You hear it all the time. “My kids only eat white foods.” “I can’t get my kid to eat vegetables.” “Mine’s a vegetarian with the exception of bacon.” It’s frustrating being a healthy parent. Often times these battles end with another bowl of empty calories as long as it’s coupled with a tall glass of milk. Well, if you’re going to get your kids to try new things, it’s about time you tried a few new methods to get them on board.
Take a crack at a new technique. Instead of boiling those green beans, saute them. Grill vegetables like asparagus, zucchini and peppers for an entirely different flavor. Think your kid won’t eat cauliflower, roast it and try again. Add prosciutto and California Ripe Olives like we do in this Brussel Sprout Bowtie recipe and you’ll be amazed by the results.
Shape up when you ship out. Use cookie cutters or simply cut shapes out of your usual menu items. Heart shaped sandwiches, even when filled with the healthiest of ingredients, have way more appeal than rectangles. Make a batch of these Meatloaf Minis. Rather than forming into little loaves, pat into unusual cookie cutter shapes like stars, fish or another favorite animal. Embellish with California Ripe Olives for eyes and ketchup swirls for finer details.
Have a go with alternative utensils. Kids are shockingly receptive to eating with toothpicks, skewers and kid friendly chopsticks. Somehow, the tools are a game changer. Break burgers up into bite sized pieces and form into a circle around a pool of ketchup. Serve with a skewer so your kids can “roast them over the ketchup campfire” before gobbling them up. Secure slices of roast chicken and California Ripe Olives onto a piece of toast with a toothpick and watch the kids go nuts over their fancy canapes at the dinner table.
