Is it right to force children to eat foods they don't like?

No. Never. Everyone has their own preferences. All you can do is introduce 'em to various foods.

Let them try it. (Don't let them knock it before they've tried it.) If they still don't like it after at least 3 tries (different days) let them have a nutritional equivalent (corn instead of peas for example)

One of my coworkers mentioned the concept of a "no thank you" bite, which I thought made sense. If you don't like what's on your plate, especially if it's something you either haven't tried before, or don't remember trying before, please take a "no thank you" bite without making any faces. Much of the time kids say they don't like something before they've even tried it.

It depends. When I was growing up, my mother would sometimes make chicken livers, which I detested. She would always make me eat one, and it was really difficult for me to choke it down. She recently told me that she did this because I was borderline anemic a lot growing up, and she wanted me to have the iron. I think it's reasonable that she insisted on something that she believed was really good for me. In general I'm also not a very picky eater; there are a few things I don't like but I'll try most things at least once. I think it's good that my mom made me eat at least a little of whatever was on my plate.

Force? No. Encourage? Absolutely. Children often don't like new flavours, so encouraging them to try something a few times before they decide they don't like it is probably a good idea. Being a picky eater as a child doesn't mean you'll be a picky eater as an adult - unless the child has been scarred by endless battles about a particular food item.

It's a parents responsibility to teach and encourage their children to eat healthy foods, even though they may not like the foods.

No but it's ok to have them try them occasionally - tastes change as they grow older.

yes of course it is. Children don't know what's best for them. I was forced to eat my food several times. I believe that helped me develop the multiple tastes for food that I possess.

If would ask them to try the food, and if they don't like it, then they don't have to eat it anymore.

Yes, off course if only let them eat what they want, they will only want to eat junk food.

Depends. If it is something that their body needs for health and well being, they will need to learn that being picky or finicky or acting like a jerk is not approved. The adult needs to make hopefully best decisions, but most adults do not impress me as very smart when it comes to any kind of nutritional training. The FDA food pyramid...give me a fudging break. People are stupid when it comes to what is best for the body. To tell someone with AB bloodtype that cauliflower is good for them, for instance, is irresponsible to say the least. To force someone to eat anything their body is allergic to is criminal. Where does one draw the line?
I hate that the government decides what is good for poeple and what is good enough for people. It creates stupid people.

That's true about developing tastes. My mom got quite creative along with what she grew up with. There isn't much I am not willng to try now. I may have not iked it or made a fuss, but there are many things I like now that I was forced to try growing up.

My blood group is AB and I'm not allergic to cauliflower.

It depends. If it was a child that refuses vegetables and fruits completely, maybe.

I think I'd try to hide the vegetables in things they DO like though.... instead of bullying them into eating stuff.

It' s not neccesarily a allergy. It's the digestion process. Body types of one kind can digest some food, while others have a more difficult time. And I may have gotten the blood type not right with that food. I took a shot prviding one example out of the thousands I could have provided knowing that someone would not agree.
This is one of htose subjects you and I will most likely not come to an agreement on.

> This is one of htose subjects you and I will most likely not come
> to an agreement on.

True. I don't expect to change your mind, but you can't expect me to leave a statement like that unchallenged.

I half expect no one reads my stuff anyway. Thanks for being there.

I always read your posts - I wouldn't bother replying at all if I thought less of you

You are truly a doll!

Yes - I think it's important to at least have them try something. I get really annoyed with fussy eaters and people who won't eat something because they don't like the 'look' of it. I think it's about how much variety you're given as a child. If I told my parents I didn't like something they wouldn't give it to me again, but I would be expected to eat it on that occasion. My mum/dad had still gone to the effort of cooking dinner.

Yes and no.

Children are allowed to have preference in food, just like adults have. However, if all the child wants to eat is pizza, then it's okay to force them to eat other food.

Make your best effort to have the kid try the food. Sometimes it takes many tries for a little kid to like a certain food.

This is different. If they have another option, then they should take that.

If there isn't and they don't want it, they should go hungry. Natural instinct to survive will soon kick in and they will soon learn that eating it is the best option. This, by the way, is not cruel in my mind.

I know doctors who agree that sometimes it goes beyond a child not liking a food. Sometimes a child's body reacts negatively to certain foods to protect itself. If a child doesn't like a food, why not find an alternative to meet nutritional requirements.

I make my children taste everything. They are aloud to spit it out but I feel obligated to expose them to a variety of healthy foods.