Three-Quarters Of Parents Cooking Multiple Meals At Dinnertime

Up and down the country parents are working hard to get everyone sitting down together for dinner. But while the whole family might be sat at the same table for a brief few minutes every night, they’re certainly not all eating the same thing.

In fact, three-quarters of parents are having to cook multiple meals to get everyone fed, according to a new study from Co-op Food. Sometimes it’s to do with allergies and intolerances, but it can also just be family demands.

Cathy Ranson, editor at ChannelMum.com, says to the Huffington Post: “Too many cooks spoil the broth and too many food demands can make mealtimes very stressful.

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“While it’s absolutely right that anyone who has an allergy, intolerance or specific food need is catered for, preparing multiple meals just for no other reason is pandering to kids.”

It’s different in every household whether kids are expected to eat the same meals as their parents. Some adults want to teach children to be grateful for what they’re given, while others don’t want arguments during a rare moment when everyone’s together.

If you’ve got a fussy eater at home, then perhaps you’re just glad to see them wolfing something down, even if it’s different to the rest of the family. And it’s not always the kids, either, as some adults continue to be picky as they get older.

Compromising with the younger ones is possible, however, as there are some meals that can be adapted for kids and adults. Swapping one ingredient for another, but keeping the base the same is a simple solution.

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Alternatively, stressed-out parents who are fed up of cooking multiple dishes and still getting complaints might find planning with the kids helps. This means they have a say in what they get, but won’t be offered anything different if they push their plates away.

Getting the kids involved in the cooking is another way to cut out the rows. If the prospect of a messy kitchen on a Tuesday night after the kids have “helped” to cook sounds like the stuff of nightmares, then give them one job, such as chopping or peeling that will make them feel involved.

Take heart from the fact that 57 per cent of those in the survey said that dinner was the meal they were most likely to enjoy as a family. Then, you just have to wait for the stories about what’s happened at school to worry about instead of whether or not they’ll refuse to eat their mashed potato.