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Kids & Vegetables
Children are notoriously picky eaters. There's no really getting around it; whether by acclimation to certain products or simply because their taste buds differ from adults, kids just don't have the same tastes and are typically more resistant to trying new foods.
One specific bone of contention for most kids is vegetables. While kids can develop quite a love of veggies if introduced to them at a young age, many parents miss this important phase, and later end up trying to persuade the kids to eat stuff that they find repulsive.
Well, who would want to eat something like that? It doesn't really matter what age you are; "it's good for you" is not a very persuasive argument as to why you should eat something disgusting. The only difference between kids and adults is that nobody will send the adult to xis bedroom for refusing to eat broccoli.
With that in mind, Geri has compiled a few pointers on how to make vegetables more appealing to one's finicky kids.
Preparation
Food prep is 9/10ths of the law, particularly where vegetables are concerned. Sure, it's quick and easy just to microwave-steam your broccoli, but it's also disgusting, especially after the fifth dinner or so.
- Probably the easiest way to make vegetables more appealing is to fry them. Thaw them out in the microwave, then toss them into a skillet with olive oil, garlic, and a bit of salt. Cook until veggies are just browned.
- For some quick flavor, add cheese. A few dashes of Romano cheese - again, with a bit of olive oil - can improve or even help to mask the flavor of the vegetables. Or let the kids pick their own salad dressing to top their veggies.
- Try new ingredients. Ditch those tired old bags of broccoli or carrot-pea mixes and shell out for something interesting. It may have the opposite effect - as mentioned, kids are often hesitant about trying new foods - but it may pique their curiosity.
- Have your relatives prepare it. Kids will sometimes do things for other relatives that they wouldn't dream of doing for their parents - including trying new foods.
- Whatever you're doing, do something else. If they don't like the Brussels sprouts fried, try them steamed. If they don't like them steamed, try them whole in a pork roast. Make your vegetables into a fresh salad and throw in some beans. Just experiment and see what your kids prefer.
Presentation
It's true: kids are shallow little beasties. They're much more likely to try something if you make it look attractive. You can go the obvious route - cut it into friendly-looking shapes such as dinosaurs or flowers - or you can appeal to their sense of class and serve it on nice dishes with some professional-looking topping and a sprig of parsley. The trick is to make your kid feel like they will have fun eating it.
Having said that, don't try and trick them. Don't present vegetables as anything but vegetables - marvelous, fun, tasty vegetables. (Leave their nutritional value off the table. They're not going to care about that.)
If All Else Fails
Put two or three bites on the kid's plate and make xir eat it. Tell them that they don't have to eat any more than that if they don't like it, but that they have to get that little bit down. If the kid doesn't like the dish you've prepared, don't push it; try something else next time. Of course, if your kid clames xe doesn't like any vegetables that you've offered, it might be time to take xir down for a talk. Kids can develop certain prejudices against vegetables that are hard to break through.
Or you could follow Geri's little brother's advice: "You just stick a metal apparatus in their mouth [to keep their mouth open], put the veggies in - pre-chewed if you must - and make them swallow or you'll spank them." For what it's worth, we recommend against this procedure.