Torturing my children (aka making them eat their dinner)

We had a bit of a parenting adventure last night at dinner. My kids are very picky eaters, especially Daniel (pictured below eating a cupcake -- one of the few things he actually likes). He really only likes carbs (bread, tortillas, french fries, chips, crackers, mac and cheese, cake) and chicken strips. He doesn't even like normal things kids like like pizza, apples, strawberries, bananas, etc. He'll eat fruit flavored yogurt, but not actual fruit. Sigh.

We had baked salmon and rice for dinner last night, and it was very good. We also put a couple of pieces of apple and banana on their plates. Most nights, we make something our kids like, but occasionally we make them try something new, and they're not allowed to get up until they try ONE bite of each thing.

Daniel did OK with the one bite of fish, but had serious issues with taking a bite of banana. I was incredulous -- it's a freakin' banana! Daniel acted like I was making him down a bite of tofu, or maybe cyanide-laced brussels sprouts. He actually tried one bite and gagged and spit it out before he finally managed to down one. I think this process took like 30 minutes.