fruit pot) if you don't eat it all, however I have a 5 year old dcg who often will say, I'm not eating that, I will wait until snack time, then I'm lost she know this is what happens and doesn't seem bothered what would you ladies do then? - I really don't like the idea of rewarming it as snack (most of my food is cooked at night then heated up at lunch). It drives me mad and I'm sure it makes her feel like she won!!

[Skysue]

Try doing more family style lunches let them choose what goes on there plates, make sure there is a healthy balance and healthy choices. You will be amazed at what they eat as its there choice.

I also do incentives for my picky eaters, no 2nds of meat or pasta until all there veggies are eaten.

[sunnydays]

I am like Cfred and others...I serve what I serve and if you don't like it you go hungry. I usually have about three foods on the plate at lunch (protein, veggie, grain) and they will usually eat at least something. I don't serve junk food or "kid" food. I serve healthy meals and kids learn to eat it. I have a picky 3 year old who finally tasted an avocado today...we all cheered her on

[Skysue]

My kids love, love, love avocado!
We had chickpea salad today it was yummy fir some!

[sunnydays]

Mosgt of mine love avocado as well...but the 3 year old started with me just before turning 3...it is has been a slow process to get her to eat more foods. She has made so much progress

My kids love, love, love avocado!
We had chickpea salad today it was yummy fir some!

[Crayola kiddies]

My dcks eat everything put on their plates ..... I know exactly how much they can eat and they never say ew yuck or I'm not eating that....I put plastic moulded bibs on the babies to catch what they spit out/drop and it goes back into their bowls and no one gets down till their plate is empty..... I serve fish, sandwiches, stirfry, spaghetti, quiche, shepards pie, pigs in a blanket, plus when I make my dinner for my family I will often make extra and serve it for lunch the next day ... Such as pork chops/roast/tenderloin, roast chicken, homemade chicken fingers, lasagna, tortellini, ribs, ect..... All meals are served with a starch( potato, rice or noodles) and at least one vege but usually two or three. One of my kids favourite lunches is when I have left over steak and rice and I put it in a frying pan with all kinds of veges( onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, carrots, peas, beans, asparagus) and a touch of soya sauce and oyster sauce and stir fry it ... They all eat at least seconds some have thirds..they all love cottage cheese too .. But they all know that you don't waste your food.

[treeholm]

If a child doesn't eat lunch, they are served their lunch again at snack time before they get snack. I've only had to do this with one child, and that child now eats lunch with no complaint.