Cooking for Fussy Children

I really struggle with cooking for my children.  My two will only eat what I call "clean food", for example plain pasta without any sauce at all.  There can be no sauce or marinade on meat, no salad dressing, no stews or casseroles.  All food has to be separate as well - I can't even make a pasta without sauce but mix in a little bit of bacon or peas.  It is highly frustrating.

I have know conceded defeat and the fussy ones get just about the same dinner every night.  Broccoli, corn, plain pasta and some sort of plain meat (steak, chicken).  Once I embraced that they will not be adventurous it actually takes a little of the stress of me and dinner time.  Dinner should be a happy time, and in my house it was becoming a disliked part of the day by everyone. 

I have always had the idea of creating a cook book for parents like myself that struggle to get anything nutritious into their children.  I have made a few attempts to hid the nutritional ingredients and I must admit my muffins (which have blended cauliflower, butter beans, and zucchini in it) are a hit, but that is about my only success.  So when I say food hidden, I mean food HIDDEN, not just grated carrot in with the mince.  Anyway, there is an idea for some creative chef out there.

So it is back to making two dinners every night, one lot for the kids and one lot for my husband and me.  Although I must say he can be less then appreciative, which while he has his many many good points, tact and forethought are not part of those good points.  Dinner tonight was a lovely salad of roast pumpkin, roast beetroot, and haloumi with (for him, I am not a meat eater) a eye fillet.  All he could say was "Geez Jen, what is going on?  Where is the onion?".  Hmmmm, tonight when I go to bed I am going to really enjoy JUST reading my book!!

Let us know your tricks of the trade when it comes to fooling the kids!!