# One family, multiple meals? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 12, 2024, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614 "2024-08-12T13:06:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/21 "2024-08-13T16:35:18Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > I have to admit that I am part of the problem. I really don’t like low-carb veggie food. I need my pasta and sausage! This is where the searching comes in. Something like black bean chili may be (sort of) low carb and even low fat, until you add corn chips, sour cream, and cheese (or just turn it Cincinnati), but those are all additions, and don’t change the acceptability of the chili to a health conscious vegetarian. Kids are of course much more difficult, and sometimes that just means having dino nuggets in the toaster oven while you make the real food. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/22 "2024-08-13T16:40:45Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > Forcing your kids to eat something makes it less likely, not more, that they’ll want to eat in when grown, folks! > > I dunno. My mom was always pretty good about keeping her liver and onions with bacon to herself, once we ten kids had ascertained to our satisfaction that calve’s liver is NOT made of food. I still won’t touch the stuff. Do you think you’d happily eat it now if she’d forced you to eat it then? I didn’t say that not making children eat something guaranteed they’d eat it when grown. I only said it improves the chances. ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/23 "2024-08-13T17:12:41Z")
Picky kids can be extremely difficult. I know for my kid “I don’t like it” means, probably in order of likelihood: 1. I’m hoping if I refuse this you’ll let me go eat some high sugar food instead 2. Though this is something I’ve eaten before, it’s not what I want right now 3. If I go away, maybe a more preferred food will show up later 4. I’m not hungry 5. I’m angry you took me away from what I was doing, so I’m just going to be obstinate about eating 6. I’ve gotten too hungry and am angry at the world about it, and am going to take it out on you by refusing to eat 7. I don’t recognize this 8. I don’t actually like this For someone like my kid, “forcing” can work, because they’re usually not repelled by the food, but just view “dinner” as the start of a negotiation. Sometimes though, kids are picky eaters for any of a variety of reasons which have absolutely nothing to do with manipulating you to release the cookies. In these cases forcing isn’t going to help, and will probably make things worse. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/24 "2024-08-13T17:18:30Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > So I am curious about what happens in other households with very different food preferences. > > Is multiple different meals common? Were I in that type of situation, I definitely wouldn’t spend 2 hours in the kitchen every night preparing 4 or 5 different types of meals. I’d prepare one and, if that wasn’t satisfactory, it would be “self service”. I’m wondering how many other people feel the same way. ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/25 "2024-08-13T17:34:52Z")
My family was like that. Everyone had different eating habits. My mother could eat almost anything; she was raised that way. She grew up in the 1950s in Yugoslavia, where, as part of the socialist economy, at one time good meat was sent to Albania or so I’m told, so there was a shortage of it. They ate a lot of entrails, probably also dairy products, and she had strict parents—there was no discussion about what would be eaten in their household. My father, on the other hand, grew up also in Jugoslavia, in a relatively poor family by the sea; his father, who was on a disability pension was always bringing home all kinds of fish , and my father developed a dislike for fish. He prefers vegetarian meals and strictly avoids eating any fish, seafood, poultry, or entrails. So it was hard to satisfy everyone. Growing up, once I tried food from outside the home, I liked it more, and longed for “Canadian” food instead of what was prepared at home. Eventually, everyone was somehow making do and eating what they were able, and then my mother ended up being allergic to odors, so no one was cooking anymore for a long time. In this way, I developed a penchant for eating outside the home. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/26 "2024-08-13T17:41:01Z")
It was somewhat like that when I was growing up. I was a picky eater, so my mother would make part of the meatloaf without onions, etc., while my stepfather grumbled about her having to “run a short-order house”. I didn’t allow my own kids to dictate what was served. They liked most things, but if there was something they didn’t want, then they were welcome to find something else. ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/27 "2024-08-13T17:42:40Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I’d prepare one and, if that wasn’t satisfactory, it would be “self service”. I’m wondering how many other people feel the same way. We swore we were going to be like this when we had our first kid. After a year or two of fighting with a picky eater, we decided to give up. If he wanted to eat pasta and fruit for every meal, then so be it. Once we gave up on fighting him about it, it was probably 2 years before he started to want to explore more foods. Now (early teens) he eats pretty much everything except fish. I’m not saying that people shouldn’t have a line in the sand, just that for us, it wasn’t a battle we were willing to keep fighting, and it turned out fine in the end. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/28 "2024-08-13T18:33:50Z")
> [@mjmartin](#): > > it wasn’t a battle we were willing to keep fighting, and it turned out fine in the end. Well, in that case and as a self-appointed judge, I’m announcing you as the winner. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/29 "2024-08-13T18:58:11Z")
> [@Orville\_mogul](#): > > So that means on a typical night our family of four is eating three different meals. To me this seems rather inefficient. Not necessarily. Plenty of kitchens have more than one dish per meal. Whatever you’re making for the kids, that can be your main course and the vegetarian meal a side dish. Or if the kids are having i.e. Mac & cheese it could go the other way around. Another trick is to prep meals in advance and/or regularly incorporate leftovers. So Monday & Thursday you could make four or five salad kits, Saturday you could do a whole rack of ribs, Wednesday roast a whole chicken. Then the actual consumption of the food is spread out over the week but you don’t have to do all the prep & cleaning each day. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/30 "2024-08-13T18:58:43Z")
Does my 6 yo granddaughter live with you? Good grief that list is her SOP. She’s eaten more boiled hotdogs than any kid I’ve ever met(she doesn’t like hotdog buns). When she really melts down she goes without. The pediatrician told them about 4 years ago she would not starve herself. Not to let her graze on snacks all day. Make her sit at the table whether she ate or not. Don’t actively punish her for not eating. Just ignore her protesting and carry on. It’s been a maddening process for Mom and Dad. With no real pay off. She is still fighting it. I hate it. I’ve tried in my Nana way, to compel her to try things. Not much success. That girlie is a hard case. She’s the one cog in the very big wheel that always causes problems, about almost everything. (Snack time is strictly enforced. I’m on a regular as clockwork of eating. My snacks are small meals. The kids follow my snack times altho’ they eat a small treat say cookies and milk. No snack grazing going on here) ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/31 "2024-08-13T19:12:26Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > For someone like my kid, “forcing” can work, because they’re usually not repelled by the food, but just view “dinner” as the start of a negotiation. > > Sometimes though, kids are picky eaters for any of a variety of reasons which have absolutely nothing to do with manipulating you to release the cookies. In these cases forcing isn’t going to help, and will probably make things worse. The trick is in telling the difference. By the time I came along (maybe before, but I don’t know), my mother was quite good at this. (I think my father was just going along with her decisions in this area. I might be wrong. It’s way too late to ask them.) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/32 "2024-08-13T19:25:11Z")
Daughter #1 is a strict vegan; Daughter #2 is a strict vegan who doesn’t like vegetables; I’m an obligate carnivore. Welcome to dinner at our house, where mealtime is like a trip to Bizarroland—where tofu meets its natural predator. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/33 "2024-08-13T19:47:07Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > strict vegan who doesn’t like vegetables What’s left? ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/34 "2024-08-13T19:59:40Z")
Sawdust. Processed plant-based foods that don’t taste like vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/35 "2024-08-13T20:17:13Z")
Isn’t vegetable the whole point of _vegan_. Why is she a strict Vegan, at all? I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/36 "2024-08-13T20:25:54Z")
The point of vegan is no animal products. There are many foods that don’t contain animal products but are not considered vegetables. Fruits, beans and tofu are generally not considered vegetables, same for bread, noodles and rice. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/37 "2024-08-13T20:29:48Z")
I’m pescatarian, my husband is not, and we have a 4 year old. Mostly we either make a veggie or fish meal, or make the same meal with real meat in one pan and fake in another, eg sausages to have with mash, or chicken for fajitas. It helps that my husband likes quorn mince. Our daughter either has a subset of what we’re having, or if it’s a pasta dish she asks for plain pasta with butter, or occasionally we make her something separate if we know there’s nothing she’ll eat. My husband (and daughter) sometimes have some ready-to-eat meat (usually kabanos) on the side if it’s a veggie meal. We also often prepare enough for a couple of meals (at least the sides). Staggering meal prep is a good suggestion; one can be eating leftovers while the other cooks, and vice versa. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/38 "2024-08-13T20:48:03Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Isn’t vegetable the whole point of _vegan_. I used to be the stereotypical vegetarian who doesn’t eat vegetables. People usually become vegan to avoid causing animal suffering or help the environment, but it doesn’t magically make you love broccoli. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/39 "2024-08-13T21:39:33Z")
She’s an extreme animal lover. I am too, and just kidding about being an obligate carnivore. Our 5 cats are, however. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614/40 "2024-08-13T22:56:35Z")
> [@echoreply](#): > > Picky kids can be extremely difficult. But are they made or born? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/one-family-multiple-meals/1005614.md?page=3)