During the course of one week, what is a typical dinnertime menu for you and your preschoolers?

Question

Just wondering what others feed their young children. Mine don't seem to like anything I make except a couple meals. This week, we did 2 chicken dishes (liked), pork loin w/potatoes and veg (hated), tri-tip with rice/veg (hated), chicken-pot-pie (hated).

Answer 1

I'm fortunate in that my little boy eats without question what is put in front of him. He's 16 months old. I don't like processed food and we don't eat fast food at all if we can help it.  I use a blend of organic and other things that I keep in my freezer, pantry or fridge to create dinners that are healthy and yummy. My niece who is the pickiest eater on the face of the earth with new foods will even tell you I'm a good cook.  Typical dinners at my house for me, my son and my husband include things like:

* pot roast with root vegetables and cornbread (I cook my pot roast in the slow cooker to prevent the house from heating up. I can use leftovers to make shredded BBQ beef sandwiches)

* stuffed porkchops with rice and steamed veggies

* fried chicken with corn, biscuits and twice baked mashed potatoes

* grilled chicken nachos (I grill chicken and cut into bite size chunks. Then I warm my corn chips and add shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, sourcream, shredded cheese, onion to it. I serve guac on the side with black beans and rice)

* roasted red pepper soup with salad

* roasted pork loin with broccoli (sometimes with a little cheese sauce, mostly with some seasoning salt), rice or mashed potatoes

* Chicken parmagian and salad

* marzetti pasta (medium wide egg noodles with pasta sauce, seasoned ground beef with onion and lowfat mozzerella cheese on the side for sprinkling on top) with garden salad and bread

* chilled pasta salad with garlic bread

* cornbread and chili

* roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and roasted vegetables

* BLT's  (a busy day dinner that everyone loves and that is a special treat now and again)

* mexi melts or soft tacos (home made with lean meat and veggies not from a take out window)

* short ribs with coleslaw, bread and corn on the cob

* pan burritos or enchilladas served with corn chips, rice and salsa (made from scratch, not from a jar)

* steak with stuffed baked potatoes (or roasted potatoes) and salad.  If I get corn that is in season and good I'll do corn on the cob with it too.

Answer 2

I try my hardest to get my kids to eat all the things they are supposed to, I have a 5,2, and 1 year old.  I cook full meals everynight but they would definitely prefer peanut butter and jelly, noodles, or hot dogs.  So I try to throw in some veggies with whatever I can get them to eat, and call it a meal lol. Good Luck

Answer 3

lets see....monday they had,meat loaf and  mashed potatoes,yesterday I wasn't in the mood to cook to I cooked a frozen lasagna I cooked last week and froze the left overs,and tonight I reinvented the meatloaf in a chili....my children like most things I cook...I count myself lucky,they eat about anything....but my rule is you eat what I put in front of you or you don't eat,but I don't do it on purpose to serve what they hate...I learned there is a difference between I hate this meal and I just don't feel like eating it.....my children are 3 and 6 yrs....

Answer 4

My children are 2 and 3, we usually eat the same as the children, this week (which has been fairly typical) we had

Monday: pork chops, baked potato, cauliflower and peas (they won't eat potato, but I keep trying!)

Tuesday: Salmon, pasta, broccoli, parsley sauce (Salmon is always a favorite and they love pasta)

Today:  Turkey sausages, pasta, corn on the cob, baby carrots

Tomorrow we'll have chicken jambalaya which I won't put any spice in until I've taken their's out. They'll eat a bit of that, but like one other answerer said, they prefer separate foods rather than a casserole type)

Friday we eat after the children go to bed (date night at home) so I'll probably make them a tuna, pasta and sweetcorn in a cheese sauce, we'll have take-out Indian meal and I can't wait!!

We may go out to eat on Saturday and often do a roast chicken on Sunday.

I try to make sure there is something in each meal that everyone will eat. I used to make a lot more casserole type meals before we had the children.

Answer 5

I go to "Whole Foods" or any Nutrition type store, buy some "Amy's" brand soups, they are delicious, and very healthy.  She also makes frozen Pizza, with no artificial ingredients and great burritos.  The Amy's company makes great frozen dinners, all of them are "natural." better than any fast food, tastes like homemade.

You can buy the pizza's and burritos at Safeway or any Supermarket...

Answer 6

I have 2 boys, 4.5 and 2.5. So far this week, we've eaten roast chicken with cauliflower, carrots, and green beans, chicken soup with cabbage and rice, steak with broccoli, salad, and potato chips. They ate pretty well everything, although I was surprised to see them eat a lot of steak tonight. Normally they aren't that big on red meat- they prefer tofu, which I think is odd, but maybe they find it easier to chew.

Overall, I find that they prefer meals with separate elements rather than casseroles, but I'm pretty lucky in that they eat most things (the trade-off was that they didn't sleep through the night until an age that I'm ashamed to mention).  

Answer 7

Let's see

Spaghetti noodles with pat of butter and mushrooms- peas and some bread (loved)

Tuna fish sandwich and Mrs Grass Chicken Noodle Soup (loved)

Chowmein, inside of potstickers, mushroom chicken, mixed veggies (loved)

Bow tie pasta and cauliflower (didn't like)

bean and cheese burrito (loved)

My Daughter is over 6 years old and likes all her food seperate and plain. She also really doesn't eat a huge amount and very tiny.