Kids' Food Choices

I am single mom to two very young kids. My eldest daughter is 6 and turning on 7 this year while the youngest is a boy who is turning 4. Being of different age and gender, my two kids have different needs and wants specially when it comes to food. My youngest eats almost anything that you put on his plate. You can see right away if he likes the food because he usually asks for a 2nd or 3rd helping. If he finds the food as "ho hum...." he just finish what is on his plate. My youngest also eats fruits. We often see him open the refrigerator in search for a fruit to munch on. As long as the fruit isn't sour, he will eat them with much gusto! As kids his age, he likes to eat candies and chocolates too but not much. He would just eat a piece or two and that's his share for the day.



My daughter is the hardest to feed. She doesn't eat much. I have to ask her every single day and every single meal what she wants to eat. Sometimes, I would let her taste what I am cooking and she would say , "oh this is okay" but come meal time, she would say "I don't like that. How come it taste yummy when you were cooking it?" My daughter only likes "sinigang" - a dish made of clear broth and made sour with tamarind and has vegetables on them. My daughter loves either fish or pork sinigang. She also loves fish that is cooked with tomatoes, onions, lemon and salt or vinegar. She also loves fried fish and chicken and barbeque. Uncomplicated huh? But of course she will not eat that dish every single day. So I have to be creative all the time.



Both my kids love fruits so I have no problem with that. My daughter daw has a sweet tooth. She loves chocolates and anything sweet. She likes sour food - tamarind, green mangoes, etc. She also loves junk food - chips, french fries. I have to constantly remind her to eat these food in moderation.



I found out that both kids doesn't like beef, shell fish and other seafoods. As for pork, they will only eat if it's "sinigang" or barbequed. As for vegetables, my kids like sauteed veggies but they still will not eat carrots or brocolli. But I have to cheer for my son because he eats even Bitter Melon and he tells me that when I cook it, there is no bitterness at all...



It is so hard to cook separately for both kids. But I have to or else my daughter will not eat. I sometimes have to invent a new dish that will excite them and let them see how this is done. I usually call them to the kitchen to see what I am doing. Sometimes I let them help. I always find time to ask them for the menu for the day. I guess in our household it's my kids food choices that prevail. It's a good thing that I only eat fish, chickens and veggies now. I will not have any trouble eating also what my kids eat, with the exception of fried food.