Monday, May 16, 2011

Show & Tell: Please Tell Me There's Life After Macaroni & Cheese



Before I had kids, I worried about the fact that my favorite restaurants didn't have changing tables in the bathroom and when I thought about it, I don't know that I ever saw babies or small children at those restaurants. Deep down though, I knew I'd make it work. My kids would grow up on pesto fettuccine and be able to appreciate the subtle flavorings of a good reduction sauce, even if I did have to take them out to the car to change their diaper. It's kinda cute, just how naive I was.


My first clue that my kids wouldn't be as culinarily adventurous as I'd hoped was the time I took my daughter to Baby Loves Disco. She was just over a year old and they had some vendors there, sharing their goods with babies and moms. Among them, was a gourmet baby food company that produced products like "Baby Borscht" and "Baby Dal," which were designed to cultivate wee palettes. I was delighted and thought this would be the perfect way to introduce my little girl to foreign flavors. As the vendor and I eagerly looked on, she took her first bite. Then she spit out that first bite in the most dramatic way possible, giving a withering look that was most impressive for one so young.

I began to accept that my kids would be eating a more traditional toddler diet primarily comprised of macaroni & cheese and chicken nuggets. Now though, I'm once again changing my tune. I'm sick of all of the unhealthy, processed foods that my kids eat and want them to start branching out.


Thus, today's Show & Tell is more of a Show & Plead. As you can see from the photo to the left, we have a LOT of macaroni & cheese in our pantry. That's because it's the only food my kids are guaranteed to eat. You will note that it's Kraft - they tend to get a little suspicious if I mix things up a bit and try to give them, say, Annie's White Cheddar Shells. If it's not a traditional elbow noodle produced from a blue box, forget it. Grilled cheese sandwiches are usually a safe bet but quesadillas are a no-go, what's that foreign-looking tortilla and why would they put that in their mouth?! Their one gourmet indulgence is prosciutto - they are big fans of the cured meat. I actually had to convince them to try bacon by promising them it was kind of like prosciutto.

So, back to my problem. My kids are textbook picky eaters. I'm desperate to move beyond the blue box. Will you please share with me some of the recipes your kids love and willingly eat? How did you get your kids to branch out? Any recipes, ideas, suggestions would be gratefully appreciated - by me, probably not by Kraft shareholders who do so love the annual dividends my family helps supply them with.
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