Suppers – When It’s Not Worth The Fuss

We have a 3 year old in our house and she is PRETTY certain about how things should go in life. Your’s too?

Mazy has always been a bit of a picky eater (what child isn’t to some extent) and I remember trying and trying different foods, wishing and wishing that she would like SOMETHING new. And…she didn’t. I remember going to one of Mazy’s well-child appointments when she was younger, and the doctor asking how her eating habits were. Well, I wasn’t quite sure what to say because did that mean habits of only liking chicken nuggets, mac ‘n cheese, and hot dogs? Did that consist of a “habit”? I was so sheepish to say that she was picky and I’ve tried and tried different foods, with no luck. But then my doctor said the most encouraging words…”she’ll get there…”

And you know what? She was right. I spent months worrying that Mazy was going to be the unhealthiest child because she didn’t eat her veggies. I mean NONE. And really to this day, she doesn’t eat any veggies accept fries – wait that counts as a veggie, right :)?

In all seriousness though, Mazy is getting there. She will at least eat meat now so I can do ham and cheese sandwiches, she likes pb&js, apples, strawberries, pasta, yogurt, and basically high carbed food. But she is expanding her food loves and I couldn’t be more happy! Just don’t ask me about vegetables quite yet.

But one thing I want to get at is that sometimes it’s JUST NOT WORTH THE FUSS. I know that some may disagree with me on this, but one thing I’ve learned with Mazy is that if she straight up doesn’t like a food, she doesn’t like it. I can’t force her to like it. I know there are picky adult eaters out there and I wonder if we forced them to eat the foods they don’t like, what would their response be? So why do we do that with kids?

Our rule at the Sterk household is to at least TRY it. If you tried it and you don’t like it, well, so be it. But at least TRY it. And thankfully Mazy has learned that skill – for the most part; unless I make something and I know she isn’t going to like it. For instance, she is like her mother and doesn’t like anything with much spice. I can handle a little, but anything with spice she will pass on and I’m just fine with that.

Do I make some suppers separate for her? Absolutely I do, with no guilt. Shrimp? She’s not going to like it. She’s licked it and that was it. Peanut butter and jelly for her! Or her classic cheese melted on a slice of bread. Call me lazy, but she LOVES that, and it’s much easier than grilled cheese, so yup, indeed, I stick a slice of cheese on a slice of bread and melt it. It’s GREAT.

My thought is that God made all of our taste buds differently and if it’s tried and not liked, well, so be it. Just not worth the fuss in my book!

How about you? What were/are your supper rules?