Fussy eaters

StarSong said:
At my children's elementary school there was a tradition of a Greek Olympics type of all-day event for the 6th graders, the culmination of months of study about ancient civilizations. They had all kinds of fun competitions: mathematics, games, physical contests, costumes (they wore togas), etc. It was a very big deal - a perk for being in their final year of elementary grades.

When my twin boys reached that milestone, I was on the festival's food committee. The other mothers and both teachers insisted on a "Greek" including tzatziki, something with lamb, rice with lemon and parsley, and I forget what all else. I said, "No way my boys will eat that." The other mothers were aghast at my children's limited palates and poor sense of culinary adventure. I was equally shocked at their 11 year old children's willingness to eat strange foods, but stood my ground. My position was that this day was supposed to be fun for the kids - why not give them foods they'll enjoy. I was outvoted by a landslide.

Parents paid in advance for their children's food, and could also buy meals for themselves if they were attending that day. I bought a meal for myself and said that just before lunch was being served I'd duck down the street to a nearby Carl's Junior for burgers & fries for my kids. Can't tell you the withering looks I got from the parents and teachers that day.

Long story a bit shortened: My kids were virtually the only ones who ate lunch. I've never seen so much wasted food. Kids wouldn't even touch the rice because it "had stuff in it."

My boys shared some of their lunches with their besties, but obviously I hadn't bought enough burgers & fries to feed 50 kids. Can't tell you how many mothers came up to me that day with regrets for not having rebelled along with me. My guess is that most of those kids (now early 30s) would happily eat somewhat unfamiliar food today. But at 11? No freaking way, Jose.

BTW, it wasn't the first or last time I fought the (school) law and the law didn't win.
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Even pizza would have been a more popular choice. My daughter's school used to have a "Pizza Day" which was very popular. Even though their slice would be cold by the time they had it, they didn't care.
 

Pinky said:
Even pizza would have been a more popular choice. My daughter's school used to have a "Pizza Day" which was very popular. Even though their slice would be cold by the time they had it, they didn't care.
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Absolutely agree. Most kids chose going without lunch over even tasting it. The ones who did taste it, didn't like it. Ridiculous, and completely foreseeable.
 

I think Mother Nature protects us as children when we don't like something or even go as far to detest it. As you become more mature you can handle more exotic foods. There must be something in the food that turns us off. A chemical perhaps.

Children prefer bland diets when growing up.

Notice a burger with everything on that an adult eats.
Kids scrape everything off.
 
Camper6 said:
I think Mother Nature protects us as children when we don't like something or even go as far to detest it. As you become more mature you can handle more exotic foods. There must be something in the food that turns us off. A chemical perhaps.

Children prefer bland diets when growing up.

Notice a burger with everything on that an adult eats.
Kids scrape everything off.
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I have read that cravings are the body needing some nutrient that it's not getting. Why pregnant women get weird cravings. I asked my vet once why dogs like to eat dried feces, he said they have magnesium and the dog craves it. Makes sense, but then why do humans crave destructive amounts of alcohol and smokes? Is that a different need than cravings?
 
Catlady said:
I have read that cravings are the body needing some nutrient that it's not getting. Why pregnant women get weird cravings. I asked my vet once why dogs like to eat dried feces, he said they have magnesium and the dog craves it. Makes sense, but then why do humans crave destructive amounts of alcohol and smokes? Is that a different need than cravings?
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That's another category. Addiction. The brain. Not really well understood.
 
I guess I'm picky too! (especially about meat) I'll only eat fish, poultry and beef and THAT has to be USDA choice. Guess it's a good thing I live alone! This is really strange since I'm from Montana where deer and elk hunting was so prevelant.
 
Gaer said:
I guess I'm picky too! (especially about meat) I'll only eat fish, poultry and beef and THAT has to be USDA choice. Guess it's a good thing I live alone! This is really strange since I'm from Montana where deer and elk hunting was so prevelant.
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I tried deer. It was very wild tasting. I couldn't get an affinity for it.
However Moose Meat, I like. It's almost like roast beef. Quite tender.
 
There are a few things I never tried despite my parents urging me to do so. One stands out above all others and that is pigs feet. Some years back some friends and I went to a Philippine buffet and after staring at the food on display we all walked out. I will try most anything but when I go to my China grocery store they have things I would not try for any reason.
 
Same here. Pigs feet. No way, no how. Was forced to sit at the darkened dinner table facing this pig's hoof on my plate for hours, until my mother finally gave up.
 
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Devi said:
Same here. Pigs feet. No way, no how. Was forced to sit at the darkened dinner table for hours, until my mother gave up.
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That is something I will never understand why mothers insist a certain food must be eaten. If you can't stand peas and you are forced to eat them you will bring them straight back up. Why don't fathers worry about it? You can survive for a long time just eating pizza. Or blubber. No vegetables grow in the North.
 
My parents didn't force their children to eat food we found unpalatable, nor did I do so with my children. My siblings and I eat a very wide range of food, as do my children. One grand will try nearly anything, the other (5 years old) mostly sticks to what's familiar to her.

A while back I read something that said children's palates and taste buds are more sensitive than adults', which may explain why we shun some things in our youth but enjoy them later on in life. It speculated that nature works hard to the species alive at least until after early reproductive years. (Familiar, bland or sweet items tend to be safe, bitter ones are more likely to be poisonous.)

So maybe there's a reason kids prefer mac & cheese to cow's tongue & collard greens.
 
We are hearty little critters. It's not like we are stuck on a wooden ship for most of the year, and the last time you ate a fruit was 19 months ago. And we have a varied diet. If the kid is happy, and growing within normal limits, why get all bent out of shape for his being a "picky" eater.
 
haha! When I was 13, a boy invited me over to his house for dinner. I was eating with him and his parents. His Mother said,"Do you like it? "Oh yes, The chicken is wonderful." She said, "It's not chicken, it's rabbit." my eyes got as big as saucers. "You mean a cute, little BUNNY RABBIT"?
I started crying at the table, in front of my first date! It's funny now, but tramatic when I was 13!
 
Gaer said:
haha! When I was 13, a boy invited me over to his house for dinner. I was eating with him and his parents. His Mother said,"Do you like it? "Oh yes, The chicken is wonderful." She said, "It's not chicken, it's rabbit." my eyes got as big as saucers. "You mean a cute, little BUNNY RABBIT"?
I started crying at the table, in front of my first date! It's funny now, but tramatic when I was 13!
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I would have been traumatized, too.
 
There is a fantastic Chinese buffet restaurant in Montreal, Canada. We heard about it, and it got great revues. Well, we went. The problem was that the foods were labeled in French, and Chinese - neither language I spoke. If you kind of don't know what stuff is.............it doesn't look that good. We ended up going to a McDonald's. That was 35 years ago. Much later, I was telling this story, when I was interrupted. "Why didn't you just ask what the foods were?"................................................... DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
One thing I can say about Chinese food, it's very "eclectic". They eat just about anything. I used to go to Chinese restaurants a LONG time ago.
 
Cilantro - it tastes like soap to me (Yes, I remember the taste of soap from my childhood!) My grandchild picked a Mexican place for her birthday meal. The only thing that didn't seem to have cilantro was guacamole. Surprise - it was in that, too! I used to make custom meals - now, I don't think I would be that obliging. Then again, I don't have to be anymore.
 

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