Enjoying Thanksgiving Even With Picky Eaters


While Thanksgiving is really about being grateful for what we have, it's sometimes hard for kids to think this way during Thanksgiving dinner. What, with all that grown up food, obscure recipes and 'weird' stuffing auntie brings every year, kids and parents face some issues during the big feast.

Let's face it, not all of our tots and teens are going to like white meat, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce (yuck). But, in the meantime, we still need to be kind to who's making the dinner, polite at meal time, and nutrition is kind of important here...so what do we do? Because we know how stressful this can be.

Since I would think that you can't actually bring over an entire plate of 'special' food to Grandma's for your picky eater (F.Y.I.: I don't like white meat either so I'm considered 'picky' too) you could try these ideas:

-You could offer to bring a dish: Make it a recipe your child likes (a comfort of home-and a guaranteed few mouthfuls of nourishment which will not wind up being spit back out into a napkin).

-Feed your angel a heavy snack or light meal before you arrive

-Allow your child to munch (till his hearts content) on all of the hors d'vours before dinner, promising to take a vegie and a small slice of meat (and eat at least 50% of what he/she puts on their plate)

-Ask your child (if they are old enough) to make their own dish and bring it

-Bribery works with this too: dessert is always at a premium after Thanksgiving dinner, it can also be held from your child in ransom... No turkey, No Pumpkin Pie. (This does work well for some.) A better way to do it, is make a deal on choosing three tablespoons of something off the table in trade for 'extra' dessert.


Looking for some really great ideas for child friendly (anti-Thanksgiving-Dinner) recipes?


Nurturing Notes Blog Rosemary Rolls- Recipe below...

Rosemary Rolls (Who doesn't love bread?-And as long as they do not have any allergies.-What child wouldn't be proud to bring this to Thanksgiving dinner and also be a part of making them too!?)




Bon Appétit 
& Relax!





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