Hello from Rockhampton!

[Elkwin]

I have no idea if I am posting this correctly, I haven't had that much experience with computers!
Anyhoo, I'm from Rocky in sunny Qld and have had my Thermomix  for about six months now. I did try to join this site months ago but never got an email confirming membership and couldn't log on. When I tried to re-join, I couldn't as the email address was already in use! I couldn't remember my password and it wouldn't send me the email for that either - and yes, I did check my junk folder. I've only recently found I could log-in. Very confusing.
I like my thermomix, but can't say that I love it. I think it may have been a bad decision on my part to buy it because I don't really use it for anything other than dough and the occasional dessert. I should pull the proverbial finger out and find more recipes that suit the family but with 3 VERY fussy kids that wont eat anything that has a sauce or is mixed together, it is very hard! I don't use the Varoma much at all as I have a steamer for the cook top that I perfer as it doesn't use electricity or make that annoying buzzing sound! It has made things much easier as I used to make all our bread by hand but I know I'm def not getting 2Ks worth of enjoyment out of it! I would still recommend the machine to anybody who can afford it though as it would be great for normal families without super fussy kidlets or people who like desserts more than we do.

[JuliaBalbilla]

Welcome to the forum Elkwin!  Must be difficult with such fussy children, but hopefully you will find something on the forum that they like.  How about starting with with drinks section?  I make all my own drinks now.  Let us know how you get on 

JB

[Cornish Cream]

Hi and welcome to the forum Elkwin.So glad you could can finally participate after difficulty joining.With the forums encouragement I'm sure we will get you to utilize your TM more in feeding your fussy kids

[fundj&e]

Hi and welcome to the forum Elkwin. what do they like to eat?

[Elkwin]

Thankyou for welcoming me, despite my somewhat negative post! I was a wee bit tired last night so not in the best frame of mind. I will try to use my super machine more...I promise!

My kids aren't that fussy with snacks, they just have problems with foods that are mixed. They love all sorts of raw vegies, fruit, lots of different cheeses (anything dairy really), plain rice, plain pasta with cheese sprinkled on top, cereal as long as it is only one type and no fruit or nuts mixed in, plain couscous and quinoa, they'll pick kidney beans out of dinner and eat them, sandwiches with basic spreads - the youngest is addicted to peanut butter (but wont eat the TM one), nuts. Only the oldest (DD8) will eat tomato soup and a little plain roasted chicken. Ham and bacon, occasionally eat sausages but not if we have them regularly. Interestingly they do love bone marrow but not meat. Eggs are ok as long as they're not mixed with anything else of course! The only cooked vegies they eat are corn on the cob and honeyed carrots - no mash potatoes. I've tried using the TM to hide more nutrients in things like milkshakes, but they pick up on the difference, the little monsters! Many desserts they wont eat if there are too many 'pieces' in it like bits of fruit.

I am tired of putting dinner down in front of them and it barely gets touched. I considered going vegetarian as none of them seem to like meat that much but the kids balked at all the extra vegetables that would mean! I'm giving them iron supplements as they're not getting enough in their current diet. I'm pretty strict with sugar and salt content and also preservatives. They don't get junk food unless it is a special occasion like birthdays or christmas. They love to help prepare a meal but not eat it!

Golly, if anybody can suggest ways to get my kids eating mixed food - I will fall at your feet in worship and erect a statue in your honour!!!!

[trudy]

Welcome to the forum.  I knolw that you are not alone with your fussy eaters.  Hope you can find lots of good things on here to help.

[dede]

Lol Elkwin, your post made me laugh, especially the part about worshipping those who can help and erecting a statue.
I have 5 kiddlets and they all have certain things they don't like but I don't think they are over fussy (thank god) must be so frustrating for you trying to please everyone while at the same time feeding them something nutritious. And you wouldn't want to be constantly wasting food because they won't eat what you make.
All I can suggest is make a list of all their favorite meals and hopefully slowly add to that by trying something new each week. Oh and buy some chooks to feed the scraps too and benefit from the eggs they lay.

[judydawn]

Hi Elkwin, welcome to the forum.  You do have a problem and I hope those with children will be able to help you utilise your TMX a bit more but I think this is going to be a difficult one for even the most seasoned frustrated Mum. What about you and your DH, perhaps make yourselves a nice meal totally using the TMX - a nice curry, Asian meal or something, give the children the plain food that they like and see if they show any interest in what is on your plates. I wish you luck in changing the eating habits of the children but I'd love to see you use the TMX a lot more than you do at the moment.  What prompted you to buy it - did you go to a demo or just buy it sight unseen?

[Elkwin]

I'm glad I made you laugh dede, and yes we have the chooks and the dog for scraps! I really need a goat for milk but I doubt the city council will be too pleased!

Judydawn - I did buy it mainly for the bread. I had burnt out two machines previously and had been doing it all by hand for about 2 years which is a pain in our very hot weather. I was tossing up between it and a KA but had heard that if you made a dough in them regularly that they burn out quickly. Plus my rice-maker was dead and my electric frypan was on its way out. I had hoped I could do things like bolognaise sauce in the TM but found I really didn't like the way the TM mushes it. Same with a lot of the casseroley type recipes. I had hoped to make my own healthier peanut butter since my youngest (DD3) eats so much of it but she wont touch it with a barge pole! I also had wanted to process seeds that I could hide in the kids food for a nutritional boost but no luck there either!
I did have the idea that I could toss a quick meal (like a risotto) together for hubby and I and just serve the kids up weet-bix or something for dinner. I've tried the mushroom one from the EDC, but didn't like it (I think it was the wine flavour) and it has turned me off risottos. I should search out some more really I guess. I do like the sound of a curry, I haven't had one in some time. I do use it to grind up coffee beans and when I first had it, was frothing milk for coffee for breakky every morning. I think I've just fallen into a bit of a rut and not continued to try things after some disappointing results.

[hools003]

Hi Elkwin and welcome! How about homemade Milo, mayonnaise, hoisin sauce, boost juices, yoghurt?
I don't like bolognaise in tmx either but I blitz the veg up in it then use my pressure cooker.
Curry pastes, butter, jam, pies?
How old are your kids? I found as mine got older, they were more adventurous! Why not give them a platter of things that they like, while cooking yourselves something in tmx then ask them if they want to try a bit of yours. They say that children have to try things 10 times before their tastebuds get accustomed to different tastes. Also if they see you eating a variety of things, they are more likely to try things. 
That's my experience anyway, my boys are now eating me out of house and home!!!!
Hope this helps

[cookie1]

Welcome to the forum Elkwin. Gosh you do have a battle on your hands. Would it help if the children helped make the meals after selecting what they would like to make? I know that would be time consuming for you though.

[Elkwin]

Hi All, thankyou for all the help, sympathy and suggestions!

I have three daughters 8, 7 and 3.

After trying the repeated exposure theory with dinner for the past 6 years, I've decided to go with serving them up nothing but weet-bix for dinner while hubby and I enjoy something yummy. See if that works!

They already enjoy helping me in the kitchen, they've been there since day one either in a sling or a high-chair. We had a vegie garden that they loved to snack out of (sadly the chooks demolished that recently!) and will even go as far as saying that what they're cooking smells nice...but still wont eat it.
 I've bought books about feeding fussy children, tried so many things.

Anyway, now I've decided to not worry about the kids at all at dinner times, maybe they'll get sick of the weet-bix every night and welcome a change!
Looking forward to more adventures with the TM now 

[mcmich]

Welcome Elkwin. I'm glad you're here on the forum after the rocky start.
If the children like raw there is a recipe section on the forum. Have you tried a sorbet with their favourite
fruit? All the best and let us know how you go.

[Katiej]

Hi Elkwin and welcome to the forum!

I have no experience feeding fussy kids, so I can't help.
I hope the weetbix dinner idea works; I'm sure they will be tired of the cereal in no time

[Elkwin]

Now that I've made the decision not to cater for the misses fussy britches, I'm having way more fun trolling through this website! Yummy curry paste here I come! I think the kids would go for the mock rice also - very clever.

And as a side note - during the past few months of ghosting around the forum I came across quirkyjo mentioning home schooling. That prompted a tonne of researching, ending up with us starting our own homeschooling journey this year. So this forum has had a massive impact on our family in more ways than one!