"I don't like this. "

United States
February 23, 2011 6:24pm CST
4 simple words that adults can and do use about food everyday . But what about kids? When you were a kid could you say this to your mom,dad,or guardian? I could and did.I was born a picky eater. My mom Loved me enough to figure out what I liked instead of trying to get me to eat something else. But I feel like my mom was rare. Have you seen the commercial where a little girl dreams of having mac and cheese instead of her mom's cooking. But instead of telling her mom , she just plays at eating her dinner. Each time I see this It reminds me when both my Dad and I broke the news to my mom that we preferred Kraft Mac and cheese to her's. surprisingly , she was relieved! It was one less thing for her to cook! So I ask , could you tell your mom or dad you didn't like dinner? And parents what would be your reaction if your child told you they didn't like sinner?
3 people like this
15 responses
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
24 Feb 11
We had to eat what was on the table..like it or not. With six in the family there was no room for change...one meal for everyone. When my kids were growing up I made them at least try it. If they didn't like it then it was okay...but I wanted them to at least give it a shot...and they like just about everything. Now if my little granddaughter says that....she doesn't have to eat it....neither here or at their home. But she isn't so much a picky eater....she will eat just about anything.
2 people like this
• United States
25 Feb 11
I think mom wanted me to try it but I never did. I'm still a picky eater. It is good that your kids will eat just about everything.
@dreamnishu (1247)
• China
24 Feb 11
hello friend! yes friend our mom are best for everything.they cooked for us everyday.and want that we can take it with love.they cooked everyday so many testy food for us they never think about their health,what they want.only think about us.i never refuse my mom for food.i think she will be hurt.i love my mom so much.and never want to give her hurt. thanks a lot.
• United States
24 Feb 11
One time my dad and I both thought we would hurt her feelings but it turned out that she was relieved , even happy. The moment she found out she didn't have to make Mac and Cheese from scratch anymore , she was happy! I think the main thing is to communicate. I bet if your mom Knew you didn't like a food item , she wouldn't cook it.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
24 Feb 11
My children were each allowed to choose dinner items one night a week. The other nights either my husband or myself chose the dinner menu. The kids were taught to eat what was on their plate. I didn't cook things that I knew they wouldn't eat just to "Punish" them as some people did. Now where they differ from you...they refuse to eat boxed macaroni and cheese. Personally, I think it's gross. I make mine very simply, easily and inexpensively. I shop at Sam's Warehouse. I buy the large cans of Cheddar Cheese sauce. It is about $7 for a gallon of cheese. Then a 5 pound bag of macaroni is less than $5. All you have to do is cook the pasta and add the cheese sauce along with a little bit of milk to make it more creamy. My daughter in law told me jokingly that I'd spoiled my son. She said I need to know how you make mac and cheese! He won't eat Velveeta Shells and Cheese! LOL
2 people like this
• United States
24 Feb 11
I have graduated to Kraft's Deluxe. It is pasta and thick cheese sauce! But back then I loved Kraft's Mac and cheese. My om would make it from scratch . I mean eggs , cheddar cheese , etc! Poor daughter in law. This is why I don't cook. I Know I could Never cook like my guy's mother and I never want to even try. I make reservations for dinner, lol! And when he needs a home cokked meal , I send him home, lol!
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
25 Feb 11
It didn't matter if we said it or not...we ate it or didn't get dessert or were sent to bed with nothing else. We were forced to eat one bite at the table there and if we spit it out or puked...we were sent to our room with no dinner. After that one bite,we were told we can't leave the table until we ate our peas or whatever gross vege was there! We'd sat for hours! That didn't work so Dad said...we had to take the one bite and the rule was "eat what you want and the rest leave be, but there will be no dessert or bedtime snack if you leave it be". That didn't work either...we still didn't eat the "Gross" stuff. So mom just didn't have to make dessert! That was back in the day when we all sat around the dinner table, all the food was in bowls etc on the table and passed around to the right...
1 person likes this
• United States
25 Feb 11
That is the perfect way to make someone bulimic. Eat what you don't like so you can eat what you like? It doesn't make sense! It would get to the point where I wouldn't even go to the table. I would get so upset just thinking about the battle over what I wasn't going to eat , I wouldn't be hungry at all.Mom and dad wouldn't have to worry about me, I once was so upset I didn't eat for 36 hours! So this type of strong armed tactic would not work on me. But then again my mom found that out when I was a baby. I wouldn't eat. She was so worried she took me to the doctor! I was fine .I just was born a picky eater and stubborn , a deadly combination.I guess your mom wouldn't Have to cook at all! lol!
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
26 Feb 11
I could say it when I was little but that didn't really mean that I was going to get anything else. Even though my grandparents loved me beyond belief..we were a bit tight on the income. As far as my own, if its something that they just don't want to try...I would encourage them to give it a shot...if its something they just can't stand..we usually don't fix it. Sometimes you just don't like things. Now that's not saying I will just let them have anything they want. I do try to have them eat "good" food versus junk.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Feb 11
I wouldn't eat the " good " food. My mom didn't force me to eat Anything I didn't want. I think I scared her straight as it were. When I was a baby I wouldn't eat the " Good Stuff" so much , she took me the the doctor.he said the Stuff I did eat was keeping mt healthy so no worries. And ever since then If I said I don't like it or I Won't try it , i didn't I guess you can call my diet junk now but then , my mom cooked and each night had it's dish. I remember pasta and sauce, hamburgers and gravy and on Saturday night Her hamburgers and French Fries. So I was born a picky eater and nothing has changed .
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
27 Feb 11
I could never utter these words when I was growing up. I could still remember my mom placing a clothes-hanger beside mine and my brother's plates as a reminder that we should eat our vegetables. This is the reason why I sometimes get hard on my kids if they don't want to eat what's on the table. But I don't really give them enough vegetables so I know that the only reason why they don't want to eat dinner is because they don't know what it taste like. Usually, if I just sat with them and coax them a bit, I could get them to eat. But if they did say "I don't like this", it usually a pretty good indication that I shouldn't be cooking that dish anymore. And if they want mac n cheese, it just makes it easier for all of us.
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Mar 11
If my mom did that , I would be too upset to eat Anything. In fact I would prefr to get beat and Not ever go to the table! I have fasted for 36 hours because I was too upset to eat before so all this means is that I would have been training earlier.
• Canada
24 Feb 11
My mother would make us TRY things, but she'd never force us to eat something, once it was established that we didn't like it. My Dad, on the other hand, thought that we needed to eat everything, because there were poor children in the world who didn't have food This included putting BIg steaks on our places, and expecting us to eat the whole thing. What 3 year old can eat a whole steak? To this day, I don't eat a lot of meat, and my sister has gone totally vegetarian!!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Feb 11
Dad would have hated me. If I didn't like the look or the smell of something I wouldn't eat it. If he mentioned the starving children , I would say send them this because I am not going eat it!
@youless (112481)
• Guangzhou, China
24 Feb 11
Even if I am an adult now, but I am still picky to some food. I will never want to have the bitter food. I think many children are picky to the food. But they will have a change as time goes by because of the force from the parents and teachers. My son was really picky to the food when he was small. I tried to make some delicious food for him. And actually I won't reject the food like McDonald's. I think it contains enough nutritions and it is not bad to have it sometimes. It also tastes well and therefore many children like it. If you don't eat it all the time, there should not be a problem. I love China
1 person likes this
@cream97 (29087)
• United States
24 Feb 11
Hi. sarahruthbeth22. If I had to tell my aunt and grandma this, I would have been starving for that day. Sorry. I could not get away with being a picky eater when it comes to them. If my child told me this, I would tell them that they would have to eat it because I am not fixing anything else. This may only work when they are sick or full. But when it is time to eat, it is time to eat. You are so lucky to have had a mom that was not so strict on you eating. In our family, we did not have a choice. We either eat, or starve! Of course, at least I can say that the food was always cooked so well!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Feb 11
I think my mom Knew I Would have chosen Starve. She was happy to see me eat anything. When I was a baby I wouldn't eat. She told me it scared her so much that she took me to the doctor , He said what I Was eating was keeping me healthy and I assume from then on, If I liked it , We had it. But then again we had a routine. One night was pasta anothe Hamburgers and French fries , etc. I'm glad it wasn't a battle at dinner time. Your aunt and grandma would have been frustrated by me.
@maclanis (2406)
• Belgium
24 Feb 11
When I was young, there were some things I didn't like to eat either, though I wouldn't describe myself as a picky eater. Especially not now, because I have grown to like certain things that I didn't like before. I'm actually very glad that I'm not a picky eater. Because my friend is an extremely picky eater, and she says her uncle took her to this fancy restaurant, and she barely liked any of the food, because it was too "special". I don't think that now I ever have to say that I don't like dinner, because I pretty much like everything they prepare.
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Feb 11
I am like your friend. I can't tell you how many times I have done a Scarlet O Hara so I could just accompany my family out. Doing a Scarlet is Eating Before Dinner. At the restaurant I would just have something to drink. I am a Very picky eater and worse I have no desire to try new foods. I rather grab a burger or better still call in a pizza!
@blue65packer (11826)
• United States
24 Feb 11
I would of been told to eat it anyway! It was not like the way you grew up! It was either eat what was on the table or don't eat at all! Sometimes if I didn't like something in my food,like kidney beans in my chili or celery in anythjing,I would pick it out just to annoy my mom! This is one of the many reason's I have an weight problem! I have always been enivious of people with normal families! I lucked out on that!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Feb 11
Then I just wouldn't eat. This reminds me of that scene in Mommy Dearest. She wasn't to leave the table until she finished her dinner. She stayed But did not eat and won that battle.I was blessed because I even remember my mom saying " If you don't like it , don't eat it." I'm so sorry you didn't have a mom like mine. But look at it this way, you are grown now , You can have dessert for dinner if you want. Freedom!!
• United States
25 Feb 11
Haha thats so cute, well thankfully like you I have a very understanding mother that doesn't mind that we'd take boxed foods, hot dogs, and ramen noodles over her from scratch cooking anyday under one condition that is EVERY sunday she makes a homemade meal and we all must be in attendance. its the sweetest thing, and when I have kids one day I won't mind if they tell me, " mom, forget the rice and chicken I want some fun piled on a bun I want a manwhich please."
@stevieboi19 (1419)
24 Feb 11
I sometimes managed to get away with such things but I'm in fact blessed with liking many foods so any time I said I don't like anything my mother would usually heed my words and take them as truth. My younger brothers and sister are at the age though where they tell my mum they don't like such and such and my mum is slightly tougher on them as they say they pretty much like nothing but usually my mother is prepared for such things like yours and has an alternative for members of the family who don't like various foods. All this talk of food is making me hungry
1 person likes this
@Ichiru101 (284)
• United States
24 Feb 11
I would actually be glad. I am one of the worst cooks I know. I would not blame my child for that instead I would say " Hey who wants to order pizza"?
1 person likes this
@rameshchow (4426)
• India
24 Feb 11
The mother have been cooking so tasty food for me. If i didn't like to eat one day, i can say with my mother. She will asks me "why?" and requests me. And even my father also have so much love on me... Really our parents are the living gods. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this