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Article I’m A French Mum And Cookbook Author: Here Are 5 Things I’d Never Do At Dinner Time With Kids

August 20, 2025

13 Comment

Dinner time can feel relentless and a chore to some. But to me, it is one of the most important times of the day. It is where connection happens, where kids learn about food, and where lifelong habits are formed. It is also the moment we sit down together, share a meal and talk about our day.

Isabelle Dunn is a passionate home cook and content creator with a large community of loyal social followers and a lifelong love for cooking. Born and raised in France, Isy now resides in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two daughters. From sharing her favourite recipes on her blog in the early days to creating engaging food content for brands today while running the viral @tastyfeedsdaily, Isy has always been dedicated to inspiring others to enjoy the fun of cooking.

Here are five things I would never do when it comes to family dinners.

1. I’d Never Cook Separate Meals for Everyone

I believe in one family meal. If kids get a choice, they will be fussy. You should never give them that power. They will not starve themselves. If the only option is the family meal, and the meal is tasty, they will eventually get used to enjoying it with everyone. The more variety they get, the more adventurous their palate becomes and the more they enjoy trying new things.

2. I’d Never Buy Processed Meals or Overcomplicate Weeknights

Simple beats stressful. I usually batch cook a couple of things over the weekend and save them for the busiest nights when work and sport practice make dinner extra late. For the other nights, simple pan dishes are my go-to: protein and veggies, a crustless quiche or a nice salad. I rarely buy anything pre-made because I still like to keep it fresh, but that does not mean dinner needs to be fancy or complicated.

3. I’d Never Eat in Front of the TV

Letting them have a TV dinner very occasionally as a treat is fine, but every day it sets up bad eating habits. It encourages mindless eating, where kids are not even acknowledging or enjoying the food in front of them. Around the table is where the conversation happens. It is where kids learn to pause, taste and connect.

4. I’d Never Do It All For Them

My kids are part of the process. They help put the shopping away, set the table, empty the dishwasher and even take the bins out. In the kitchen, they peel veggies, make salad dressings and pick herbs from the garden. We all live together and we all pitch in. It teaches them that food and family life are shared responsibilities.

5. I’d Never Rule Out Foods Forever

Kids’ tastes change. What they dislike one year they might be fine with the next. My daughter went through a phase of not enjoying tomatoes very much, but now she is fine with them, raw or cooked, as long as they are cut small. Small preferences I am happy to accommodate, but I avoid ruling out entire ingredients completely. Tastes evolve and the more variety they are exposed to, the more open they become.

If you enjoyed these tips, check out some of my recipes and ideas in my cookbook Bon App! and over on my Instagram @TastyFeedsDaily. I share casual, joyful French food that is made to be cooked at home and enjoyed with the people you love.

We’re giving away three copies of Isabelle’s amazing cookbook – make sure you get your entry in!

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Comments

  • I really dont mind having a special night where you can all eat dinner in front of the tv but as a nightly thing its something that I detest.
    My husband was 100% happy for the kids to eat in the lounge in front of the tv and so thats what happened after many battles. I was never happy with it.

    Reply

  • I must say that I do do most of these. We always eat at the dining table and when my daughter tries to bring her devices, I shut that down too. Dinner time should be family time. I also make one meal that I expect everyone to eat. As to changing tastebuds, I’m yet to see that work to my favour. It seems my two just seem to exclude more and more foods…

    Reply

  • I only agree with some of this – we have actual medical reasons why not everyone gets the same meal, for example. But she’s right about not eating in front of the TV (or having any screens at the dinner table), and right about never ruling any food out forever. My kids always knew they’d be asked to taste things again.

    Reply

  • I love the concept of this lady, we try to keep a positive attitude about food and being healthy for our kids. As a busy mum I know it’s hard but I feel consistency is key and being organised with sourcing fresh produce weekly helps us with meal planning and making tasty meals for the family.

    Reply

  • The thing we love to do in our home is to get everyone involved with cooking meals. Cooking meals and spending time together in the kitchen can be such fun and such a joy for all. Cooking is an essential life skill and good activity to learn about food and nutrition.

    Reply

  • I’d like to say that I follow all of these rules, but I can’t. The only cooking one meal and always including a range of vegetables, flavours and textures is something I always do. I don’t have the time after a full day of work to cook different things for different people.
    My husband and I always try different things at restaurants, even on date nights, and sent photos to the kids, so that they know Mum and Dad try new things too!

    Reply

  • Yesss! I agree with the not making seperate meals but I must admit we are guilty of eating while watching tv. We never did when the kids were younger but now they are all older we make a plate each and enjoy a show together, we find it something to bond over and look forward to. I think as long as you still find time to chat and be close it’s not too bad a thing but will aim to not do it every night

    Reply

  • Thanks for sharing this article; there are some good tips listed. I agree with not over complicating meals. It is quite easy to use fresh produce and also produce on special to make quick and simple and delicious meals for the family. Exploring lots of different foods and cuisines is so important for everyone in our family.

    Reply

  • Isabelle’s insta did not dissapoint. So many ways to have brie! Brie Brulee and whipped brie are most defintiely getting me excited!

    Reply

  • I don’t cook separate meals but I have adapted the meals I cook so that everyone is happy. I also think it is a great idea to get everyone to pitch in and help with the meal or setting the table or washing up.

    Reply

  • Some very sensible and obvious suggestions here and while we do adhere to most I am guilty of cooking something they like as a separate meal at times. With some with allergies it does make it a little trickier to all eat the same but we try. Totally agree they should help set the table etc and clear away and no TV.

    Reply

  • These tips all make a lot of sense and I assume many of us practice these. That’s what living in a family and being part of family is about; connecting without television or phones, each carrying their responsibilities and pitching in, cooking together nice home cooked meals and offering a wide variety of foods is so important as well

    Reply

  • I couldnt agree more with these tips and advice on here! We’ve now gone past the stage of picky eaters at dinner and all. All it took was constant food exposure and allowing our kids to decide how much they wanted to try, but the rule being they must at least try it. Tastes have changed and they are definitely much more open and willing!

    Reply
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