Eat The Food, Kid...

Sson doesn’t eat ANYTHING.

Well, that’s not totally accurate. He eats chicken nuggets (NOT chicken stars, fingers, or tenders), and he eats chicken sandwiches (but NOT from McDonalds and definitely not Burger King), he’ll eat corn (SOMETIMES), never broccoli or green beans (but he’ll eat collard greens at times, with no meat). He’ll eat spaghetti as long as the meat to spaghetti ratio is roughly 2:4, and not too saucy. No potatoes of any sort, only rice with chicken broth (no spices from the broth can be visible in his serving. No skin on chicken, only white meat, pork if it tastes like chicken….!@#&#)($&!)&)!#%&^!

Funny enough, he’s a less forgiving version of his father, who eats everything…as long as it’s prepared a certain way.

As I shared before, we only have Sson on weekends (during the school year, which then flips for Summertime and every other Spring Break), which works out for all involved because we tend to eat out more- it’s Pizza night on Fridays, we may have dinner and a movie Saturday, and we typically have lunch/brunch on Sundays after church-so he’s allowed moderately free reign with his meals, as most “kids meals” are a main course (pizza, chicken of some sort, burger + fruit or veggies + juice or milk). The problem comes when we have him during the week. I am not a restaurant, and I do not prepare separate meals.

Last week, we had Sson all week for his Spring Break, with Daughter joining us on Wednesday. Wednesday I made tacos, which Sson likes, but Thursday came and I had the great idea to make chicken sandwiches. I didn’t want to slave in the kitchen for very long, and wanted a no-fuss meal that everyone could enjoy. Went to the store, picked up Tyson brand chicken patties and King’s Hawaiian burger buns (cute, right?). I knew that everyone would want cheese (American for most, Gouda for myself), and that Daughter would want lettuce and no tomato, Hubby would want lettuce and tomato (as would I), and Sson would take a simple patty+cheese+bread with ketchup on the side (he doesn’t like ketchup on the bread because it absorbs). As a side, I steamed some baby Yukon golds and corn to round the meal out. Hubby and I peeled Sson’s potatoes, because the skins were imperfect and would surely turn him off if he noticed a blemish.

With pride, I placed everyone’s plates in their spots at the table. 45 minutes later, Sson says “daddy, I don’t really want these potatoes”. Hubby says “bud, you’re going to need to eat some of the potatoes”, As I get up to place my plate in the kitchen I notice: Sson’s been sitting there for 45 minutes, has eaten one bite of the chicken patty, all of the cheese, and half of the bun. The corn is gone, but the 3 pieces of potato I’ve placed on his plate remain right where they were placed. Cold.

I pick up his plate, say “OK, time’s up, go to bed. We’re not playing these games anymore”, and I turn his plate over into the trash as he gets up to go to bed.

Did I feel bad? Sorta. Was I fed up? Absolutely. I didn’t purchase those chicken patties for the other 75% of the household! We were all eating what could be sold as kids meals, and he didn’t even touch it?!? This is the way Hubby and I were both raised. This is the way Daughter’s been raised. A meal is prepared for the family, and either you eat it…or you don’t. Of course, there is some low (and I mean low) seated guilt—what if he doesn’t eat at all??? What if he’s malnourished at my hands??

So, here’s the thing: I don’t have an answer yet. Here’s what hubby and I are faced with:

-I refuse to make multiple meals to placate Sson.

-I refuse to make nutrient-deficient meals for the whole family to eat, simply because Sson has so many preferences.

-I want to do my part to foster healthy eating habits for Sson (because it’s unclear what’s going on at his other home).

Ideas? Recipes anyone? I want to embark on "Operation Healthy Sson"…if I can build a repertoire of main courses and sides that he’ll tolerate, I can plan meals that are healthy for the WHOLE family, and not repeat the chicken sandwich debacle!

Photo credit: Sheknows.com

Blessings,

U