Horrible cook with picky 2-yo. Need major help please!!

[Cluelessbutterfly]

My 2 year old does not like dry food. She likes food with sauce----

my problem is- I hate to admit it- but I am a horrible cook.

I bought "cooking basics for dummies" as well as "30 minute meals" <-- but none have recipes with food with sauces.

I need help please. Ideas on what I can do so she doesn't eat the same thing every day.
I make for her, salmon with spices & lots of butter, meat balls- chicken both with natural home made tomato sauce. ground beef with angel hair pasta and the tomato sauce....
but since I eat what she eats- I am tired of the same ol' thing too.

so I would like suggestions or ideas on what I can do for my family. or a book that you can suggest on how to make different kind of meals.

please help me!!

 

[DramaQueen]

It is difficult for us to know just what kind of sauces your child likes; that's one that you would know, so let me suggest this. Go to Google and type in the search box "Sauces and Gravies." There will be hundreds of sauce and gravy recipes and the foods you can use them on.
I could give you a dozen sauce recipes, but I still don't know which ones your child will eat. Good luck, I think you'll like what you see on those sites.

 

[Cluelessbutterfly]

that's the problem!
I have no idea where to start. the only thing I know, she likes tomato sauces and we are definitely looking to try new things.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Offer the child a well balanced diet using a wide variety of foods...very few snacks etc. especially if she does not eat...If she doesn't eat at a meal here and there...don't force the issue...When she gets hungry she will eat...and I promise she want starve herself to death!!

 

[GotGarlic]

How about salsas? You can make savory ones with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and herbs, or sweet ones with different kinds of fruits. Search the site for pan sauces - you can saute meats in a pan, then make a pan sauce from the drippings to serve over the meat, or on potatoes or rice to go with the meat. HTH.

 

[jkath]

I think a lot like Uncle Bob too. I learned early on, as a mom, that the child will eventually eat, and will not starve to death.
Keep in mind that if you let your little one dictate what she'll eat, you'll end up with a very picky eater throughout life. I'd serve "fun to eat" types of foods without sauces. One thing my boys really liked was swedish meatballs. (without the gravy). I'd make them really small, and after they came out of the oven, I'd put a few on a plate, along with other small finger foods.
Don't worry about your cooking abilities! Fresh fruit and vegs only need to be cut up into different shapes to make "artwork". It's fun to make a smiley face from things like that
Another thing I found that works: have your daughter be "in charge" of choosing one new item from the produce department. Have her find something that really looks interesting, and have her help you prepare it. Kids who do this early on, end up with quite a culinary interest!
Best of luck!

 

[DaveSoMD]

How about foods cut into fun shapes with cookie cutters? Get some of the open metal ones and use them to cut sandwiches, pancakes, waffles, bread, sliced cheese into differrent shapes. You migh even be able to cut thin pork chops, chicken. Try giving her different dips to try, or try gavey, cheese sauces, ketchup, ranch dressing, ect.

 

[Jeff G.]

that's the problem!
I have no idea where to start. the only thing I know, she likes tomato sauces and we are definitely looking to try new things.

I hate to say it, but "eat it or go hungry" sounds pretty familiar. The only time that didn't happen at my house was with things like liver, etc.

Fry up some chicken, make chicken gravy and mashed potatoes. I don't know any kid that doesn't like that..

Do a Meatloaf. Good meatloaf is hard to beat. Give her a bottle of ketchup to "sauce" it with.

Just cook.. she won't starve..

 

[MexicoKaren]

I know it is easier said than done, but I agree with jkath, Uncle Bob, etc. that it would be a huge mistake to let your 2 year old take charge here. You are the parent. It's your job to socialize this child and help her learn to eat a healthy diet. No reason not to make it fun, though, and I like some of the ideas already offered here. The important thing is to be casual, take it easy, don't let her eating habits become the focus of attention in your lives. Just put food in front of her, and if she doesn't eat it, clear it away. She WILL get hungry enough to eat eventually, and she won't starve.

 

[Clienta]

Peanut sauce is a big hit wih our son. He also loves soups (butternut squash, tomato & basil, corn chowder, any & all kinds of chicken soup, asparagus, cauliflower, etc.). When my son says he isn't hungry for dinner, I suggest a snack. Snack's always sound more appetizing to him. I put on a sectioned plate, carrot sticks, edamame, cheese, chicken, peanuts, crackers, apples, banana. He picks but ends up eating almost everything. Good luck!

 

[quicksilver]

You seem to forget she said she eats the same thing and is getting tired of it also. Her daughter doesn't sound picky. She sounds adventurous. I love it. Especially at that age. If you hold her back now, cooking may only become a chore, like it was for my mother. And I only learned how great it could be when I left home. So much time and adventure wasted!!!

 

[suziquzie]

I have a 4 yo that wont eat alot. Ever since he was about 2. It's been said already and sounds cruel, but don't cater. It's taken 2 years but he is coming around and is eating, or at least trying, what is given to him every night. I know it's very easy to feel like you need to make what they want just so they will eat, but I believe in the end that will make them more picky, not to mention YOU are in control not your children. It's not mean it's parenting. I take requests, but I dont cater, and I dont make everyone a different meal. You get what you get.

 

[Barb L.]

My 3 yo grandson dips all his meat in bbq sauce or ketchup, his Dad did it with green beans !
We can help You with your cooking too - just ask - fine helpful people here.
Welcome to DC, nice to have you with us.

 

[jabbur]

My kids would drown just about anything in ketchup when they were little. Cheese sauce was another staple at home to make something they wouldn't eat into something they would. At 2 yrs old, there are not a lot of dietary restrictions so start making food that YOU want and get this child tasting different things. It is typical of toddlers to fixate on one food for a long period of time like only wanting peanut butter and jelly or mac'n'cheese. I always made my kids take at least one bite of something new when it was offered. If they didn't like it fine but atleast they had tasted it first before rejecting it.

 

[RPMcMurphy]

the child is 2. they will eat what you make.

if not for dinner...then for breakfast....if not then, for lunch....get it?

I WISH my parents did that for me...maybe I wouldn't not like green vegetables and seafood so much.


my young aunt has a kid that pretty much only eats wawa hotdogs....plain. period. or ramen noodles.

cheap to feed, but jesus.

 

[MexicoKaren]

I wish I could remember exactly how my parents did this, but NOT eating the food put in front of us just never occurred to us, and there was never any coercion, punishment, scolding, threatening, wheedling, begging, etc. It was real simple. "It's time to eat. Here's our food. Let's eat it." Period. My mother was a good, basic cook and my Dad was a health teacher, so planning our meals to be well-balanced was also a part of life. He had made cardboard cutouts of all different kinds of food and mounted them on wood blocks, and then we'd put meals together, like a game. Of course, there were SEVEN food groups then, so it was a little more complicated - LOL.

 

[CharlieD]

...When she gets hungry she will eat...!!

With five kids I though I’ve seen everything. Neah…
My number 4 will not eat for days; she has gone for 3 days on water only, unless you give her what she likes. Doesn’t have to be anything fancy, bowl of cereal will do, but she will not touch most elaborate meal you can imagine making if this isn’t what she likes. For example she likes noodles. So that’s easy you would think. Neah… she only eats elbow macaroni, and no matter what you do and how you try to explain to her that all noodles are very much the same, plain boiled, she will not eat any other kinds.
So don’t think that all kids are the same and will eat when they are hungry. I’ve made that mistake in the past. There are some that will NOT!
I do agree about not forcing the issue though.


Now for the original question. First take the “30 minutes meals” book and put into your recycling box or garbage, which ever is easier. Then I’d say start with 5 basic sauces. What are they called, mother sauces? I don’t think I would be able to explain better than some decent cook book, so I recommend looking it up on the internet or in the book store.
Since you haven’t figure out what it is that you kid wants all it will take are 5 tries.

 

[GotGarlic]

Now for the original question. First take the “30 minutes meals” book and put into your recycling box or garbage, which ever is easier...

No, don't do that. Look through it a little more thoroughly - right in the beginning, there are recipes for several pasta sauces, and I know there are also pan sauce recipes in there. I made one with fond (browned bits) from sauteed chicken, chicken stock, Dijon mustard, can't remember what else, but it was great. The book also has several variations on a single recipe, so by changing out some of the ingredients, you can take the basic recipe and make it different. HTH.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I'm thinking a more healthy alternative is to make vegetable and fruit purees seasoned thinned out and used as a sauce. Try a couple and see if she takes to it. Some puree ideas carrots,broccoli, sweet potato, berries etc. Apple sauce is good with pork.

 

[CharlieD]

No, don't do that. ....

Do it anyway. I can't stand RR.