The first "expose" of 2012 is dedicated to the children. Being a parent myself and having friends with children, there has been several occasions when they do not want to eat certain things. I would beg, plead, even resort to bribing the children to get them to eat, but I believe the children won. Children are willing to bend in regards to food, but being an adult and being a "picky eater" is worse. You cannot convince an adult who has always hated mushrooms or broccoli to eat them. They generally stand their ground. I enjoy bringing children in my kitchen because if they get the chance to see what it is they are about to eat, sample some ingredients during the preparation process and maybe set up the table for the finished product, then, they are more likely to enjoy the meal that they feel like they gave a helping hand in preparing. Cooking makes them feel independent, gives them the culinary knowledge for future growth, and it instills a sense of passion that they may not have known they had. I love it when children express their joy in the kitchen and knowing that I had assistance in giving them the happiness and comfort in the kitchen makes me happy as well. Teaching children about different foods, also exposes them to different cultures without leaving the comfort of your kitchen. To me there are no such things as "picky eaters", children just haven't been introduced to the foods. I, as a chef, try to expose my children to an array of foods before they turned 4 yrs. old. I used 4 yrs. old as my age cap because by then, they would be of school age and the other children they would interact with would sway their thought process regarding food. When you have other children who are around your children or niece/nephew you can tell just how easily influenced their young minds are. Many times, if you can influence the other children, you can indirectly influence your own child to eat certain items. As long as they are obtaining all the essential vitamins and minerals they need to have proper bone and brain growth as well as speech and social developments, I want every child to eat everything off their plates! Let's encourage the children to choose more healthier options rather than grabbing the bag of chips. We are the prime and first examples of how and what to eat. If we as responsible adults make healthy and good decisions when it comes to food, then, we can rest knowing that our children will make excellent choices about the quantity, quality, and variety of foods they choose for themselves.
To all of the "young biters" enjoy whatever you want in moderation and know that everything in this day & age does have a more healthier alternative. =) Keep eating & savoring all of your "Tasty Bites"!!
Here's a link below to assist young people with making "HEALTHY TASTY BITES"!!
http://school.fueluptoplay60.com/tools/nutrition-education/view.php?id=23945657
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