How I learned to lie to my kid about vegetables

Picky kids can be tricky.

You ever notice how kids know they won’t like a certain food without ever having tasted it? Kids are especially adept at eating with their eyes, ears, and noses as well as their mouths. If something has an unappetizing name or appearance, my daughter will immediately declare that she does not like that, even without tasting it. While sometimes I would like to gently tell her “Shut-up and eat whats on your plate.” I don’t because I think dinner time should be a time of togetherness and joy, not negativity.

The way Tori(my daughter) and I have worked it out is simple. I got her to agree to try a new vegetable from time to time to find ones she liked. Then once we found some she enjoyed I made them routine staples for dinner. This way we were not fighting the constant eat your vegetables battle. By taking the time to work together to find foods she liked that were also nutritious I was able to teach her about the importance of eating healthier and learn a little about what makes her tick.

Of course their are still times where I have to use less admirable tactics to get her to eat her dinner. One is LYING. I know it sounds horrible, but sometimes lying to your kiddo about food is okay. Tori likes cooked chicken, but thinks she does not like cooked turkey. So when I make a turkey dish I tell her it’s chicken, she eats it, and never knows the difference. She thinks turkey only comes in round sandwich slices and she will not eat it any other way.

My favorite way to “trick” my picky kid is to simply add vegetables on the sly so she never knows. For example, when I make spaghetti sauce I basically add any vegetables I can find to the base and simply puree them all, or when I make pot roast I will load down the Crock-Pot with carrots and celery then simply puree the cooked veggies into a gravy and serve it over the roast. Chili and soups are also great recipes to “trick” up with veggies.

The important thing to remember is that your kids need you to teach them healthy eating habits like potion control and lots of veggies. You wouldn’t let them watch R-rated movies because of what it would put in their minds, so why let them put R-rated food in their bodies? Kids don’t always know what’s best for them, that’s our job. It’s not always easy to be tough as a parent, but your child’s health is important.

RECIPE FOR THE DAY:

Take: 2 parts unselfishness

          1 part patience

and work together

Add: Plenty of Industry

Lighten: With good spirits

Sweeten: With kindness

Put in smiles as thickens with raisins in plum pudding and bake in warmth which stems from a loving heart. If this fails to make a good day, the fault is not with the recipe, but with the cook.

First Baptist Church, Boyd, TX. Cookbook

Author Unknown

As always,

Stay hungry my friends.

Martin