Thank God for spaghetti and meatballs
I’ve been thinking about eating a lot recently. I mean, I’ve been thinking a lot recently about eating, as in what my children eat and the amount of time I spend preparing food. I’m on a mission to stop cooking two different meals (i.e. a kids meal and an adults meal) and have us all eat one dish, together, as a family.
Hubby does consulting and he is home most meal times, so the being together part is easy. It’s the eating the same thing that we need to work on.
Elizabeth, our six-year-old, is the most adventurous eater. She will at least try most things, including escargot and frogs legs on a trip to France. If she doesn’t like something she’ll usually eat it anyway if she thinks it is good for her. Can’t ask for anything better really.
HM (high maintenance or her majesty), our three-year-old, is an OK eater and usually takes the lead from Alexandra. Though she is still wary of vegetables and heaven forbid if there is “something green” in her pasta, such as a fleck of dried parsley so small that a even mouse wouldn’t protest.
Alexandra, our five-year-old, is the issue challenge. She used to only eat “white” food: yogurt, cheese, white bread, melon and chicken nuggets. She eventually added a few purples and reds — strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and apples, bananas and pears. But a vegetable has never knowingly entered her mouth, with the exception of pumpkin, in a pie, with lots of cinnamon and sugar.
I found this recipe for spaghetti and meatballs and thought I would try it out. I even grated a courgette and stuck it in the sauce.
On Friday (as in the First Week back in School Friday) the girls were exhausted from sitting in chairs and learning all day and we were running a bit late for swimming. I grabbed a few apples for their snack. After they wolfed it down, they pleaded with me.
Please mummy can we have something else to eat.
No, you’re going swimming.
Please can we have a banana. They really must have been hungry because they never ask for bananas. All that learning must really take a toll.
No, I don’t have a banana. But we’re all having spaghetti and meatballs when we get home. Hurry up and go swimming and then we’ll rush home and eat it all up, I said with as much enthusiasm I could muster.
It worked.
MMmmmmmmmm. Scrummy, Alexandra said patting her tummy. OK mummy!
After their lesson they skid into the changing rooms, threw on their clothes and reported back to me without any of the usual prodding.
When we got home they each ate THREE HELPINGS of spaghetti and meatballs. So did daddy. I lagged behind with two.
So ladies, share your family favourite. What do you all enjoy around the dinner table?
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Richard Lake | 20th Jan 09
Nobody has mentioned it yet, but the very British Chicken Tikka Masala always gets finished by all of us (3yr old boy generally first finished and gets close to out eating his mother…)
Great blog by the way, just stumbled across it today (after trying to find if Chugginton has spawned an extensive toy collection yet).
Richard
(stay at home dad/ professional photographer/ occasional IT/Management consultant)
(yeah, it doesn’t get close to fitting….)
Susanna (A Modern Mother) | 14th Jan 09
More great suggestions, obviously I hang out online with some creative chefs.
Love the Kung Fu idea and I’m not sure how I missed spaghetti carbonara, which seems to be on most lists. Though it is a no-brainer with pasta, egg and bacon.
And of course the Great British Roast tops everyone’s list, as it should.
Just a Plane Ride Away | 14th Jan 09
Moving overseas was the best thing that ever happened to our family food-wise. My husband and I will eat just about anything. My daughter, who turned 12 just before we moved, was such a picky eater. I am so happy I don’t have to cook two different meals anymore.
We eat a lot of Tex-Mex, Italian, and Asian. But we also like Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. Sometimes we have to have a good burger… and yes, we still eat spaghetti and meatballs–my childhood favourite 😉
Tara@Sticky Fingers | 13th Jan 09
I have to agree with most on the roast dinner front.
And if I put a Yorkshire pub on the plate too they think all their Christmases have come at once! I know! Easily pleased. But if they eat loads of veggies and lean meat, they can have all the Yorkshires they like!
We’re also big on sausage and mash, hotdogs with corn on the cob, hearty casseroles, hearty pies and pasta which I can basically throw anything in with it and they’ll eat it. If they don’t they’ll go hungry and the dog gets it. No, not really, the cat gets it.
blogthatmama | 13th Jan 09
Roasts, spaghetti with meatballs, carbonara or bolognaise and good old fattening and bad for you Northern pies, steak or chicken.
TooManyHats | 13th Jan 09
My kids are 15, 13, and 11 and I still struggle with finding things everyone, including adults, like to eat. But, the winner about all else is tacos – everyone eats them and loves them – even my youngest who does not like red meat.
I never make two meals, I figure they can eat the side dishes if they don’t like the main dish or have some fruit after dinner – I know mean mom here.
Audrey | 13th Jan 09
My kids will eat pretty much any kind of Sunday roast and we seem to regularly roast whole herds as a result.
There was a very good article in the New York Times online recently about what to do about fussy eaters. I’ll try and see if I can track it down for you.
My problem is what do I do food wise when I’m trying to diet AND feed my family at the same time. Sheesh. It’s always something.
More than a Mother | 13th Jan 09
We did baby-led weaning with the girls, so they’ve always sat at the table with us and eaten exactly what we eat. It’s very messy, but they enjoy it! I’m ashamed to say that pizza is a favourite with all of us – I put extra sweetcorn on, does that make it better?
Erica | 13th Jan 09
Can’t really beat a roast dinner, although Erin prefers meals with lots of ‘bits’, a picnic tea as we call it. We’re having leftovers tonight though, trying to be more conscious of our food wastage.
Iota | 13th Jan 09
Sunday roast. And since being here, I’ve learnt how to do a pot roast.
Sausages. Scrambled egg. Anything with mince (ground beef).
Have you seen the books “Deceptively Delicious” and “The Sneaky Chef”? – they’re about sneaking veggies and fruit into everyday dishes, in the form of purees, which you make in bulk and keep in your freezer. I’m about to try the idea out.
Nappy valley girl | 12th Jan 09
Littleboy 1 is incredibly fussy, and always has been. He likes odd things: salami and a houmous wrap is his current favourite, and he would have that for every meal if he were allowed. About the only other things on his ‘list’ are spaghetti bolognese and baked potato with tuna mayonnaise. He will not eat most normal child-friendly food: fishfingers, sausages etc. He is so picky that he doesn’t even like cake or chocolate, and there is only one brand of biscuit he will eat. (This may sound really smug, as if have trained him to eat healthy stuff, but I haven’t – he is just innately suspicious of most food.)
In contrast his brother will eat almost anything. This makes me feel better – it can’t be my fault!
Susanna (A Modern Mother) | 12th Jan 09
Really impressed with all your meals ladies, some great ideas here. Maybe we should write a cook book on “Foolproof recipes for the Desperate Housewife”. I’d buy it.
Homeofficemum | 12th Jan 09
Well ever since they watched Kung Fu Panda, giving them chinese stir fry has gotten easier. This weekend I made veg stir fry including mushrooms (the devil’s food according to both), cabbage and onions – all of which they ordinarily would refuse. But I told them that it’s what Kung Fu Panda eats and if they eat it, they too will become Dragon Warriors. You have never seen children slurp stir fry that fast.
Working Mum | 12th Jan 09
Chicken fajitas go down well here. I think daughter likes making up her own little parcels with the different ingredients.
Also, spaghetti carbonara, Roman style (just bacon, egg and parmesan, no cream) goes very, very quickly!
Laura | 12th Jan 09
It has to be a Sunday roast, Daddy’s spaghetti & meatballs, bangers and mash … comfort food I suppose at the moment due to the weather!
My eldest is adventurous but the 2 year old is more fussy, but he gets the same as everyone else.
We probably sit down together 2/3 times a week. Recently I’ve been making more of an effort to do it. Like you I’m sick of doing two sittings!
Millennium Housewife | 12th Jan 09
Chicken tarragon, I don’t know whay they love it so much, it’s so simple and if you put a pastry hat on they think it’s Christmas (as does Husband). It’s just chicken and veg with tarragon (duh), cooked with a stock cube then thickened with a butter rue and a bit of cream. OK, a bit high sat fat, but the rest is good. I suppose the pastry is high fat too… oh dear, back to the drawing board…MH