The title comes from this article I just read in the Post Dispatch - http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/cooking/story/E449A51DCD0C607C8625764600687F8B?OpenDocument
I’m going to have to get all those books they suggest.
I was such a picky eater as a little kid, and even as a younger adult. How picky was I? I didn’t eat my first Happy Meal until I was 30. When I was a kid, Happy Meals consisted of a burger, fries, drink and a toy. There was no choice of chicken McNuggets until I was in Jr. High and of course no apple slices. I didn’t like hamburgers back then.
Today, I can go to an Indian restaurant, order just about anything on the menu and love it, spice and all. I LOVE sushi - yellowfin sashimi being my favorite. How often do I talk about Ethiopian food here? That’s as different and exotic as you are going to get. Extra virgin olive oil, parmegeano reggiano and brown rice are among the staples in my house and they were never staples in my parents’ house or friends’ parents’ houses. I don’t know how Adam and I became foodies, but somehow, and eventually, it happened. I’m still picky about some things, for example I still prefer my hamburgers with just cheese and nothing else on it, except maybe lettuce - and I’m still more likely to order a burger at The Burger Bar than McDonald’s. Sometimes my lingering pickiness is a blessing - mayonaise, miracle whip, and white gravy are all very bad for you when it comes to calories and fat, though unfortunately I’m liking the white gravy more now that I figured out that it’s just one type of bechamel sauce. Wow, once I learned how to deconstruct food, and make it myself, I appreciate it more, and I’m kind of liking it more as well.
I don’t entirely blame my parents for my horrible pickiness growing up. They were raised that you eat everything on your plate or you get spanked, sent to your room, etc. so they didn’t know any different. Unfortunately many of my memories at one set of grandparents consisted of getting yelled at for not liking anything they fixed - again, back then, that’s how you raised kids so I will not blame them. Further, my mom is not a bad cook (neither were either of my grandparents’ cooking) - I’m not saying that at all. Just as I got older, I found that I really did like a lot of things that I thought I didn’t like, it just had to be cooked differently, or either needed more condiments, or less condiments, or different condiments, etc. I didn’t figure out until I was in my 20s that it wasn’t that I didn’t like burgers, I just didn’t like all the stuff on it. Oh my goodness, I didn’t even like pizza until I was a teenager, and that’s when I figured out that it was because pepperoni grease and my tummy just don’t get along. I have the same problem with any kind of bean except lentils and chickpeas (also staples in my house btw). I don’t think school lunches helped either. I blame my dislike of shrimp until fairly recently on having really bad fried shrimp at one school lunch in Elementary school. Still, I can’t blame the cooks, as I fondly remember the homemade cinnamon rolls - those were yummy.
Adam wasn’t raised the same when it came to food - he had to try it once and if he didn’t like it, that was fine. Didn’t mean a free pass to dessert, but he wasn’t forced to eat anything he didn’t like. He was also a picky eater, but not like I was. Today, while we both consider ourselves adventurous eaters, he will try the most exotic thing on the menu before I will.
To to the point I’m making. I want to know what we need to do differently than our parents, grandparents, etc., in order to encourage our kids to want to try new foods and to not be as picky as I once was. We do have an advantage that they are most likely to come liking Ethiopian food, which is surprisingly complex in flavor and spices. That’s going to help a lot. The rest of it, I think, is as long as they can chew, feed them the adult food we eat in smaller pieces and just not think that food has to be kid-friendly otherwise. I just pray we have the patience to get through the phases when they might not like everything I try to fix, and also to not give in and run to the nearest fast food joint because it’s quick and easy and has a toy that will make them happy.
For anyone who wants to know what to get me for Christmas…hint…hint…books…hint…
October 7th, 2009 at 11:36 pm Wellll… i was raised the same as Adam when it came to foods. My parents never MADE me eat anything i didnt want. I grew up a picky eater. Then, i became friends with Bea (Bay-UH) in Middleschool. Shes from Romania. she was always eating healthy and trying new things. it was becasuse of her that into my 20’s.. new foods were fun to try.. I even love sushi, as well! I started Sophia on different foods early. Gave her all the veggies. Peas, Lima beans (which she loves BOTH.. BLECH) she wont do broccoli. but she loves lots of fruits and veggies. Shes really big on blueberries too! im trying to stay away from the processed stuff. but sometimes, frozen nuggets and mashed potatoes are the only way to go when you JUST dont feel like cooking. with us living where we do, the diversity is just too great, with all those wonderful restaraunts, ( like the one you guys took me to on saturday) also..when it comes to getting her to eat.. so i dont have to make something else.. i turn eating into a game.. Who can take the biggest bite? Eat like a monster (she loves that.) it gets the job done, and i get a well fed kid. Just wait till they go through their growth spurts!! Aaron took her to Regazzis the other night.. she ate(i kid you not): a kids portion of spaghetti and meatballs, fries, bread, applesauce and one of their huge fudgesicles. Then there are the days she just doesnt want to eat.. i cant really argue.. those are the days i let her get away with eating what she wants.. (which.. is raw hot dogs and string cheese and a capri sun) dont worry.. sometimes getting the kids to eat will be frustrating. and maybe for the first few months a tad hard on their tummies.. but you guys will be ok
October 13th, 2009 at 11:08 am I was never too picky and did (and still do) keep trying something, even if I did not like it. I have grown into liking some things, so I’m leaving room for my taste buds to mature and will keep sampling everything. Felicia and Adam introduced me to Ethiopian food and it’s great! They also took me for my first sushi, which I ended up loving. You’ll be fine with the kids, especially since you love to experiment and get things “right”. They will be very lucky to have you for “Foodie” parents! : )