Dealing with picky eaters

[krisim]

My oldest DD (5) is a very picky eater, she really only likes plain foods (plain rice, plain pasta, plain hamburger, etc...).  Which doesn't bother me much on normal nights when DH is home because if I'm making a casserole or fried rice or a pasta dish, I usually just save out some of plain pasta or rice for her to eat. I do make her try a bite of what we are having though. 

Now that DH is traveling a lot, I don't want to make a casserole (or even reheat leftovers) only to be the only one to eat it.   (Younger DD will eat some casseroles/pastas but usually prefers plain if that's an option).  Sometimes I'll make something separate for myself (like a panini) when the girls have pasta, but then I have to clean more dishes! 

I'm so tired of plain pasta and rice! Any suggestions for dishes that both you and your kids like?


(DD also does not like pizza, chicken nuggets, sandwiches, mexican food (other than plain tortillas/taco shells), so those suggestions are all out!). 

[namasteak]

Plain grilled chicken? Then you could season/dip yours in whatever you want.

[karinothing]

We do a lot of one pot meals with a side of rice. So you still have to make rice, but then at least you can add other stuff on top of rice. So we would do stir fries, curries, etc.

[scribellesam]

My go-to for nights when DH is working late is eggs. Plain scrambled or cheese omelet for DS1, and then I can put whatever I want in my own omelet.

[gibbinator]

I often cook all ingredients separate and add sauce to my meals as the very last thing. So before the very last step of combining veggies with pasta + sauce, for example, I would dish out ds1's portion, then complete the meal.

[Deleted]

Chicken and noodles or chicken and dumplings? Baked potatoes with not much on them?

I'd really just make plain rice or pasta at the beginning of the week and reheat it as I went along and make myself whatever sounded good.

[gibbinator]

Oh I also got the great tip to make extra of meals they like and freeze leftovers in individual portion containers and reheat on days when you want to make something you like.

[Deleted]

I also think I'd make whatever your kids will eat early in the week/do easy stuff if that's all they want and then make whatever you want.