Hellobee Boards

I do, but every option is met with "NO!" most of the time! So I stopped, and will just make one thing, or I give two options at the most.

I love the idea of printing a menu, it doesn't sound so crazy to me, but I'd limit to things I make a point to have on hand.

Or maybe plan it ahead, together on the weekend?

I usually ask. I give her two or so options and she chooses. She's a good breakfast eater though so even when I don't ask she will eat it.

I don't really need to ask as she will readily inform me. After going to a brunch buffet she realized that breakfast is customizable (I don't let her make choices at lunch or dinner--she eats what we eat). So now while I make breakfast she stands there watching and micromanages. She goes through streaks of the same thing, but sometimes she'll interrupt me before a step to change up the 'recipe' ("NO blueberries NO!" vs. "LOTS of blueberries!"...etc.). And banana "in my hand" (because of that one time I thought I'd give it as a smoothie - sigh).

I don't give my kids options for breakfast because we eat the same thing every morning. Sausage, oatmeal, and fruit for LO1 and the same for LO2 plus coconut yogurt and avocado. Sometimes I'll ask LO1 what he would like for dinner, and he usually requests a veggie.

I ask, but they know the options by now. I don't do anything more complicated than scrambling an egg or frying up a sausage link on school days. It's all easy so I let them pick.

@vnvdvci: haha! LO says I want my oatmeal but not too hot, not too cold but just right. Her grandpa gave her a mini fan so she uses it to blow her too hot food when I don't do it just right.

DH always gives her a choice and invites her to suggest something. I normally don't but I just pass it by her, just in case she is feeling a little moody. Like I'm making you some yummy cereal today. I want you to eat it so you can be strong and healthy. Then if she suggests something else I am ok with that. She usually eats more with me, I think. Well, more healthy things.

@mrbee: dh and i have conflicting views on this. i like to give her options, but when it comes to some things he does not. if we don't have something, we just agree we have to pick it up next time at the store!

@mrbee: Why do I think that printing a menu would be equal parts hilarious and brilliant?

I've always heard it is good to force kids to learn decision-making by giving them 2 options and making them chose one. So you can offer things you guys have and your kids still make a choice.

I usually ask her, sometimes with options and sometimes not. On her own, she will usually go look in the pantry and pick out either oatmeal or a type of cereal. Things I mention are generally things in the fridge (eggs, yogurt) or things we have to spend more time cooking (pancakes, french toast). She has never picked something non-breakfast, and rarely picks something we don't have. If she does that, I just tell her we'll have to get more at the store and offer something else.

I'd say about half the time I let her pick her lunch (usually only on at-home days or weekends...school days I pack her whatever), and for dinner she just eats whatever we cook. We usually let her pick her snacks, too, but again, she seems to understand what those typically are and has never tried to have sweets or anything else we wouldn't allow.

I just asked this morning... I threw out a couple options and she picked oatmeal. She finished off an entire big bowl.

@vnvdvci: hahah this is my toddler. one day blueberries have to be frozen. Another it has to be fresh. One day she wants to peel the banana herself and it eat it whole. The next day she wants it peeled and sliced. Kids are such drama queens.

DD1 definitely asks for certain breakfast. Some days I ask her and some days she tells me before I get a chance to. If we don't have what she wants I'll let her know and ask her to pick again. Not usually a big deal.

My son will be 2 on the weekend and I usually list off a bunch of options of things we have or he looks in the fridge and decides for himself. I feel like he eats a lot more this way, since he can pick something he feels like eating. Sometimes he chooses something random like leftover pasta for breakfast, but I figure why not?! It will fill him up!