General Rant

[Barmaid]

I have encouraged my step son to be more engaged with his food. This includes doing "Pizza factory" on a Saturday night where we make the dough together, the tomato sauce and then roll it out, make it and bake it. HE LOVES IT.

Tonight, we made the dough and tomato sauce and then opened the cheese. It had previously been unopened and kept in the fridge. The "display to date" was 21 Jan and the Use by date "23 Jan". I was horrified when I opened it to find it covered with mould.

Consequently, no 1 step son got very upset. He doesn't want to do pizza factory anymore. I had to find a last minute alternative.

I have tried complaining to the store's website, which despite several attempts it will not accept my post. I tried calling them but "due to unforeseen circumstances" they cannot take my call. I am seriously ruffled around the boa. Months of work destroyed and now I will have to start building his confidence again. His view? "no more pizza factory". V sad.

Cocks.

[scotman]

Can you suggest baking bread together. I always found it therapeutic to beat the bejasus out of a lump of dough.

[cazzz1975]

oh thats a shame barmaid!

[zzxxee]

its a shame his confidence has been dented because of this he has autism i understand ?
i would engage him in shopping for the ingredients on the day you make it as it will be fresh it could be his job to check the labels :) i hope you can enjoy your activity again xx

[anneasquith]

what about baking cakes ? i wrap opened cheese in foil.

[cazzz1975]

I agree with zzxxee, he may be more interested if he oversees the buying of fresh ingredients!

[Barmaid]

Nice idea Scotman, but unfortunately he is severely autistic and will only eat about 3 different things. Pizza is his number 1. With making our own pizza I can sneak in pureed veg (without him knowing). He was so upset about the cheese. He sat in his apron in the kitchen and just sobbed. He was inconsolable.

I know these things happen, but the fact that complaining is so hard just makes me fizz. (Ok so its not their fault he is autistic, but I saw the little lad in floods of tears over lack of pizza factory).

[Postdog]

OK, I know it was the cheese but.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO5GWJJP3FM

[Barmaid]

Awww, the other posts appeared after mine!

He loves shopping, but won't engage in making any other food. I tell him what we need and I let him write the shopping list and then he carries it round the supermarket ticking things off. It takes 10 times longer than if I did it, but it gives him a life skill.

I am just bloody annoyed about the damn cheese.

[zzxxee]

what other things does he like eating barmaid ?

[sara3]

awhh, that's sad.. bless him. can you go shopping in the morning and have a pizza factory lunch?

[dotty.]

You should maybe now explain about penicillin and turn it into a scientific experiment that he can carry out under controlled conditions, split the cheese and see where the lould develops the most

[dotty.]

*mould.

[starone]

Poor little chap!

[cazzz1975]

well looks like its a long shopping trip for pizza ingredients. I know what you mean with their rigidity with food, my sons also have a limited diet but I tend to make mini buffets of different foods all with similar textures, we have had some success, so it can be good. occasionally we include a different texture which can go one way or another!

[Barmaid]

We're not quite at that stage yet Cazz. He will eat

Pizza
Sausages
Meatballs
Chips
Chicken nuggets (macdonalds only)
bread and butter (soft white bread only)
sour cream and onion pringles
prawn cocktail crisps
Giant chocolate buttons (won't even eat normal size chocolate buttons)

That's it. Thankfully, I had some sausages in reserve.

Sara, think that is a good idea. May take him to Pizza Hut for lunch followed by shopping.

My only reserve is his attitude now is "no more pizza factory" (pizza factory was bloody handy for me being able to slip other pureed veg into his diet!!!!!!!!!)

[sara3]

can you make your own chicken nuggets? would buying him a basic cookery book encourage him?

sorry, I have no expertise in this subject, but I feel for both of you.

[cazzz1975]

thats a lot of junk, I can see why you are annoyed, I personally would keep the ritual of pizza factory going, he can have a separate meal if he doesnt want to partake, he needs to see that it can be okay again and not the end because of one setback, after a few weeks he wont be able to resist and will eventually eat some

you need to make sure that the stuff you buy is okay prior

[cazzz1975]

patience and continuity are key here

[Barmaid]

I know it is Cazz - that's why PF is so important. But I am not "mum", so the effect I can have is minimal. The best I can do is sticking pureed stuff into the tomato sauce for pizza or meat balls (i have become jolly devious in pre-opening the can/carton, taking the contents out, pureeing veg and putting it back into the carton!). He has, however, shown an interest in growing his own pumpkins. I am trying to come to a deal with him that if I help him grow them, he will eat them!!!!! (Deals are very important to him). However, my next venture with him is homemade bread.

I am going to stick with it - heck, we've come this far - I am just bloody annoyed at something that should have been OK (6 days before "display until" date) was so minging. And then complaining is impossible.

Unfortunately Sara, he won't go for anything other than McD's chicken nuggets. I've got some in the freezer and they are offered to him every meal time but he refuses. One day he will relent. Once we've overcome that hurdle, we are halfway there to making our own.

[sara3]

I have to say, apart from the prawn cocktail crisps.. I like everything he likes ;o)

best of luck xx