Bathing Beauties (©photo by korycheer, courtesy of morgueFile.com)

Like a lot of Moms, mine had to live with a very finicky child when it came to food. Actually, “finicky” doesn’t begin to describe how fussy I was when it came to even trying something she had cooked for our family. Sorry about that Mom. If it’s any consolation your efforts were not in vain. I now enjoy cuisines from around the world.

Though it’s too late to spare my Mom the frustration I caused, I’d like to offer a little advice in her honor for all those Moms going through the same torment. It seems there are several known means for broadening the palates of pint-sized, picky eaters.

The Science Says It’s So

Getting school-age children to eat healthy amounts of fruits and vegetables is a daunting challenge for many American families. Having kids participate in the preparation of healthy dishes is often suggested as a way of getting them to eat more nutritious meals, and scientists with the Agricultural Research Service Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston, Texas have produced a study offering evidence that having kids participate in cooking really works.

"The researchers observed an average increase in consumption of one serving per day of fruit, 100-percent fruit juice, or vegetables, compared to the beginning of the study," according to an article published by the USDA.

The co-author of a study on the effects of cooking on children’s eating habits kids, Isobel Contento, professor of nutrition education at Columbia University’s Teachers College has come to the same conclusion. The New York Times cited this observation from her, “Kids don’t usually like radishes, but we found that if kids cut up radishes and put them in the salad, they love the radishes.”

Cook at Home for Good Health

Cooking shouldn’t be just another chore, like mopping floors. Preparing meals at home can be a fun way to bring family and friends together. One very nice thing about having friends and family gather for dinner is that you can socialize after the meal without having to leave a restaurant and make your way somewhere else.


Family at Dinner, ca. 1942 (photo by John Collier, courtesy of Library of Congress)

Then there are the health aspects. Cooking at home lets you choose ingredients that are full of nutrients and free of pesticides, antibiotics and hormones. Families who dine together suffer less obesity. But, eating isn’t only about getting the calories and nutrients you need to stay alive. Sharing an enjoyable meal together is a bonding experience that draws families and friends closer together. Serving great food to people you care about is a terrific way to lift your own spirits.

Gardening Together

Teaching middle school can be a real test of wills, but the Edible Schoolyard has been passing that test for years. It’s a cooking and gardening program wholly integrated into the school’s daily life. The organic garden is flourishing and the kitchen is filled with delicious smells, music, and enthusiastic young chefs.

Students work together to shape and plant beds, amend soil, turn compost, and harvest flowers, fruits, and vegetables. In the kitchen classroom, students prepare and eat delicious seasonal dishes from produce they have grown in the garden.

If your child’s school doesn’t have an Edible Garden perhaps it’s time for some parents to get together and lobby for one. (See below for more info on how to do just that.) In the meantime, a backyard garden at home or a community garden in close proximity will do nicely. If those are not possibilities, try finding a local farm with a pick-your-own program for a family outing.

Experiment with Recipes

You don’t have to be a gourmet chef to serve meals that will wow your guests, just keep it simple. Use fresh ingredients from a farmers market when you can’t grow your own. Good quality oils and vinegars will make those already flavorful veggies really sing. Look up some recipes and view them as guidelines rather than rigid commands to follow. Play around with the ingredients and spices. Eliminate or add some to create a dish that you find delicious and doesn’t devour a lot of time and money.

You can use tapenades as side dishes to add to the variety of flavors in a meal with little effort. Pick up a good chutney to make a plate of fresh bread and cheese more memorable. Smoked meats and game are full of flavor and can be simply warmed or served at room temperature. You’ll find that creating and plating a dish at least as satisfying as your last restaurant meal is no great challenge.

And cooking classes are not only a good place to pick up culinary tips, but it’s a lot of fun to mix with fellow home cooks.

If you’d like to read the USDA article cited above go to: Getting Grade School Kids to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

If you’d like to read the New York Times article cited above go to: 6 Food Mistakes Parents Make

To learn more about the Edible Schoolyard and how you can start a program at your school click here: The Edible Schoolyard

To follow American Feast on Facebook go to: American Feast on Facebook

To follow American Feast's Founder on Twitter go to: Jeff Deasy on Twitter

For information related to the purchase of advertising space and editorial coverage on the American Feast web site call Jeff Deasy toll free at 877-332-7875 or email him at jdeasy@americanfeast.com