Getting your kids to eat!

I think one of the hardest things about parenting is providing your kids with food..... like it's not hard enough already trying to figure out what it is that you want for dinner and then actually cooking it. Only to have your children scrunch their face up at it or try and feed it to the dog. Let's be totally honest if it's junk food or food filled with sugar they'll eat their hearts out until content as soon as it's an actual meal, they're looking at you in confusion at what it is that you have prepared them.

For dinner tonight I cooked a beautiful beef stir fry with a nice cut of meat as my wife tends to get a bit funny if I use gravy beef or some other form of beef, she likes the meat tender and as all husbands know its women that run the house. Happy wife equals happy life 🤣

But when it came time to feed the kids they looked at the meal quite puzzled and refused to eat it mixed I had to do the "deconstructed" meal. I'm not sure if you have the same phenomenona occuring but in Australia we have a term called Hipster I'd recommend googling it for a laugh. But in essence Hipsters have an odd deconstructed approach to many things such as coffee where they will order say a chai latte and they won't just have it all mixed. No it is delivered to their table in parts. Such as a canister of coffee, milk and whatever else goes into a chai latte. I can't help but scorn my kids are becoming hipsters.

And because lil bloke had his deconstructed little miss had to have hers deconstructed too! Like my night wasn't already filled with that rush hour of finish work, cook dinner, bath the kids etc. Dinner seems to be a battle ground these days.

But despite little blokes resistance at presentation of tonight's meal he actually really enjoyed it, even if it took me a good 30 minutes to convince him to try it!

I know deconstructed meals can be quite challenging to prepare but I often find myself doing this especially for little bloke whose teeth are still coming through. As he hasn't got a full set of teeth yet some things are hard for him to chew so require me to cut them up smaller as if they are pre chewed for him.

I find doing this also supports him eating more food as he can easily consume it. It is far better than baby food but does provide a challenge with meats which I end up cutting up finely. Otherwise he is stuck eating things like potatoes and pumpkin and softer foods. Iron and protein is an important component of one's diet and aids in muscle developelment and brain function so I go the little extra at dinner time with him.

Unfortunately, little miss too is now wanting me to prepare her food the same as lil blokes as she doesn't find it "fair" despite her having a full set of teeth 😬

So how was tonight's meal? Delicious.

I'll give you a hint when making stir fries with beef for the sauce just use two table spoons of oyster sauce, one table spoon soy sauce, half a table spoon Worcestershire Sauce and a table spoon of butter (real butter not margarine).

Once everything is cooked throw your sauce in and stir to coat and let simmer a little to soak it all up. Then add your noodles and stir again. Serve hot.

Can never go wrong and it's a family favourite!

What are some of the ways you get your kids to eat?