How to Stop Cooking a Different Meal for Everyone: Simple Solutions for Picky Eating and Peaceful Family Meals

Are you exhausted from cooking separate meals every night just so everyone has something they’ll eat? You’re not alone, and you don’t have to keep doing it.

If you’re stuck in the cycle of making multiple dinners for picky eaters or fussy eaters, remember these three things:

1. You’re not alone. Many families face the same struggles with picky eating and mealtime battles.

2. It’s okay to feel exasperated. Food refusal can be stressful and draining for any parent trying to plan family meals.

3. There is a solution, and it might be simpler than you think.

   
   

What Makes a Successful Family Mealtime?

A successful family mealtime doesn’t mean everyone enthusiastically tucking into the same stew or roast dinner. The true foundation of peaceful family meals lies in creating a sense of safety, connection, trust, and autonomy for your child.

Instead of cooking completely separate meals, try deconstructing dishes and offering simple, accepted foods alongside the main meal. This strategy is a fantastic part of meal planning for kids, helping reduce stress, save time, and promote positive experiences for picky eaters.

How to Serve One Meal for the Whole Family

Let’s say you love a chicken and chickpea curry, but your child refuses anything with a sauce let alone a whiff of chickpea). Instead of cooking a different meal for your picky eater, try serving the meal components separately:

• Chicken pieces

• Curry sauce in a bowl for dipping (if desired!)

• Chickpeas in a small dish

• Plain rice

  
  

Place these components in the centre of the table and let everyone choose what goes on their plate. This approach empowers your child to engage with the foods they’re comfortable eating while gently exposing them to new foods, which is a key principle in feeding therapy.

Add Simple, Accepted Side Dishes

Another great tip is to add simple, accepted foods as side dishes alongside a deconstructed meal. Remember, your meals don’t have to look conventional or “make sense.” There’s nothing wrong with serving cheese slices, raw carrot sticks, or plain toast next to chicken curry and rice if it means offering your child more accepted foods.

The purpose of these simple sides isn’t to create a perfectly balanced plate of complementary flavours, it’s to help your child feel safe, connected, and reassured at mealtimes. When children feel secure and are trusted to make their own food choices, mealtime anxiety often fades, leaving room for curiosity and new food experiences. This is crucial for long-term progress in managing picky eating and improving child nutrition.

Easy Family Meals Don’t Have to Be Complicated

If you’re looking for easy family meals that work for both adventurous eaters and picky eaters, deconstructing meals and adding accepted side dishes can be a game-changer. It’s one of the best family mealtime tips for parents who want to stop cooking separate meals and bring more harmony to the dinner table.

Ready to stop cooking separate meals and enjoy more peaceful family mealtimes?

Book a call with me to learn practical strategies for overcoming picky eating and discover delicious meal ideas for picky eaters that the whole family can enjoy!