food & children

I read something tonight on food and children. Should you make your child go with out if they chose not to eat what you put in front of them? Really this is sad. This is the problem today with parenting. Parents feel that they are better able to make even these decisions for there child. I'm sure that the parents feel they are doing what is right. After all that is what they are programed to do. You are programmed at an early age that children do not "know" what is good for them.
So really here is another way to look at this. Would you feed something to your husband or friend and say you can only have this to eat? Would you respect that your husband or friend would be able to make that chose on there own and if they chose not to eat it you wouldn't forbid them to not eat another thing or go hungry would you ? Then why would you not hold that same respect for your child?
I know most of the time it comes down to convenience for the parents. I don't want to make something different. Why?? What is more important then your child's needs? Would it take maybe 5 minutes to make something he or she wants? You should want to your child to learn to make and believe in there decisions not hinder them.