Seven is the best number.

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So lately, my dear sweet middle child hasn't been eating dinner (which isn't gross food, btw!) and while we usually don't force the kids to eat, I'm tired of hearing her cry of how hungry she is an hour later; so this is a sample of the conversations we've had recently at dinner:

Sweetpea: "Mom, can I be excused?"
Me: "You didn't eat any of your dinner. You will be hungry soon. And that's it for the night."
Sweetpea: "But it's _____ (insert: yucky, gross, cold, crunchy, any other bad adjective you can think of)"
Me: "Eat three bites and you can get down."
Sweetpea: in a whiny voice- "But it's ____!" (again, insert the yucky adjective)
Me: "Three bites won't kill you. Do it quickly!"
Sweetpea: "how about seven bites?"
Me: weary of what she's up to- "Um... okay. why not three bites?"
Sweetpea: "Seven is a better number." (in a very matter of fact voice)

and then... she quickly gobbles up SEVEN bites of the ___ food and she's done!