Help! Very fussy eater DGSs staying

Just give them any old junk they want-at least they're eating! It's a phase and won't harm despite what the chattering classes say....the thing is to always have the good stuff in the house (your favourites) so if curious they can have a nibble

I often used to do what I called a picky lunch with fresh crusty bread, different cheeses, jams, pickles, grapes , sausage rolls, small cocktail sausages and pate and that always went down well when mine were picky eaters. They re all adults now and will generally eat anything but I remember those days well

I now have my little grandson and he can be very picky and I just give him what I know he likes, “ what goes at grandmas stays at grandmas “ ?? my daughter is happy as long as he’s fed and getting the odd few healthy bits

My youngest used to live off garlic bread at one point and birds eye potato waffles

oh and those little fromage frais

If they like pasta or pizza, make a tomato sauce with lots of veggies added that will be 'hidden' when you blitz the sauce. I have a picky eater 10 year old gs too. As I don't have him here very often, I always ask my daughter for updates on what he will eat. It's a slow process but he's at least eating more than he was and is very active so must be healthy!

My granchildren eat whatever meal we are having. Often the parents say 'oh they wouldn't eat that at home'.
A little too much of what do you want I think. Here I get them to put their screeens down and help with meal prep . We sometimes chat about what we might have and shop for the ingredients or go down the garden and pick something. I know not everyone can and parents are busy with work etc but if memories of times here include prepping and eating great food it's not a bad thing for their little memory banks is it.?

I usually find they are more likely to eat things they have helped make

My youngest was very underweight & short in height, as born very prem.He had two dieticians, from 2 different hospitals, at same time, and all consultants etc said same thing, to give what he will eat, to gain him weight, as soon as he does he will shoot up in height, which he did, but for a long time he had a very picky diet indeed, and its only expanded a bit more by age 18, & he still won't eat veg, but he's happy with what he eats and not under or overweight.so thats the main thing.

All kids are different in their preferences, even twins!

Nannan2 I know I'm overthinking it! The boys do love a menu. Since I'm stuck at home recuperating I have lots of time to think up how to occupy the boys as well as feed them this weekend. It's unfortunate that DH is away competing otherwise we could go out and about. They're on their way...

My grandson, now 12, is a very fussy eater. When he and his sister were small I came across a box of vol au vent cases in the freezer and ' puff pies' were born! I cooked the 'puff pies' and the children filled them with macaroni cheese, baked beans or whatever. He still expects them when he comes to visit. The large ones work best.

sazz1

When I took in foster children and also when child minding I just cooked normal evening meals and sandwich lunches. Fresh meat/fish and veg etc. Just put dinner on the table and let them eat what they like. Really fussy children will eat when they are hungry. Always check for allergy though.

Not all really fussy children will eat when they are hungry. My DD would have ended up in hospital if we'd followed that advice. I know it works for the majority but it really doesn't work for all. As my GP used to say, "Give her chocolate, give her cake, give her anything she will eat and we'll worry about her teeth when her weight is normal."

I think we were very lucky as our family doctor had a daughter with the same issues, he told me he felt ashamed of how he had dealt with parents facing the problem before he experienced it with his own child.

Sloegin

My grandson, now 12, is a very fussy eater. When he and his sister were small I came across a box of vol au vent cases in the freezer and ' puff pies' were born! I cooked the 'puff pies' and the children filled them with macaroni cheese, baked beans or whatever. He still expects them when he comes to visit. The large ones work best.

It's wonderful when you find something a really picky eater enjoys. When my DD was very underweight we discovered she liked a rich fruit cake from a local bakery, no other cake just theirs. Anyway I was ordering one and explained to the owner, her husband did the baking, and they started making her a special cake every week, it had extra butter and eggs in. I think they liked being involved in her recovery and that cake was a very important part of her very limited diet.

I remember her first residential with school, teacher scoffed and said they all eat when they are away, all together, all hungry after a busy day, no snacks or mum making them something special. Two days in she phoned me desperate for advice on what to do to get her to eat anything.

Be guided by their mother and just give them what they will eat, don't worry, they will change eventually. Our granddaughter was terribly fussy and would only eat certain things but she is 22 now and eats almost anything. She came for a meal with us with her boyfriend on Wednesday and when I texted her to see what they like to eat she replied almost anything. Over the meal her boyfriend told us when they started living together last year she told him he had to eat vegetables and they have a very healthy diet. It made me regret all the worrying I did about her when she was younger.

Do they like pizza? Here is a recipe for an alternative which tastes better:

Put the required number of slices of bread in the toaster.

Chop up tomatoes, put them in a microwave dish and - almost - cook them in the microwave.

Add as much grated cheese as they like, and a few herbs etc.

Butter the toast and cut into triangles. Put the cheese and tomato on the toast and serve it. So much better than pizza and you know what goes into it. Not only that, but it is tastier and a lot cheaper. You can buy cheese already grated.

The menu plan worked a treat. They both found things they liked and ate lots. Phew. Just got to get them to bed now!

Yay well done. Good luck with the bedtime. I had one GC who was a dream to get to bed, the others not so much.

Aveline excellent! A success. Bed might be more of a challenge. Good luck

Grandmabatty

Aveline excellent! A success. Bed might be more of a challenge. Good luck

So true, best of luck

Boiled eggs and soldiers, roast chicken dinner, homemade soups.

Very difficult , if children are so fussy. In your position I would give them want they want , not worth the stress trying to encourage them to try new things .
Redhead 56 , I am intrigued with your pizza base made from Greek yogurt and Sr flour, will you explain how you make them please .

I have one of my grandsons staying over now. We're playing Fortnite. If he wants to eat, he eats. If he doesn't he doesn't!

Ready made Pizza bases. Range of things to add their own toppings, bake in oven according to pizza base instructions.

Try raw fruit and vegetables,. especially if you can make a rainbow out of them, and shapes...