Mothership Meals and Satellite Saucers: Food Mistakes Not to Make

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Food Mistakes Not to Make

People, never give your kids sugar. Don't give them ice cream, don't give them popsicles, don't give them cookies. Don't even let them know about chocolate croissants or root beer. If you do, you may very well end up with the sugar-addicted monsters that I have.

Where did I go wrong? They are like heroin addicts, angling for their next score from the moment they wake up until halfway through dinner, when they start talking about dessert. It got really bad this summer. I'm not saying it's my mom's fault. Personally, I think kids should be in college before they have root beer for breakfast. But grandmothers have their own rules, I suppose.

And I'm not saying it's my husband's fault, but he does in fact by Ciao Bello sorbet about every other day.

But the chocolate croissants, cookies, Blue Marble ice cream, Milano cookies, gummy bears, the world's longest candy counter we visit in New Hampshire, Mallomars, rice krispie treats, marshmallows and candy canes: those are all me. What can I say? I'm weak. I have an occasional, and extremely nostalgic, sweet tooth. I love special exotic sweets, and holiday sweets and eating Junior Mints when I go to the movies. And so, now, do my kids.

Maybe this article by Tara Parker Pope would have helped. Six rules to live by. (I seem to be doing okay with the part about not restricting sweets...)

4 comments:

Jamie said...: Phew. I read this posting in fear that the last sentence was going to say you were taking your kids off sugar. What a relief.; September 17, 2008 at 10:48 AM
Larissa said...: I dream of doing that. I envy and admire parents who have done it. But how can you? There are birthday parties, ice cream shops, holiday treats... And, Mallomar season is fast approaching, and you know how I feel about seasonal foods.; September 18, 2008 at 6:42 AM
Jamie said...: See how much I learn from you? I totally didn't realize there was a Mallomar season.; September 18, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Larissa said...: They only sell it in the winter, because they are so sensitive to the heat.; September 29, 2008 at 2:19 PM

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The Mothership Method

(Or, how to sit down for dinner with your family without completely losing your mind)

It would be great if kids AND parents wanted boiled chicken and baby carrots every night for dinner. But, too bad, we picky parents want spicy, exotic, fun foods, and our kids want, well, sorta lame foods.
Here's the solution: break it down. Serve the dish deconstructed, and let everyone put their own dish together at the table. Sort of like tapas, or smorgasbord, or tacos. Or how in some parts of China you get a bowl of rice, and everything else is in the middle of the table and you take what you want for your own little bowl of rice. That way everyone gets to eat what they want, parents don't have to nag their kids, and kids get to feels some ownership over their meals. Plus, kids get exposed to the look and taste of the foods you hope they will one day love. But it's not just tacos. You'll be amazed at what can be served with the Mothership Method.

Ten Tips to Get Through Dinner Without Having A Nervous Breakdown

1. Accept That Kids Are Picky. No need to freak out on your cooking ability, or look at your kids like there is something wrong with them. It's called "neo-phobia", and it's just how they are, especially from ages 3-6.

2. Serve Meals Broken Down. Even grown-up meals like coconut curry or linguine with clams can be served in their elements, making them more appealing to kids. Grown ups can assemble their own jumble of deliciousness at their own plate while kids take on the pared-down elements.

3. Push if it Works, But Don't Nag If It Doesn't. Some kids are okay with being expected to taste everything on their plate. Others aren't. I think it's okay to push kids -- but not if you're turning dinner into a battlefield.

4. Suggest a Smell. Smelling a new food is easier than tasting it, and can sometimes provide a kid with the information needed to take that scary first bite. But don't confine smelling to new foods. Smell favorites, too, and help them develop their sense of smell by making a game out of it.

5. Don't Ask "Do You Like It?" Instead, try, "What does this remind you of?" or, "Would your cousins like this?" or, "Does this taste salty or sweet?". Asking if they like it or not gives kids too much power and ends the conversation. Besides, we don't care if they like it! We just want them to keep tasting it until it is familiar.

6. Don't Get Frustrated. Imagine being in Taiwan, or Nairobi, or Rome for the first time. Would you eat everything on the local menu? New foods are scary and gross. Our kids need time to learn about the foods that we eat.

7. No SubstitutionsThis is family dinner, not a diner. You, in all your wisdom, have provided foods that are healthy and delicious and appropriate for your children. There is something on the table for them to eat. Period.

8. No Snacks Before Dinner. This can be the hardest with our hectic schedules and hungry kids. But children who come to the table hungry are more likely to eat than cause trouble.

9. Put Peer Pressure To Your Advantage. School children are more likely to accept new foods if the alpha girls in their group accept them. Swap healthy food ideas on playdates.

10. Involve Your Kids In Cooking, Shopping, and Gardening. The more experience kids have handling and preparing a variety of foods, the more likely they are to eventually accept the foods. (But don't get upset if they help you make a complicated wonderful meal, and then refuse to eat it.)