Picky dinner guests (kids)

[ree-Xi]

When we invite my sister's family over to eat, there's always a battle of some sort. Two of my sisters kids (8 & 10) are very picky eaters.

Whether it's a five-course Turkey dinner, or a cookout with burgers, dogs and chicken, they will ask me for chicken nuggets. And the nuggets have to be the ones that are shaped like dinosaurs. If not, they throw them away.

I always have a variety of dishes to suit everyone. I even ask what each person will want before they show up, to make sure that we cook enough of each type of food. My food is not overly flavored, though I have a variety of dressings and spices should someone want bbq or teryaki on their chicken, or mesquite on their steak. Basically, everyone (else) enjoys my food.

If the kids does choose hot dogs, they say "yuck" when it goes on their plate, because they will only eat dogs from the ballpark, and won't eat hot dogs with "lines on them" (from the grill). Same with burgers. Once on their plate, they announce that they will only eat McDonalds burgers. And whatever they do put on their plate, 75% goes in the trash, claiming that they are stuffed but ready to move onto dessert. So even if I do get those dinosaur nuggets, out of the 8 bucks for the pack of 25, maybe 6 pieces re eaten.

I used to indulge them when they were younger, but it's at the point where I think the kids should eat what I cook.

My sister regularly makes remarks like "we'll get McD's on the way home, kids, or will say "we should have stopped on the way so that the kids will have something they will eat. Mind you, the six year old will eat anything put in front of her - steak, chicken, salad, broccoli, fruit, vegetables.

Other friends of mine with picky nieces and nephews refuse to indulge and make 5 different meals. What do you all think? Yes, the two older kids pull this at home as well. When I was growing up, you ate what was put on your plate.

Any ideas on how to handle this? I don't want to be inhospitable, but it makes for some drama, and I hate having drama. And lastly, I always have a lot of leftovers that we end up not being able to eat.