Help! Very fussy eater DGSs staying

I think you are right MinniMoon. Just share your family meals and no fuss if they refuse but treat it like an adventure. The more you tippy toe round them the more they think they are right to be fussy.

Enjoy your weekend with grandkids ?

Katek

Since they were small all my dgc have loved what they call a ‘snacky treaty’ plate. The older ones are 15 and still enjoy it. Just put out on one plate a couple of rolled up slices of ham (or other cold meat), breadsticks or crisps, cheese, grapes (or other cut fruit) box of raisins, small yoghurt and anything else you think they might like and leave them to it. It’s surprising what disappears from the plate!

This was what my children loved too, including salami, smoked and tinned fish, olives, different cheeses, fruit and veg slices, tomatoes and dips like hummus and taramasalata.
I can honestly say that, once we were past the pureed or mashed food stage, we all ate the same food together at every meal.

I am so lucky that my grandchildren were not difficult to feed when they were small. They went to a nursery which served only vegetarian food. I can still remember them holding bits of broccoli, one in each hand and saying they were like miniature trees! Later on their mum continued to feed them very healthily, so much so that when they came to me,they would ask for fish fingers as they never had them at home.
Now they still eat most things.
I hope your weekend menus worked out, OP.

GD used to say she didn't like things without trying them but now she is willing to try a tiny taste and sometimes goes on to like them. This worked with tinned tuna which we can now have with pasta, potatoes or pizza. She doesn't like the tuna in oil though.
It also worked with custard, she loves it now so can have a cooked pudding or fruit to "top her up" after a small main course.
My sister was a very fussy eater and lived on chicken salad or breaded plaice - not that bad a diet really.

Fish fingers, chicken nuggets? You get cod and haddock fish fingers now and the chicken dippers can be breast. DGC can't tell difference. DGS1 is 7 and wants "flavoursome food". He will eat some meat and has asked me if I use salt, which I do and his Mum doesn't. I don't use a lot. He has asked Mum to use salt!!!!

Do they eat pasta? You could make a tomato sauce with other veg and then whizz it up so they won’t know what’s in it. My youngest was an absolute nightmare to feed, she ate only fruit nuts and chocolate for years. My gp said don’t worry, protein from the nuts, iron from the chocolate and vitamin c from the fruit. She was never ill and now is still a bit fussy. Looking back I wish I hadn’t made such a big deal of trying to make her eat. Her two sons of 11 and 9 have always eaten absolutely anything, which slightly irks me because she will never know what she put me through!

Take them to Macdonalds - if they're still open! Or KFC anywhere they don't usually go and food they don't usually have - fish and chips from a newspaper, perhaps. At 8 and 10 they'll be at school - find out what they like/dislike about their school dinners. If they're only with you for a weekend a diet of white bread and peanut butter won't hurt them.

My mum used to make ‘cocktails’ she’d whizz up fruit without them seeing and add some soda water and ice.

Personally I wouldn't go out of my way to pander to fussy eaters. Just cook whatever you and your H were planning to eat and offer it to your GC, don't ask them if they'd like it just serve it it up. If they eat it, great. If they don't they stay hungry. Then they'll probably eat at the next meal. Sounds tough I know but I did it with my kids and they soon got the message, eat what's offered or go hungry. They'll eat anything and everything now and they do the same with their own children. Your GC may go home and tell their Mum 'Nanny didn't feed us', just say 'the food was there, if they didn't want to eat it that's their problem.'

Have nice weekend!

Get them to make their own pizzas, theirs on a bread base, yours on a dough base, with lots of different toppings available. Then see whose is nicer with a tasting session for whole family.

You sound like a fun grandmother Happysexagenarian

My GS has the reputation of being difficult to feed and does sometimes refuse food. I've found when he visits offering him a choice of about 3 things usually works. He inevitably chooses something the others aren't having. I also think it's useful at his age to discuss what food he needs to eat for his body and health (he's 6). So he knows he needs some protein, and toast and honey isn't enough for lunch, but a boiled egg can be followed by toast and honey. I think some childen need to have reasons given about why you want them to eat things.

My 3 year old GS is a nightmare to feed as he will hardly eat anything at home but on his 3 days st nursery where he has breakfast, lunch and tea, he eats anything he is given except pasta! It drives his poor mum, our DDL, insane, especially as DS works abroad for 3 month stints so she has no back up. He will eat an omelette occasionally & he absolutely loves fruit of all sorts although he refused to try delicious mulberries off our tree...and of course crisps & biscuits are popular. Thankfully I rarely have to feed him, I'd just get cross as I'm not very patient!

I saw a programme recently which the lady cooked a 'beany cottage pie'. She used mice, red lentils and she grated the carrots, swede and onions and added a tin of baked beans so that it looks just like mince and baked beans and my GC 3 and 5 loved it and they love broccoli which I steamed and cut up very small. If they eat all their dinner they get a Treat after which can be healthy i.e. frozen bananas with Nutella,

Riverwalk

You sound like a fun grandmother Happysexagenarian

Exactly! I'd rather my grandson had happy memories of being at granny's house than going hungry. In fact, he has lived with us for the past 20 months and is anything but a fussy eater. Neither of mine were really fussy eaters either, although my son did go through a fussy stage when he was around 7. We went on holiday to Lanzarote then and he wouldn't eat anything but chips from the hotel buffet. I was stressing out about it, but then decided that eating chips for a week wouldn't kill him and it was better o let him be and enjoy the holiday. He went on to join the army and had to eat whatever was put in front of him - including army ration packs! I'm firmly of the opinion that you should try to make mealtimes enjoyable rather than becoming a battlefield. It's just not worth it.

I've drawn up and printed out menus which cover everything I can think of in the house so whatever they choose is possible. They do love a menu when they're out so I hope they'll like this.
I'm just waiting for them to arrive.
It's a pity I can't take them out (not fully recovered from hip replacement last month) so I think they're in for a boring weekend but I'll do my best.
Thanks all for your interest and suggestions.

Riverwalk, getting the children to eat is nothing to do with being a “fun” grandmother. They can be totally separated. What works for one family, may not work for another.
If I look back on a fun day or weekend, I judge it on activities, walks, games, conversations etc, not on what happened at meal times!

Home made hamburgers usually go down well.

Whatever you decide on, let them help to make it.

At that age cooking your own food is fun and usually results in it being eaten without fuss.

Katek

Since they were small all my dgc have loved what they call a ‘snacky treaty’ plate. The older ones are 15 and still enjoy it. Just put out on one plate a couple of rolled up slices of ham (or other cold meat), breadsticks or crisps, cheese, grapes (or other cut fruit) box of raisins, small yoghurt and anything else you think they might like and leave them to it. It’s surprising what disappears from the plate!

My DGC have what they call a 'picky tea'. Same things as yours do, that they set out like a picnic but is given to them in lunch boxes, as if on a picnic.
Goes down a treat and lots of different foods get tried this way.

My mother tells me I was a terribly fussy eater as a toddler . Apparently I was reluctant to eat anything but jam sandwiches She took me to the doctor who said “take her home, she’s beautiful”.

Obviously I learnt to eat properly.

I have 2 very fussy youngest sons-even at 18 &22- its about the textures of some foods for some kids- id stick to what they already know and love, not bombard with 'new' stuff, it might put them off wanting to come stay again! Certainly ASK them if theres anything they particularly want, or might like to try, but if they just want 'their usual' don't push it- at least you know they won't go hungry if they eat what they do at home.Sadly, staying at granny's doesn't make kids miraculously adventurous overnight.In our family we also have a few kids with food allergies, thats a whole different problem too- But my fussy sons aren't allergic, just have their own taste/texture choices, youngest now likes smoked salmon, anything chicken, bacon, pepperoni, likes pesto, won't have potatoes unless they're chips.Neither son has gravy or sauces.etc..If they don't want to try any new foods, just stick to what they do want.if you do try the 'snacky plate' idea, don't cajole or berate them if they don't want it.Maybe next visit they will have expanded their own choices.?

Pennykins- 'she used MICE'?????

Aveline- 'drawn up & printed out menus' suggests you're perhaps over thinking this a tad?

Don't offer too much choice, that in itself can be overwhelming for some kids, concentrate on the 'fun' part of the visit, boardgames& jigsaws to play/do with you maybe, or if they like popcorn, or some snacks, have a film time where you all choose a movie together, close the curtains, act like you're in a real cinema, or most kids like to look at old photos of their mum/dad when they were young and hear little 'tales' from their childhood, or what THEY did/didn't like, or what they got up to etc..or if weathers nice, set up a picnic in the garden, with a little tent for them to play in..the possibilities are many.Make memories, don't fuss over the food too much.