MadDad’s mum doesn’t like mushrooms and tomatoes, neither does MadDad. When you ask him he puts it down to the fact that he had never tried them until he was older and he doesnt like the texture, he never learned to like them. In fact between me and MadDad we have quite a few food aversions, but we have always ensured that we try not to pass these on to our boys.
Growing up I didn’t like turnip, but was made to have a tea spoon each Sunday on my dinner and told to mix it with my carrot or potato and I was expected to eat it. Guess what I actually like turnip now. With regards to veg, both the boys will happily eat their way though the garden, to which I am so thankful and I put down to the fact that we grow a selection in the garden.
One of our aims for our children was to try and eat our meals together and to not pass on our food aversions to the boys. I thought we were doing pretty well with this, until I was sent some Salmon as part of my relationship with Fish is the dish. I then realised that the boys had never ever had salmon.
Before Christmas we were sent a fantastic selection of Youngs Seafood products including some of the Jamie Oliver range, which included salmon and polock fishcakes. I have to say that I am really am a big fan of frozen fish products and tend to use them instead of fast food. I often will grab fish fingers or fishcakes and cook them for the boys and serve with garden peas and a jacket potato or oven chips, when I am short of time or inspiration and the boys think it is a real treat. Both Mini and Maxi loved these fishcakes and asked me to buy more and it really got me thinking that I need to try and ensure that I do not influence the boys food dislikes.
OK, so I am not going to be cooking them salmon fillets on a regular basis, but this doesn’t mean that they will not be eating salmon every now and then.
I would love your hints and tips on how to stop this happening again and how you make sure that you do not pass on your food dislikes to your children.
I try like you not to pass on my dislikes but plain boiled potatoes I won’t eat neither will my children:) They eat potatoes in the shape of oven chips though, lots of greens and fruit but are not big meat eaters. I’m sure they’ll learn at some point. We don’t focus too much on food so it does not become an issue. As long as my children are healthy, happy with red cheecks I don’t think to much whether they eat meat or potatoes:)
It is hard not to pass your dislikes onto your children. We are pretty luck in that between hubby and I we pretty much like most things so we try to give them a wide range. Salmon and prawns are two of my boys favourites. It’s harder now with hubby on a gluten free diet, they want what daddy is having which isn’t always possible as a lot more expensive for 4 as opposed to 1. Milk and eggs are the only things I wish my boys had more in their diet but I have never eaten them. x
The only things I don’t like are marzipan and peppermint flavour so I’m not really bothered if DD doesn’r aquire these tastes. If I didn’t like tomatoes and muchrooms I’d be more concerned about it so I understand what you mean and think what you’re doing is important. It’s so difficult to be a finicky eater.
I bet if you tried my mother’s mushrooms grilled with feta cheese,lightly fried onions, tomatoes and oregano you’d be converted. Great to not put your own food preferences onto your children though. My husband is a pescetarian but is conscious to ensure O eats meat etc.
I definitely work hard not to pass on my aversions, and it’s not limited to foods. I try not to show my fear of spiders, for example. I want my kids to be as much of a blank canvas as possible.
I hate bananas, but it’s one of the twins’ favourite foods. I still don’t like banana, but it’s helped me stop being so silly about it. Before kids I couldn’t even stomach the smell or the touch of it, but now I’ve had to get over it if I want them to eat it.
I let Amy eat everything too. She’s only 10 months though and doesn’t notice that I skip fish meals or rice puddings or other milky dishes. I’ll have to come up with a plan when she’s a bit older though because I don’t want her to sit at the table saying “I’m not eating that. Mummy isn’t eating it either”
Youngling’s daddy (Doo) hates textures, fruit and vegetables. When we were together I had to cook 3 separate meals it was such a chore. Now I basically tell Youngling he has to eat what is in front of him (whether he leaves some on his plate or not) or he doesn’t get anything else. Generally speaking he is really good and will eat anything. I do sometimes find chopping the new vegetables or fruit quite small helps. That way he can’t see if I have something different to him. My biggest fear is passing on my dread of the dentist. eek xx