Apple pie has fruit in it.

Oatmeal raisin cookies- oats= grains and raisins = fruit

ice cream- has milk in it,  add chocolate and you have your vegetable (see
Julie's post below on chocoloate)

1) Milk (unless they are allergic) can provide pretty much all the nutrition
young kids need. Add some chocolate to it, and if you are absolutely stuck,
they can live on chocolate milk for quite some time.

2) If you are really worried about their nutrition after them eating only
candy and rubbish for a few days, give 'em chewable vitamin pills and call
them an extra special sweetie that they get only if htey are *good*. they'll
*beg* for them!

3) Kids don't care if they are dirty or not. Kids don't care if the house is
dirty or not.

4) Visit friends with kids. Alot. The kids will generally entertain each
other and the adults have to do less work. And besides, if they make a
horrendous mess, its not your problem, its the person you visited :-)

5) it is utterly imperative that you get out of the house, even if its just
to a park or a field or whatever.

6) McDonalds may serve crap, but they will give you cheap coffee and dont'
care that the kids are being kids. Even better, there's a kid's play area
(well, there are around here) that the kids can't (easily) escape from and
there's no time limit.

7) Ear plugs are a necessity of life, bring them and a book wherever you go

8) Some clubs, gyms etc etc offer two hours of free childcare whilst you use
their facilities. They do expect you to play on the pokies, buy food or do a
workout, but there's nothing to say that you *have* to. Dump them in creche
and enjoy the two hours of solitude. If you find a quiet corner you might
even manage to get a few minutes shut-eye

9) If all else fails, try duct tape:
<http://www.stillhq.com/diary/pictures/matt-tape-after.jpg>

Yowie

Thanks Julie - now, Fred, I think, believes in this wholeheartedly
himself.  I think that, if he weren't married to me, he would eat like
this all the time.  That being said, he believes that people should eat
what's put in front of them, regardless of personal preference.  THAT's
where things get a little dicey.  As long as its healthy, I modify
servings at dinner to match preference - maybe I'm a pushover...

Susan M
Otis and Chester

Matter of fact, on Jeopardy the other night the answer was "What is blood
pressure".  The question was, "Scientists say eating a little dark chocolate
every day will lower this, both systolic and dystolic." <G>

Jill