I just made what I think is a pretty yummy dinner. Just some store bought spinach and cheese ravioli but I made a simple butter and parmesan sauce with some lovely onion sea salt from Brittany (in France.) Simple and yummy. Thought it would be great for the kids - they love pasta. And the adults as it has some actual flavor to it.

And this is where it all went wrong...

I served it to my youngest.

"Ew! I'm not eating THAT! I tried that before and I DIDN'T like it."

"Where did you try it? I've never made this before."

"At Andy's house."

"Well, I don't cook like Andy's mom, do you think you might want to try mine?"

"NO. I know I don't like it."

Sigh... This is the child that inhaled half a grapefruit as his first solid food. (Yeah, interesting choice I know, but it's a funny story. For another time.)  He begged us for everything we were eating. Lamb chops - sucked the bone clean. Beans? Yes please!  This kid ate anything we were eating. Unlike his older brother who lived on grapes, ham, yogurt and... wait, I'm sure there was something else... maybe not... for YEARS and now, out of sheer hunger (he's 13.5) he's finally eating more and trying more. But this little guy? Nope. No way. And he's not that little. He's 8. And he's a freaking GRUMP when he's not eaten.

I buy cookbooks for picky eaters. Then I open them and see they have a spinach and whatever quiche. Seriously? Does this cook even KNOW what a picky eater is? He'll eat meat of nearly any kind. And carbs. And that's about it. Oh, actually he'll eat some fruit but the only veg to pass his lips is the occasional (tops only of) broccoli. I worry about his health, his weight and his missing out on learning about great food at an impressionable age.

I do not want dinner (or any meal for that matter) to be a battleground. And yet here we are. I don't want to be here.