How To Put An End To Dinner time Drama
3 Tips to get even the pickiest of kids to try new foods
If you have children, you know just how difficult it can be to have a meal that doesn't involve complaining, bribing or bargaining. Kids don't always know what's best for them, but they sure as heck know what they like and what they most definitely do not like. It can be near impossible to convince them to try new foods without a catastrophic meltdown, so we cave and stick to chicky nuggies and a box of Kraft. We get it! Life is full of craziness so why in the world would we add to it by fighting over food.
But here's the thing, if we're honest we all know the nutritional value of typical "kid friendly" foods is well...lacking to say the least. There are so many amazingly delicious (and much healthier) things to try if we could just convince these little monsters of it. How does one go about convincing said monsters you ask? Here are a few tips and tricks we've learned while trying to navigate this parenthood thing.
Get them involved
One of the biggest beefs kids have with trying new foods is the fact that it’s new. They’re not fans of the unknown and therefore discern that it’s bad without even giving it a fair chance. Take that excuse away before they can use it by getting them in the kitchen with you. Dinner prep may take a bit longer and obviously there will be days when time doesn’t allow for it. But when possible, let them wash the produce, sprinkle the seasonings, roll the meatballs and such. If they put their own sweat equity into the meal, there’s a much better chance they’ll be excited to taste the fruits of their labor. Also, they will have had the chance to see what went into the finished product and maybe try some of the ingredients beforehand. Which leads us to the next tip….
Let ‘em snack
Our oldest daughter actually noticed this helpful hint as she would watch her two younger sisters steal little bites here and there of the ingredients laid out on the kitchen counter. If we’re making tacos for instance, there may be a bowl of shredded red cabbage that would slowly begin to dwindle as they grabbed piece after piece to chomp on. If we set a big bowl of cabbage in front of them at the dinner table they wouldn’t touch it, but for some reason they would consume handfuls of it while making dinner. Kids are strange. You may say, “my kid wouldn’t touch cabbage if I covered it in sugar.” And that’s okay, maybe for them it’s carrots or raw potatoes (that was me (Michele) as a kid- I was strange too), or who knows what else. Whatever it may be, let them snack. Even if they fill up on the ingredients and eat less of the actual dinner, who cares. If it’s healthy ingredients those kiddos are consuming, does it really matter what form they’re consumed in?
Be sneaky
Okay, so here’s the thing, some kids are just plain stubborn and will not yield on certain foods. (We swear that stubbornness may become one of their biggest strengths one day. Fingers crossed.) Here’s where you get to play the food ninja and be super sneaky and creative with how you mask some healthy alternatives. There are a crazy amount of foods that can be disguised in some of your kiddo’s favorite meals. And because this is a universal parenthood struggle, there are an overwhelming number of recipes on the internet to help you get started.
Cauliflower is the new superhero of the veggie world. That shape shifter can become almost anything. Pizza crust, rice, wings, tots, mashed potatoes, soup - there’s nothing that little guy can’t do. We’ve snuck tofu into creamy sauces. Zucchini easily became noodles. Homemade french fries, which are leaps and bounds healthier than the frozen variety, have become a family favorite. The list goes on. Not everything will be a hit with your crew, but hopefully you’ll find a few things that do resonate with their picky taste buds.
Whether we realize it or not, we're teaching our children lifelong eating habits that will stick with them far into the future. Decisions we make today about our nutrition have ongoing ramifications on our health. This does not mean we have to be perfect about every bite of food we consume, but being mindful of its importance will be a huge factor in avoiding disease as we age.
We won’t sit here and tell you this is an easy task. There will still be tears shed, plates thrown, food flung across the room. Let’s face it - we love our children, but they can be the absolute worst at times. Hopefully though, it helps to know we’re not alone, everyone struggles and it’s okay. We’re all just doing our best. Heck, we have two teenagers and two adult children living at home and it can still be difficult to find meals that everyone likes. The tantrums and food flinging have just become less frequent.
We wanted to leave you with one of our family favorite recipes. If you happen to try it or have some more tips and tricks to add to the list, please feel free to share with our community. We are after all, better together.
