Starving husbands around the world would love his meal. Maybe.

I have picky eaters. 3 of them. I have 2 kids.

My kids have always had some sort of issue. Some I created (offering kid food too often, not mixing it up, etc.) and some I didn’t, like allergies. While I don’t want to blindside my kids with a new family rule – You get one meal, eat it or don’t – I do want to make some changes.

I’ve been trying to make dinners that are very kid friendly, while not relying on chicken nuggets and pasta every night. I’ve tried regular chicken, rice, and other things that are similar, but no luck. I’m staying strong, though. If they don’t eat it, they can have bread and fruit. No separate meal.

Guess who is having the hardest time with this? Did you guess Joe? Good guess, smarty pants!

He is the worst offender.

I’m no gourmet chef. I’m really not a very good cook at all. What is cook is pretty bland, actually. But that doesn’t give Dad, the one who should set the example, the right to say he’ll have cereal instead. No way, mister.

I try to reason with him (like I do with my 5 year old.) Food is fuel. I made something good, you need a meal. Now eat.

It doesn’t work, and I refuse to take hints. I will make a meal, and continue to expect him to eat it until he tells me he doesn’t like it. Tortellini with vegetables? One of the easiest meals I make, and I actually enjoy it a lot. It took months of him not eating it before he told me he didn’t like it. What a waste.

I’m not going to try to force foods on my kids if they don’t like them. Having said that…they aren’t going to just look at something and decide they don’t like it. Same goes for you, Dad. How many crock pot Sunday meals did I eat with peppers, onions and tomatoes…all the things I don’t like…just because you cooked it? All of them. How many times did I say I would make myself a sandwich instead of eat what you made? Zero. Zilch. Never. Just this past weekend, he made dinner (I’m sure there are some of you telling me to shut it because my husband cooks. I get it. He’s awesome.) What did he cook? Chicken Cacciatore. Was it good? Sure. Though it had onions (enough to cover the entire bottom of the crock pot, mind you) and tomato paste, I ate it. Was it my favorite meal? No. Did that stop me from eating it for 2 nights? No way. I followed the rules. I ate what was served.

I don’t like to cook. I’m not always very good at it, and I’m certainly not very creative in the kitchen. How about an A for the efforts I do make? How abut a fake ‘Rub your belly and say ‘yum” a la Joey Tribiani in the Thanksgiving episode? {Yum…peas, beef and jelly}

It is very unlikely that I will morph into an amazing cook, and Joe will come home to his favorite meal each night. Does that happen for anyone? But, does one have the right to complain about the menu when he refuses to give timely, honest feedback on a new dish or input when I’m planning my shopping for the week? Until that point, you will eat what you are served – all 3 of you. You hear? I will not buy cereal, or sandwich fixings if you do not agree. And no…chips and dip do not count as dinner.

Related posts:

1. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Unless you don’t like the meal.
2. Kid Food: Myth or Reality?
3. Family Eating