Two things you might want to know about me:
1. I love food. All it takes is one look at me to know that I love food. And as the old joke goes "food loves me, too."
I love going out to eat. Fancy restaurants. Not so fancy restaurants. Mom and Pop places. As long as the food is good. And especially if the chef is inspired.
Unfortunately, our opportunities to go out to eat have been severely limited since having children, by both time and money.
2. I learned to cook and bake as a child. I've always preferred baking. Probably because I also like to lick the bowl. I've made fancy gingerbread houses and villages. I taught my self to decorate cakes. And I'm still in search of the perfect peanut butter cookie recipe.
When I married into a Jewish family I embraced their holidays and the importance of food attached to them. I learned to make chicken soup with matzoh balls, the ultimate brisket, and latkes, to name a few.
So knowing those two things you might assume that I love to feed my family.
Well, I have a secret to tell you.
Shhh...don't tell anyone.
Come a little closer.
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I HATE COOKING FOR MY CHILDREN!
OMG, but I hate cooking for my children. They are the biggest pains in the ass to cook for. So much so that I have stopped cooking for them almost entirely. I have lost all inspiration. We eat chicken nuggets, mac 'n cheese, hot dogs, PB&J and cereal 90% of the time.
And even when I have the time and actually put enough thought into an actual meal so that I've been to the market and have what I need to make it, I still hate cooking it. Because I know they probably won't eat it. Actually, there is a 98% chance Kiel won't even try it, and a 75% chance Noah will say he doesn't like it (even if he did two weeks ago). And if Noah won't eat it there is a 30% chance the result is going to be a meltdown with launching of food.
See why I hate cooking for my kids?
Tell me again why they need to eat every day?
This "uninspired" post was inspired by this month's From Left to Write book club selection, Lunch in Paris
. I was provided with a free copy of the book to participate in the book club, but I was not otherwise compensated for this post. 
. I was provided with a free copy of the book to participate in the book club, but I was not otherwise compensated for this post. 
Oh girl. You have got to find some inspiration. You cannot be eating hot dogs. a) That shi!t is nasty. And b) That sh!t will kill you.
ReplyDeleteStart small. Pasta (a NICE pasta) once a week, with a good salad. Risotto on the weekend, with a nice bottle of wine. The kids can still have cereal on pasta night and hot dogs on risotto night (because seriously, how long does it take to cook a hot dog?)
You DESERVE it.
Look on my blog in the "what's for dinner" page, I've got a bunch of good recipes stashed there.
xoxo
I feel the same way as you- at least about Hope. GB will eat almost anything. Hope eats dinner once every 12 or 13 days- no matter what is for dinner. At least 3 or 4 times a week, dinner is a real home cooked dinner. We let Hope play with her food for 15 minutes and then remove her from the table so everybody else can enjoy their dinner. At this point, Hope is NEVER served junk food after lunch- only healthy stuff, just so I don't have to worry when she doesn't eat again. Corey is right (surprise, surprise!) start slow- just one or two meals a week :)
ReplyDeleteIt is so hard to cook for children! I don't know that this will work for your little ones, but it's worth a try. I started feeding my daughter her meal in courses. Vegetables are first, then her protein, then her starch. I found that that eliminates her picking and choosing what she wants because she's not overwhelmed with choices. I wish I were one of those moms that didn't have to use gimmicks, but hey, whatever works, works! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteIt gets better.
ReplyDeletewe had food issues here for a while, then I ust started cooking what I liked, and if they didn't eat, they didn't eat. Kitchen closes at 8 and tough stuff if you're hungry, you had the opportunity to eat. Now, that being said, I know it won't work for every family, heck, it probably won't work for most families. And for the record, we do breakfast for dinner one night a week (Panacake Movie Night) and I cook mexican (all my kids love mexican) one night a week. All the other nights I cook what I like and they eat, or they don't (including the husband, who sometimes skips a meal).
ReplyDeletePs. I LOVE food~ baking, cooking, braising, whatevah! Food Netword TV is my favorite inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThe French have a great solution to this problem. You eat what's put in front of you. No seperate food for kids. Veggies and cheese from the day you're born (almost). I'm very thankful for this approach - and it has worked for us. My American friends and readers were shocked that my 20 month old son eats liver, and broccoli (possibly his fav food), and fish. I know this won't work for every family, every day (every once and a while, I feed my son raisins for dinner...), but it's worth a try - you certainly don't deserve to have your culinary efforts thrown back in your face! Bon Appetit!
ReplyDelete