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Grandparenting

What to feed my Grand-daughter

(15 Posts)
mischief Sat 27-Aug-16 21:23:32

Hi everyone, I need your advice. I am shortly going to stay with my daughter to look after my two gds for a whole week while she is at work and my SiL is away. My gd aged 4 is a very fussy eater. She will eat pasta and brocolli, ham sandwiches, sausage and mash and a few other things but I was wondering if you have any tips on tasty lunches your gch enjoy.

I would like to introduce her to new flavours but they mustn't be sweet, sugary food as she is a bit hyper too. I love looking after my gds but trying to feed the older one is a bit of a nightmare. "I don't like that Granny" is her usual statement. I will ask her to try it and if she still doesn't like it she needn't eat it, so she tries it and says she doesn't like it - so that doesn't work.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what you come up with and thanks.

jinglbellsfrocks Sat 27-Aug-16 22:09:56

Wouldn't it be best to give them what they usually eat? Why do you want to change their eating habits during the one week you will be in charge? I think you should take the easy road and give them what they want, so long as it is mum-approved.

Ana Sat 27-Aug-16 22:14:59

I agree, it sounds quite an adequate diet for a 4 year old - not many children of that age like broccoli!

tanith Sat 27-Aug-16 22:16:38

I agree just give them whatever they will eat there's no point in upsetting things and trying to introduce things they aren't familiar with just for the sake of it leave that to Mum.

Anya Sat 27-Aug-16 22:19:26

Cheese

merlotgran Sat 27-Aug-16 22:20:56

The things you have listed sound pretty good to me. If she likes pasta and ham sandwiches, why not try a simple version of pasta carbonara which could involve two of her favourite ingredients. Get her involved in the cooking as well.

What does the younger one like eating.

Nelliemoser Sat 27-Aug-16 22:22:03

My DGS2 now 16mnths has just developed an allergy to eggs. All legumes. Baked beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, hazlenuts and other tree nuts. Soya based foods are likely to be a problem.

My daughter is really finding it hard at the moment as a lot of those meals were part of their usual diet particularly lunchtime snacks. No baked beans for him!! Mayonaisse in dressings etc.

grannyqueenie Sat 27-Aug-16 22:23:04

It's hard enough looking after 2 littlies, don't make it any harder by jumping through hoops to persuade them to eat new things. Tried and tested familiar food is the way to go. Good luck * mischief* and enjoy your time with your grandchildren! Pasta and broccoli, sounds good, one of mine would only eat "naked" pasta...mind you 12 years on she's a vegan!!! smile

Grannyknot Sat 27-Aug-16 22:23:11

Hi mischief have you thought of looking online for ideas? I'm on a local Mums and Grans Facebook page in my area and many of the mums devise recipes for their kids which they then post on blogs or Facebook pages.

I had a quick look online and found this site:

www.babycenter.com/0_picky-eaters-strategies-and-recipes-to-win-them-over_1745726.bc

I love making food for my 2 year old grandson and so far he gobbles it all up. I tend to keep it simple with meals like mince, lentils and macaroni, shredded chicken with rice and so on. Another meal he loves is I make an egg, milk and SR flour mix, add bit of grated cheese. Grease patty pans, put a cherry tomato (I cut them in half) and a baby spinach leaf in each one, pour a bit of the egg mixture over and bake them. I call them Omelette Muffins. He eats those like cakes! And he takes some home with him too. smile

Greyduster Sat 27-Aug-16 22:28:53

I agree. Don't make heavy weather for yourself by trying to introduce her to new foods, tempting as it may be. Leave that to her parents. My GS has been an extremely fussy eater since the age of two. I went through a period of trying to get him to try new things when he was with us. All it resulted in was a lot of wasted food. He was happy with plain pasta, vegetables and sausages until the cows came home. Now, at nine, his horizons have broadened considerably, but it has been on his terms that he has got there, not on ours. Have a happy week with your granddaughter! ?

PRINTMISS Sun 28-Aug-16 08:51:42

I agree with all that is written, children have this habit of growing up, finding their own tastes, whether we worry or not. At one time my son would only eat tomatoes and crisps for breakfast, I know he is a lot older now, but he hates tomatoes. My grandson was always a fussy eater, my daughter encouraged him to learn to cook which he now does, so he cooks what he likes - vegetarian - and is very adventurous in what he tries, and extremely fussy about hygiene.

Izabella Sun 28-Aug-16 08:59:20

Agree to let things lie. Why make a weeks stay with gran a stress for the child? You could introduce baking/cooking as an activity providing you do not feel she HAS to eat the results. One of my intermittent "charges" would not eat eggs until she came to collect the eggs each day from our hens.

Try making courgette and cheese burgers, little tiny ones. She may try one, she may not, but the activity is a positive one and may just influence her future eating behaviours

Just relax and enjoy each other's company and respect her food choices, as others do yours.

f77ms Sun 28-Aug-16 09:06:20

Make a pizza with her , you can buy the bases then let them put what ever they like on top . I would still think it would be best to just give her what she usually has , why make it difficult for yourself .

Christinefrance Sun 28-Aug-16 09:15:57

Nothing to add really, the child will be missing her parents and usual routines so try to keep some things the same. No need to make life more difficult and her diet sounds fine.

mischief Sun 28-Aug-16 10:01:44

Thank you for your comments.
Thanks Grannyknot for the link. That's just what I'm looking for.