Dec 20
2010

No Whine with Dinner Cookbook—Overcoming mealtime whines (+ A Giveaway!)

in Book Reviews, Giveaway

If you’re a parent, you’ve likely heard some form of the phrase, “I don’t like it” at the dinner table. Even my children, who tend to be very adventurous non-picky eaters have their moments. Navigating the waters of filling a little one’s belly with nutritious food can feel a bit like walking a circus tight rope—one false move may send you tumbling down to the ground in defeat. Liz Weiss and Janice Newell Bissex (registered dietitions and the talent behind The Meal Makeover Moms website, blog, and podcast) conducted a survey of over 500 moms nationwide and discovered that the number one obstacle for moms in getting children to eat healthy and well-balanced meals was picky eaters who whine and complain.

Authors, Liz Weiss, MS, RD and Janice Newell Bissex, MS, RDPhoto Credit: Meal Makeover Moms

Liz and Janice decided to supply moms with a tool to try and get around this obstacle and wrote a cookbook called “No Whine with Dinner”.  The book was just released and is filled, not only with loads of wisdom, recipes, and ideas from Liz and Janice, but is packed full of ideas and advice from moms all around the country. The book also contains a chapter titled “Bloggers’ Best.”  For this chapter, Liz and Janice asked some of their favorite mom bloggers to share a recipe and a personal tip for getting their kids to try new foods.  Guess what? Yours truly is one of those bloggers!

No Whine with Dinner CookbookPhoto Credit: Meal Makeover Moms

When Liz and Janice approached me about being included in the book I immediately said yes.  Although I must admit that I was excited about being included in the book, I was more excited about being included in a message that I feel strongly about.  I knew Liz and Janice would do a fabulous job and was excited to get to be a part of it!  If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas gift for anyone with young children, this book would be a wonderful gift!

Because Liz and Janice are awesome, they sent me a couple copies of the book.  I’m keeping one (I know, I’m greedy, what can I say?), but I want one of you to have the other one! So let’s have a giveaway!

To enter:

1. Leave a comment below telling me what your best trick to getting them to eat is!  Or, if you don’t have any tricks, tell me what your biggest struggle with getting kids to eat.

Bonus Entries: (*Each bonus entry requires a separate comment to be counted!*)

2. Tweet about this post! Come back and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so. NOTE: You must be following @fujimama for this entry to count.  You can even just copy and paste this tweet to make it easy: “I just entered to win a copy of “No Whine with Dinner” cookbook from @fujimama http://su.pr/5bgVsQ #NoWhineBook”

3. Like La Fuji Mama on Facebook. Come back and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so (or if you already “like” me on Facebook).

4. Like The Meal Makeover Moms on Facebook.  Come back and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so.

5. Follow Liz and Janice on Twitter at @LizWeiss and @JaniceBissex and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so.

6. Sign up for our RSS Feed or Email Subscription.  Come back and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so (or if you’re already a subscriber).

7. Subscribe to The Meal Makover Moms’ monthly e-newsletter (includes giveaway news, healthy recipes and favorite food finds). Come back and leave a separate comment telling me you’ve done so.

Giveaway ends Sunday, December 26th, 2010 at 10pm PST.  The winner will be chosen via random.org and announced on Monday, December 27th, 2010.  This contest is open to all LFM readers.

{ 50 comments… read them below or add one }

Brian December 20, 2010 at 11:39 am

I tweeted about the contest :)

Reply

Brian December 20, 2010 at 11:39 am

I get my sone to practice his counting. So I have hime eat and count our his veggies :)

Reply

Brian December 20, 2010 at 11:40 am

I like you already :) hehe

Reply

Brian December 20, 2010 at 11:42 am

I like the meal makeover Mom’s

Reply

Amanda- Something Savory December 20, 2010 at 11:56 am

I am the picky eater, so I’ve been trying to get veggies in my diet. Unfortunately my trick is shredding them then frying them. Don’t think that’s really helping.

But I’m trying to mask them too. Especially in soup or pasta sauce. You could throw a ton of veggies into each, blend them up, and I won’t even mind. I just don’t like the texture of veggies.

Reply

Amanda- Something Savory December 20, 2010 at 11:57 am

Oh and I follow your rss feed!

Reply

Joy December 20, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Having my son help to cook is the best way to get him eating. He’ll sample while we are cooking, even if he doesn’t always eat the final product afterwards.

Reply

Heather (Heather's Dish) December 20, 2010 at 12:26 pm

i don’t really have kids or trouble getting kids to eat stuff, but i will say that my sister in law is kind of a picky eater…and that anything covered in cheesy sauce (i hide pumpkin in there!!!) works just fine :)

Reply

Teresa December 20, 2010 at 1:08 pm

2 of my kids will try pretty much anything, but my oldest only really likes it if it’s a) made with white flour b) fried c) buttered/sugared.
He’s old enough now that I just insist he eat a “no thank you helping.”

Reply

Abbie Wood December 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm

No kids here yet but I want to enter the contest for my sister :) who has a new baby and a six year old picky eater (he won’t eat anything white, which I find very strange- not even ice cream!)

Reply

Abbie Wood December 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm

I already like you!

Reply

Teresa December 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm

I “like” you on facebook already.

Reply

Abbie Wood December 20, 2010 at 1:09 pm

I already follow your RSS feed too (no I’m not a stalker!)

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento December 20, 2010 at 1:22 pm

I just tell them to taste it without telling them what it is ; )

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento December 20, 2010 at 1:22 pm

I like you on Facebook {& IRL}

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento December 20, 2010 at 1:23 pm

Tweet Tweet ; )

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento December 20, 2010 at 1:24 pm

I am of course signed up for your feed ; )

Reply

Paula - bell'alimento December 20, 2010 at 1:25 pm

I like MMM on Facebook!

Reply

Terra C December 20, 2010 at 2:52 pm

My trick used to be bribery (with an M&M or a “Treat”) but that doesn’t work anymore, so I’m going to say that my biggest struggle is him actually putting something in his mouth long enough to chew it and taste it. He’s STUBBORN!

Reply

Terra C December 20, 2010 at 2:53 pm

I’m a fan of yours on FB too. :)

Reply

Ilana December 20, 2010 at 4:47 pm

When my kids asked what the green stuff (seaweed) is in their miso soup I told them that it’s mermaid food. They were thrilled to eat mermaid food and all three of them love miso soup.

Reply

Jayne December 20, 2010 at 8:00 pm

I don’t have kids but do deal with kids frequently. They can be fickle and choose not to like something wherever their mood brings them. I commonly try to persuade them to at least try a little bit of what they don’t like first then give them the option to leave it aside if they really cannot stomach it. Usually, they would finish up that bit. :-)

Reply

Amy Wels December 20, 2010 at 8:13 pm

I liked the Meal Makeover Moms on Facebook!

Reply

Amy Wels December 20, 2010 at 8:14 pm

My biggest trick is to offer a wide variety a lot of the time. My three year old will eat just about anything, her favorites include chicken curry, green beans and asparagus….and I’ve been listening to the MMM’s podcast for a couple of years now, they’re great!

Reply

Lisa December 20, 2010 at 8:15 pm

I don’t have any good tricks yet… My daughter eats a good variety but my son likes mostly starches and hardly any protein. Getting in some more veggies would be great too!! Please help with any ideas!!

Reply

Lisa December 20, 2010 at 8:16 pm

I liked you on FB!

Reply

Lisa December 20, 2010 at 8:17 pm

I liked MMM on FB too. ;)

Reply

Lisa December 20, 2010 at 8:18 pm

I am a subscriber of your blog!!

Reply

Lisa December 20, 2010 at 8:18 pm

I just subscribed to MMM feed. :)

Reply

Krystal December 20, 2010 at 9:33 pm

There is no trick for me. My kids just know that if they don’t eat good, they don’t have snacks before the next meal time…sounds mean, but they eat better!

Reply

Krystal December 20, 2010 at 9:34 pm

I am already a subscriber!

Reply

Krystal December 20, 2010 at 9:38 pm

I just “liked” you on facebook!!

Reply

Lynda@ Me and My Pink Mixer December 21, 2010 at 5:37 am

My daughter has always been a picky eater. She is now a healthy 17 year old, so I wouldn’t stress over it too much. My husband has been a vitamin pusher over the years though – ha ha.

Reply

Lynda@ Me and My Pink Mixer December 21, 2010 at 5:38 am

I’m a follower too :)

Reply

Betsy December 21, 2010 at 8:02 am

Overall my kids are great eaters I think the key to our family is they are connected to their food by like having a garden, picking wild berries, and mushrooms. We also go fishing in Alaska where my famiy leaves. They really are adventourous little eaters.

Reply

Joy December 21, 2010 at 8:38 am

I actually to hid veggies in the dishes she will eat like rice.

Reply

scrapper al December 21, 2010 at 8:43 am

Since I’m the aunt and not the Mom, I get to play the “I don’t know how to cook anything else, but what you have on the plate” and the “I don’t know where the cookies/crackers/snacks” cards.” :) Sometimes it works with the kids and sometimes it doesn’t.

Reply

scrapper al December 21, 2010 at 8:44 am

I subscribe by RSS. :)

Reply

Jesse December 21, 2010 at 11:24 am

if she helps prepare the meal, she is much more adverterous about eating it as well

Reply

Jesse December 21, 2010 at 11:25 am

already a fb fan

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:30 am

My struggle is with my daughter who refuses to eat anything that is green! Ugh!!

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:31 am

I already like you on Facebook

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:31 am

I like Meal Makeover Moms on Facebook

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:32 am

I am following @LizWeiss and @JaniceBissex on Twitter (@lch2004)

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:32 am

I am an email subscriber

Reply

Caitlin December 21, 2010 at 11:33 am

we don’t have kids yet, but hang out with our nephews frequently! I often pretend I’m going to eat the 3 year old’s food, this works for now, but sooner or later he’s going to figure it out.

Reply

Kari H. December 21, 2010 at 11:33 am

I subscribed to the monthly newsletter

Reply

Barbara | VinoLuciStyle December 21, 2010 at 12:07 pm

My kids are grown but the memories remain and my youngest was a bit picky. And I was a single mom from the time she was two; so my method had as much to do with the reality of our lives as anything…there simply was no time for it!

She was expected to try a bit of everything but not finish it and over time her tastes changed and some of those items she put her nose up over; like salmon and avocado…are now favorites! I have to (or should I say hate to?) admit I never did anything that ascribed to her pickiness except, well, OK…I let her put ketchup on stuff I could not imagine it on!

Please do not count me as an entry in your contest; just sharing a memory and a hope for many – they will most likely grow out of it!

Reply

Sari December 21, 2010 at 1:14 pm

Honestly, it’s not really a trick – just the good old doctrine called discipline! ;)

Reply

clara December 21, 2010 at 1:40 pm

give the kids choices and chance to choose.

leave the food on the table and tell them they can eat when they are hungry and that if they are not gonna eat yet within the hour, they could cover up the food so they could eat later.

not forcing them to eat shows that you respect them enough to make their own choices and to listen to their bodies when they are hungry and not just graze.

Reply

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: