Okay, this situation has always made me a little uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. Each of my daughters has 1-2 friends who are very picky eaters. When they’re home, their parents will make special meals for them to accommodate their tastes if dinner is not to their liking. I have always cooked healthy meals for my children and have never made them anything special if they don’t like something. I make sure that if I make one thing I suspect one of them will not like, I make something else that I know they do like so that there will always be at least something they’re happy with on the plate. I’ve had a couple of their friends downright refuse to eat any of it and ask if I can make them something else. One even wanted me to leave and pick up something from a fast food place after dinner was on the table. Part of me wants to say sorry, but this is it eat it or starve… we don’t make special meals here. The other part doesn’t want to be mean to someone else’s child. Suggestions?
Oh… and… my daughters are ages 9 & 11.
Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions! You’ve helped to reinforce the idea that I need to talk to the parents. I’ve been hesitant to do so since fast-food girl’s dad called to tell me what a horrible host I was for not feeding his daughter the night before. She refused a taco because she doesn’t like ground meat. I think she might have freaked because one of my daughters mentioned that it was bison. This same child had eaten a grilled bison burger at my house about 3 weeks earlier and loved it. Go figure!With that in mind, I had her make a taco salad with taco shells, refried beans, lettuce and cheese. Yes, I "starved" her.
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Dimples - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
let them eat dinner at home…. if you cant satisfy it.. the parents should send their special food with them. discuss this with the other parents.
jachooz - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Offer them a bowl of cereal instead of the food… most kids will eat cereal and you wont put yourself out making extra food items.
22WeeksPregnant - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
I don’t think it’s mean. Someone elses kid expecting you to go get them take it out is kind of rude lol. I suggest just making something everyone likes those days
SportieCutie - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Say you can eat this or not but if you come down lateR(like at a sleepover) complaining your hungry well its not my fault
Mommy to Connor - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Serve them what is for dinner. If they eat they eat, if not they go hungry on their own accord, not yours. It’s not being mean. You don’t need to treat them any differently than your own girls.
Girls that age should know better than to insult the cook of the home. I’d be calling their parents and telling them their children are being rude like that.
adreandr@verizon.net - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
i can’t belive their parents haven’t taught them to eat what gets put infront of them at their ages. that goes for your daughters too! sorry but pickyness is for toddlers not for kids in or almost in their double digits expain to your guests that if they don’t like what’s on the table find something in the kitchen or there own in the fridge etc. but you will not go out and by something. but for future refrences ask them what they like so you can be prepared or even go out to eat on that night so everyone is happy my daughter is 2 and she is picky but she does know that if she doesn’t eat it she’s getting nothing. that may seem harsh but it works even if she doesn’t eat at the time she will eat what i made later. if your kids are hungry they will eat
That Gay Guy for Da Ben Dan - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Tell them that this is what you made and if they don’t like it they don’t have to eat it, but you won’t offer them anything else.
tarot_frog - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
We offer a variety of things at once. For example, a veggie plate, a fruit plate, a meat and cheese plate and a variety of crackers. It’s like "lunchables gone wild". This is a good way for them to pick what they want to eat. Just don’t be surprised when you see someone with a plate full of black olives and wheat thins. LOL.
rachel - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
I can’t believe the rudeness of these kids. My son is a fussy eater and he would never ask for someone to make him something else let alone go OUT to get him something. He will have a few bites and say he is full. (he is a little bugger, his twin eats everything so it drives me nuts) I do not make an extra meal for him. He can eat or go without (he chooses go without)I will ask their friends what they like to eat and cook that as you want happy guests but only with in reason. Not takeaway, most kids will eat spaghetti but one of my daughters friends doesn’t (what kid hates spag???lol)
I am of the belief eat it or go without.
my_son_wants_to_know - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Unless they have food allergies, they eat what you make or nothing at all. Their parents are doing them no favors by catering to them like that.
Carri - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Well ,you really can’t conform to what other people do in their homes , when the kids come over and you make something for them to eat, and they say they don’t like it …oh well you don’t have to fix separate meals for their friends that’s crazy , tell them to bring their own food then ,it’s good enough for your kids , this is what your eatting .Your being nice even making them anything to begin with .Don’t make the friends separate food , your teaching your kids to be picky too, they’ll wonder why their freinds get to pick and choose, that’s not fair to your kids.
Danica M - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Sometimes this can be a very difficult situation. If you are comfortable, you could talk to the child’s mother if you know the child will be staying for dinner. Find out at least one thing that child likes and be sure to make some.
What I do is ask my child as well as their guest what they want for dinner that night (I usually give them 3 options). My kids don’t have friends over for dinner often so I don’t mind making a special meal that night so that everyone can enjoy themselves.
Lost Soul - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Order a pizza..
All kids like pizza
mgnavadomskis - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
I think that I would treat them the same way that I would treat any other guest who was eating at my house. I would ask them, before I cooked, how they felt about the meal being prepared & adjust accordingly.
Mommy To 5 - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
I will usually offer them something else. Of course, we do have a chef, but…
I would offer them something that doesn’t require much preparation like toast, frozen waffles, cereal. If they are going home right after dinner, let them eat at home.
Mary A - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
What you do with your own children is fine(I don’t cook different meals for mine either!) But when my kids have friends over I usually ask the parents before they come if there is anything special they will or won’t eat. They are a guest,and you should try to make them comfortable. That being said I wouldn’t leave the house to get them fast food at dinner time!
Dirty_Pirate_Hooker13 - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
Well, my daughter is only 5, but she has a little friend who comes over a lot and she is a VERY picky eater. I always tell her parents to make sure she eats whatever they want her to before she comes over. When I make dinner, if she won’t eat it, I apologize and don’t offer anything else.
Since the other girls are older, I would tell them before they come over what you are making for dinner and let them know that is all you will be making.
I think it’s fair for you to do that. You don’t want to set a bad example for your kids.
smwat03 - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
I am a really picky eater, and my moms rules was if I did not like it, ohwell. I had to at least try it. And she never made anything special for me. So most of the time I would eat fruit and salad. And whatever side dish they were having with there dinner. When we were that young, our friends could not stay over for dinner either, unless we were having them spend the night, and when that happend we would have pizza or something like that. When I went to friends houses and they made something I did not like, I would always take a little bit of whatever, and whatever the side was and at least try it. When they would ask why I did not eat much, I would tell them that I was not that hungry. I dont believe in making two different dinners just because you have a picky eather. Maybe dont have their friends eat over that often.
Ella W - said
January 11 2011 @ 05:58
This situation is always a burden on parents. What I would do would be know that when those kids were over, you need to lower your expectations on health and make something simple like pasta or chicken nuggets. Perhaps make a healthy sauce for the pasta that you can give your kids or put vegetables or something else healthy on the side. Also, you can go to the grocery store and pick up "PERDUE" chicken nuggets. They are pre-cooked so all you have to do is stick them in the microwave for a minute. Kids adore them!