Let’s do this together

Sometimes as I stand in the kitchen cutting up apples into batons so The Dark Lord will eat them, I wonder if I’ll still be doing this for her when she’s got kids of her own.

My daughter towers over me, yet has the eating habits of a tyrant toddler. I blame myself for not introducing mung beans at weaning age, but she was my first – and only – child and I really didn’t expect her to be so bloody-minded about food.

We didn’t have a choice as kids, but I do remember my little brother crying at the dinner table because he hated mashed potato, and I remember feeling really sorry for him.

I didn’t want her to be traumatised like that, so she’s lived off various combinations of three food groups – meat, pasta and broccoli – for more than 11 years.

She’s had so many ham rolls at school instead of normal lunch, I expect she’s half child, half pork product now. Although I’m pleased to say she’s just recently discovered cheese, although only if it’s melted and stuck on a pizza base!

Apparently, my daughter is not alone in being a big fusspot. According to a poll by Lancashire cheesemaker Blacksticks Blue, 60% of adults admitted they’ve gone to extreme lengths to avoid trying something new.

And in the top five foods avoided are blue cheese, anchovies and sardines, which sounds like an interesting new sandwich combo to me. Of those surveyed, more than half admitted sneaking food they didn’t like in the bin, feeding it to the dog (38%) or hiding the evidence in a napkin (35%).

But as far as I know, nobody has admitted to wailing at the top of their voice, flinging themselves across the floor, and rolling down the stairs just for extra effect. Just our house then…

Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.