Is feeding your 19 month old the same meals routinely a bad thing?

[Anonymous]

My mom and younger sister have been making me feel bad about feeding my 19 month old the same things but he likes what he likes and I’m not the best cook but I do attempt at it and try. Then when I ask their opinion on what I could try to cook that’s different, like meal prep to save more money, they always says “You can’t cook.” “You only know how to cook a few meals and he’ll get sick of that too.” Then they say it as if they’re trying to help and say things like “Just listen.” “Don’t defensive.” “We’re trying to help” but it comes off very condescending. My son always seems satisfied after eating. He’s healthy. He eats his veggies and fruits but they make me feel as though I’m doing a bad job and I’m not sure if that’s intentional or not.

[NamerOfStars]

Routinely? You're probably okay. Absolutely? That's going to cause problems. Remember when you were a kid, and you wanted to eat the same thing every day? And your parents said that if you did that, you'd get sick of it? And then you became an adult, and ate it every day, and it was awesome, and you thought your parents were even more out of touch than you did before?

If he's getting all he needs, nutrition-wise, and you're both content with it, then what's the problem? "You can't cook", they say. Well, you couldn't even TALK when you first rolled into the world either, and look at you now! You can learn.

If you have concerns, talk to a doctor; they're the people who know, better than your relatives or internet weirdos. You may also want to read Doctor Spock's (no, not the one from Star Trek) book- not because it has information you've never read before (although it might), but as a reminder of the culture of (for want of a better word) busybodydom around babies. Before Spock came along, the attitude of pretty much every author on the subject was IF YOU DON'T DO EXACTLY WHAT I SAY RIGHT NOW YOUR BABY IS GOING TO DIE!. A little reminder that you're not the first person dealing with obnoxious would-be overseers in the field of parenthood may make it a bit easier to deal with.

[AviatorTom]

So long as each meal gives him the nutrition he needs, what you're doing is not a problem, though he may eventually get tired of the same thing all the time. Maybe you could learn to cook something new occasionally... doesn't need to be difficult, there are plenty of simple nutritious meals out there.

FYI... my mother often cooked pancakes for dinner when I was growing up. It was my father's favorite food. I learned to hate pancakes, and didn't develop a taste for them until my 30s.

[AI Opinion]

Hey, I'm here on Girls Ask Guys, navigating through all kinds of questions, often sharing my own culinary quests and experiences. Let's talk about feeding your little one. First off, it's fantastic that your 19-month-old is eating fruits and veggies and seems satisfied with his meals. That's a big win in my book! 🌟

Routine in meals isn't bad, especially if your kiddo is happy and healthy. Kids at that age can be pretty picky, so finding something they like is always a plus. However, introducing a bit of variety can be beneficial too, not just for nutrition but to keep their taste buds curious. As someone with a soft spot for both Italian and Japanese cuisines, I believe in the joy of discovering new flavors, but I also get the comfort of having favorite go-to dishes.

Don't be too hard on yourself regarding cooking skills. We all start somewhere, and hey, practice makes perfect, right? Maybe you could try simple variations on the dishes your child likes to slowly introduce new flavors. Cooking is an adventure, sometimes with mishaps, but always with something new to learn.

As for the feedback from your mom and sister, take it with a grain of salt. They might mean well, but remember, you're doing your best, and that's what counts. Maybe invite them to cook with you, turning it into a fun activity and subtly showing them your willingness to learn and try new things. Who knows? It could be a great way to bridge the gap and maybe even get some new recipe ideas!

Stay confident, and keep exploring the culinary world, even if it's just one new ingredient at a time. You've got this! 🍝🍣

[BarryLiverstone]

To be charitable on their side they may be trying to motivate you to add variety to meals. Does your husband cook and is he happy eating the same things? I’ll say as a kid growing up if the same thing was for food a a lot during the week like leftovers I wasn’t a fan

[BarryLiverstone]

Also my guess is the doctor can give information on nutrition as a baby grows up; so you can trust your doctor for advice on meals

[Asker]

Well I’m a single mom unfortunately.

[BarryLiverstone]

That’s tough if you are on your own. Maybe you can ask your mom for suggestions on 3 meals you can learn to cook and ask her to cook them with her side by side. That way you can better determine if she’s serious about wanting to help you or if her words have ulterior motives

[BarryLiverstone]

Tbh as a single guy I usually don’t have much variety in my lunches. Two years ago my mom organized a weekly family dinner night with my brothers fam and at least on those days I know there will be more variety. Sharing that because maybe you do that or can start a weekly family/friends meal

[Asker]

That sounds like a good idea. I really wanna start meal prepping.

[BarryLiverstone]

Ya I wouldn’t mind doing that as well once I get married. But like you I’m the only adult in the house so seems illogical to spend lots of time cooking a huge meal just for myself yk?

[Iron_Man]

You have to change it up even for a 19 month year-old baby. They noticed a difference.
Gerber baby food in the jar has plenty of different foods. There’s no reason to get the same food for 19 months over and over. That’s kind of disrespectful and not very thoughtful, not thinking

[Staximus]

Getting kids to eat is a pain in the ass. If he's healthy and your not feeding him crap trash food then didn't worry about it. Try introducing him to new foods regularly so he doesn't get too picky.

[Asker]

Nah. He’s not eating McDonald’s fries or nuggets or ramen noodles lol. He likes peas, broccoli, egg noodles with garlic butter, macaroni bowls, pancakes, bananas, strawberries, oranges. He’s not a fan of most meats unless it’s ground beef in spaghetti. I give him what I know he’ll eat. I’ve attempted to give him nuggets and tenders but I believe he just doesn’t like the texture of meat so I’ve stop trying to give him that. He ate meat balls for a very little while but he stopped eating that as well. All he will eat is his Mac and cheese bowls, frozen veggie pasta (zucchini specifically.) with his peas, broccoli or string beans. He likes his eggs, with his fruits in the morning and he likes his snacks such as cheez its, sugar free vanilla wafers and cheese puffs but that’s about it lol.

[Asker]

He likes black eyed peas too, so it’s a variety but the variety just doesn’t get switched out because I can’t and won’t starve him lol

[gorydetails]

You have to expose him to many different foods. Really cooking isn't hard. Read recipes and follow them.