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Thank you for this thread. I waver between burnt out cook and feed yourself often. On weeks where I ask everyone for favorite meals, things go so much smoother. I write down 2-3 meals per kid and shop with the list in hand. Our meals are spaghetti, fish, chicken and rice, anything BBQ, sloppy joes, tacos/burritoes, soups I make from scratch, enchiladas, breakfast for dinner(pancakes, eggs) pizza and take out. I definately believe the whining child who can't find something to eat is also asking for some focused attention. I have one who constantly whines over food when she needs one-on-one with me. Helping her make meals she likes satisfies her need for connection with me.She says she wants me to make it for her and when I do she is partial satiated. When we both dive into the cupboards, explore the potential and create something truly yummy for her she glows.We always put carrots, english peas, bread on the table and the fruit bowl is full. Ceral is always available, or toast.

We have played resturant with a simple menu to order from to clear out left overs. I do ask the kids to be polite about refusing my cooking. A simple no thank you or I'll make my self tuna is much easier to stomach than chicken and rice gross mom, why do you always cook what he wants. I enjoy cooking large quanities that freeze up or turn into other meals. My son can't be home when we cook beans, olfactory overload. I actually like knowing the little things that make my kids happy, like no crust on Ashley's sandwich, or 1/2 of sandwich for Riley. I feel these are the benefits of being lucky enough to be home with our kids.

I can relate to the blandness of cooking the same meals over and over. I tend to make a lunch salad for myself with exotic ingredients which satisfies my need for yummy food and I don't have the pressure of providing 5 people dinner.

The girls must know what I am writing about, they both just chimed in with a pleasant I'm hungry. Off to the pantry,

Mary

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], mfhickman@c... wrote:

>>I have one who constantly whines over food when she needs one-on-one with me.
Helping her make meals she likes satisfies her need for connection with me.She says she
wants me to make it for her and when I do she is partial satiated. When we both dive into
the cupboards, explore the potential and create something truly yummy for her she
glows.We always put carrots, english peas, bread on the table and the fruit bowl is full.
Ceral is always available, or toast.

Thank you for this reminder! I will have to keep that in mind when someone asks for food
- is it food for the stomach or soul food that he is really wanting?


>
> We have played resturant with a simple menu to order from to clear out left overs. I do
ask the kids to be polite about refusing my cooking. A simple no thank you or I'll make
my self tuna is much easier to stomach than chicken and rice gross mom, why do you
always cook what he wants.

Love this idea and agree with the idea of a simple no thank you.


>> I actually like knowing the little things that make my kids happy, like no crust on
Ashley's sandwich, or 1/2 of sandwich for Riley. I feel these are the benefits of being lucky
enough to be home with our kids.

I feel this way too. It's not that I resent cooking. It's that I hate not being able to please
everyone often enough and still have tasty meals that I'll eat too.

I gathered the crew together this a.m. and asked for five meals a piece thay they will eat.
Each one gave me 11! And there were meals on there I had forgotten about.

I had them list snack foods and lunch ideas as well. I now have a much better shopping
list. I discovered that if I buy egg bagels, only one child will eat them. But if I buy blueberry
bagels, everyone will eat them. I hadn't known that!

We also discussed the idea of keeping beans and rice available any time there is a meal
they don't like so they can "help themselves" when the meal is a disappointment to them.
They liked this idea.

> I can relate to the blandness of cooking the same meals over and over. I tend to make a
lunch salad for myself with exotic ingredients which satisfies my need for yummy food and
I don't have the pressure of providing 5 people dinner.

I am not intentional enoug about lunch for me. That's a gret idea to use lunch as my
"ymummy food" time.

Thanks for all the great ideas and reminders in this post.

Julie B

catherine aceto

If you dont' have one, you might think about getting an electric rice cooker. I have one that I got for a wedding present nearly 10 years ago - I use it at least 4x/ week and it is still going strong. The instructions say you can't cook brown rice in it, but I do anyway and it turns out fine. Put in the rice,put in the water, turn it on - it turns itself onto "warm" when the rice is done.

Anyway, if you had a rice maker and could throw some beans into the crockpot in the morning, the beans/rice back-up meal would practically cook itself.

-Cat

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Julie Bogart

--- In [email protected], "catherine aceto" <aceto3@v...> wrote:
> If you dont' have one, you might think about getting an electric rice cooker. I have one
that I got for a wedding present nearly 10 years ago - I use it at least 4x/ week and it is
still going strong. The instructions say you can't cook brown rice in it, but I do anyway
and it turns out fine. Put in the rice,put in the water, turn it on - it turns itself onto "warm"
when the rice is done.
>
> Anyway, if you had a rice maker and could throw some beans into the crockpot in the
morning, the beans/rice back-up meal would practically cook itself.
>
> -Cat

Way ahead of you Cat. <g>

I have always had a rice cooker too and can't imagine life without it. Good idea throwing
the beans in with the rice! Hadn't thought of that.

You all have so inspired me!

Julie B

[email protected]

<< I have always had a rice cooker too and can't imagine life without it.
Good idea throwing

the beans in with the rice! Hadn't thought of that. >>

That won't work.

The suggestion was beans in the crockpot (not with rice).

We just got a rice cooker lately and LOVE it.

Sandra