RSSHow to get kids to eat Everything
June 28th, 2009 by Tony Minichiello
I have heard that some parents struggle to get their kids to eat a variety of things. Many parents simply don?t have a strategy. I used one I learned from my grandfather.
When I was four, I stayed many weeks with my grandparents. My grandmother was an excellent cook, and my grandfather a very good gardener who dearly loved his food. He especially loved eel. In fact, I often shopped with my grandmother at the fishmonger and I was given the responsibility of choosing the live eel from the tank which would eventually end up on my grandfather?s plate. He took educating his grandchildren very seriously, and on this occasion used eel as part of his strategy. He had invited an old army friend for lunch who was quite excited about these eels himself. I had never tried them, and never wanted to, but suddenly all this anticipation of eels made me curious. I was given a bowl of noodle soup, but all I remember wanting that afternoon was some of that eel stuff. When the casserole of the eels came out of the old wood-fueled oven, the guest?s eyes lit up. My goodness, I thought, these things must really be good. My grandma basted them with the tomato based sauce, finished them with a few drizzles of olive oil, and brought them to the table. They were shiny, piping hot, cut into chunks. There was nothing else to accompany them. They looked magnificent. Was there enough for me? I was shy, too afraid to ask my grandfather if I could have some. These were made especially for him and his war buddy. I ate my soup quietly but stared at the eels and mesmerized by the gestures of incredible pleasure made by the old guest. His eyes, his nose, his brows, his chin, his hands, even his feet expressed a pleasure I had never seen before by someone eating food. Can food do this? My soup is good, but it?s not doing the same thing for me. Soup is for babies. I wanted what they were having. I absolutely had to know what those eels tasted like, but not courageous enough to intrude on their eel-tasting bliss.
Luckily the old guest noticed that I coveted his eel. He asked me if I had ever eaten eel before. I simply replied ?No?. I could have pressed, but obviously not brave enough. However, the kind old man then asked me if I?d like some. But I ruined the opportunity by turning to my grandfather instead of jumping to the offer.
?He?s not ready for something like eel yet,? my grandfather said. My disappointment was almost unbearable, but I knew not to make any scene. And then came the lesson: ?Eel is an acquired taste. First you acquire the taste for chicken. Then you acquire the taste for rabbit. Then you acquire the taste for carp. And only then are you ready for eel.? I knew exactly where he was going with this. I often refused to eat rabbit, which my grandfather likes to eat at least once a week. And I simply disliked the smell of fried fish, especially carp, which he also loved. In order to eat the eel, I had to graduate to it. And it worked. I ate rabbit and carp to my grandfather?s delight ? eventually to mine too. I did eventually graduate to the eel. I remember the day I chose the eel for my plate, a day as special as when I bought my first pair of hockey skates. The eel was delicious. Today I describe it as a combination of rabbit and carp.
Tony Minichiello
Culinary Instructor, NWCAV
My father’s technique was, let’s just say, more straight forward:
“Si no te lo acabas, te lo unto.” (If you don’t finish it, I’ll spread it on you). He never did, but to tell you the truth, we always ate it all.
Tony, where do you find rabbit in Vancouver? It’s been years.
I have many nieces and nephews, only one of whom lives in New York City close enough to me for me to feed. He has a SERIOUS DISLIKE for vegetables. I strains my sister’s patience. I think it is payback for the grief she gave our mother over what food she would and would not eat. Well, I decided my nephew had to TRY vegetables other than corn (it is only in season for part of the year). I figured if I took him to the local Farmer’s Market, allowed him to look, inquire, and decide for himself what vegetables he might like to eat (give him the “power” over his own stomach), it would help. Then, we go through recipes to decide what to make. We make them together and then we try them. Sometimes he really enjoys them, other times not so much. But he tries the vegetables. It gives my sister hope and with a finiky child, that is really all one can ask.
Famous foods, Capers, Bosa, and most butcher shops carry rabbit, especially the ones on Commercial. I once saw some in the frozen section at IGA.
Francesco, I love that name; one of my cousins has the same name. Well, my dad went to seminary in Italy (the only place to get an education during the War) and he would be fed pea soup for dinner. When it was not eaten at dinner, it was served for breakfast, then lunch, then dinner, until it was consumed out of sheer hunger. My sister, the one with the finicky son, use to store steak or liver in her mouth overnight, yes, overnight, when she hated it too much to eat. Food should not be forced upon children; they should be nurtured into eating it. Made to understand it is to be loved and is an expression of love, not an enemy. Just my opinion, kids, just my opinion.
I have always found it funny that kids are the hardest to get to eat food, and no matter what one comes up with we still can’t satisfy them, the plainest and simplest things like fish fingers and mash is always a winner.
I have t o agree with Julie food shouldn’t be forced onto kids but kids must be taught to try something at least once and if they don’t like it then they don’t have to have it but they have to try it first be saying that.
I don’t have kids so don’t feel qualified to give my own opinion. However, this is a huge issue for many people and so I asked my blog readers to exchange tips. I got some great answers, from one mom in particular. If you care to read her response, here’s the link.
http://christie-corner.blogspot.com/2009/06/feeding-fussy-eaters.html