I thought I'd start a new thread from the one below which was mostly based on getting along with your friend's kids.

My son has one friend, 17..he is very spoiled/picky. He only eats take out...when my son invites him for a sleepover, he will not eat things most other boys his age love ( mac and cheese, hot dogs, fries...etc )...His mom raised him on take out so he is used to it.

My nephew I believe has sensory issues with food. He is 12 and ONLY eats cheese pizza or fries . EVERY meal, for the past 6 years or so..the parents have spoke with drs and every thing else..nothing works.

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Live, Love, Laugh

I honestly can't think of one of the boys friends that has been picky. Maybe they were just polite about it and ate what I made!

I know there were a few times I've made fish and wasn't sure if they'd eat it, so I made either burgers or chicken strips as an extra.

When my ds & dd were in highschool about 5 or 6 yrs ago, they went thru a phase because some of their friends were vegetarians. I went along with it to an extent, some days cooking only veggie dinners. We did find some great meals, one is for a sage butter ravioli that is so good and I still fix quite often.

I don't think being a picky eater is a big deal. After dealing with my oldest DS who is autistic I just don't care ( he has texture issues with food). There are other bigger things to worry about. Several of my younger kids are now also picky eaters. When they go to others houses, I either feed them, and or send them with snacks if the family doesn't have anything they would eat. I also send enough for everyone. Try telling a toddler, brother gets to eat something different because he's autistic.......they just want what he has. Kids form many tastes from what they are surrounded with. I know once I was on my own, some things I was forced to eat have never entered my home, and other things I have never had have become favorites.

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Nicole

I agree. I have never seen any harm in handing my kids a p.b. sandwich and an apple if they hate what I have cooked. If my daughter hates the tase of roast, she doe snot have to eat it. Plain as that. It is not because she has no manners....it is because she hates roast!

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon

I don't care if kids are picky eaters. I feed them what they want (within reason) and not worry about it. I do occasionally force them to try new veggies or fruit. Since my ds is in feeding therapy, I'm not going to make more issues with eating.

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

I'm also a mother of an autistic son. My son has MANY texture disorders and if I made him eat every single thing I cooked or didn't offer something different he wouldn't be alive today. I believe this is one of those pick your battle issues. Children form many likes and dislikes for food. As long as they are eating something healthy I don't see a big deal in it. It doesn't mean they don't have manners ( Sorry I don't even know someone can even compare a food dislike with manners to start with ). I know for me as a child I wouldn't touch anything that had 1 speckle of pepper in it. No way, shape, form of fashion was I going to eat it. My mom cooked as she wanted and if I didn't eat it I fixed or was offered something I would eat.. Didn't mean I was catered to only meant my mom cooked the things they ( family ) enjoyed and I ate what I enjoyed if I dislike supper that night. I find it very cruel to make a child eat something they dislike. I have always wondered what the adult would do if they were FORCED to eat foods they dislike . I have never ever met 1 single person that liked every single food or drink items. I have wanted so many times when i hear about adults forcing children to eat all their meals whether or not the child liked it or not, I have wanted to fix WORMS or CRICKETS and tell that adult Hey this is whats for dinner tonight ENJOY !!. Wonder how long they would sit there till its all gone .. However
in my home I don't cook many meals with things I know for a fact my kids will not touch but, my kids are good eaters and usually this is not a huge issue with us. On that same hand I also cook meals I completely don't like nor eat because my family does enjoy it I just fix me something different.

I agree.....one of my children turned out to be a picky eater and believe me I did not 'raise' her to dislike foods such as pork or steak...she just dislikes them. So if we're having steak she can make a sandwich, soup, etc. Not a big deal.

ITA that disliking the taste of steak, isn't bad manners...now IF dd the picky eater, whined and complained and carried on about it and demanded a pizza instead, then that would be bad manners. I think maybe that's what other posters are complaining about when they say picky eaters get on their nerves. Just disliking a food, is certainly not something that should offend a stranger, right?

I fix dinner. They have to try it if it's something they haven't had before (I don't force 2 big bites like my parents did), it can be a small bite. If they don't like it, they don't have to eat it - but I won't make another meal - they make pbj or whatever they want.

My dds are 12 & 15 now. Sometimes they will try something and hate it and choose to make something else. Sometimes, they try it and it's not their favorite, but they'll eat it. Sometimes they find they actually like it.

I used to think they were picky. But they're really not. They may be hesitant to try something, which frustrates me a little, but they're really pretty good.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

I read someone saying something about they taught their kids to eat what they were offered at some one elses home, because it was the polite thing to do....that is what I do not agree with. The polite thing to do is say "No thank you".

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"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream."

John Lennon