The Kitchen
Cooking with your kids is an incredible way to expose them to a variety of foods and to help them understand where their prepared meals come from. When they are involved in this process and "help" with food prep, they are more likely to eat what they helped with or had a say in (and what child does not like a say!). My son is much more likely to try a new vegetable when he is involved in the preparation. I always have him try it as we are prepping (he has been know to sneak raw onions or peppers during prep) and then his favorite part is the "tasting." When he has seen it from start to finish and tasted it numerous times before dinner is actually served he will always eat it from his plate. However, I have seen the opposite effect when he is not included. If I cook a new dish or introduce a new food that he has not seen and was not included in, he is much more hesitant at meal time to give it a try. The best part is, if you are getting your kids into the kitchen with you, that means you are in the kitchen. And it is always better for you and your family to be preparing your own wholesome food.
Most kids are curious, inquisitive, and like to experiment with risk taking. Some will do it with food when they feel safe and encouraged. Providing an environment where kids are encouraged to taste, help, try, and even make suggestions will help foster a healthy relationship with food and with vegetables from an early age. It will get messy. Embrace the mess and the experience. They will love spending the time with you and even if it takes a while to sink in, it will. Your kiddos will learn so many important things in the kitchen.
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The Garden
I can literally pinpoint the time period that my son really turned from being semi-picky to eating everything: the summer we started our garden. The toddler years are a crucial time. If you miss this window that's when you get a "picky" kid who is harder to get going on the veggie path. Before this summer our toddler would not try a pea for the life of him. This was the same with steamed broccoli and cooked zucchini and other things. He was not a bad eater but not that great either. But the moment he saw that first little pea pod in the garden and we opened it and tried it, he was hooked to seeing what else "he" grew. He would go to the garden every day to examine everything and would pick everything and anything to try. He spent the afternoons harvesting fresh peas, popping cherry tomatoes in his mouth, searching for zucchini, picking carrots. When he saw the process of farm to table it made it exciting and fun. We had friends come over with "picky" kids and they would be shocked when their kids would gladly run over to the strawberry patch or raspberry bushes to grab a snack or go over and pick fresh peas.
Now, we know it is not feasible for all to have large yard gardens, but even in small apartments one can grow a container tomato plant or herbs. Our parents (living in a hot desert) grow things in the winter months and have great success growing all of their leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables. Another great tip for those with limited space is to look into square foot gardening or vertical gardens. Exposing kids to growing food will do wonders to their palate.
If you lack the space or time to grow some of your own food, then you may consider taking your children to other gardens (friends' or relatives' gardens), or taking them to community gardens or farms in your area. Whether it is apple picking, berry picking, or seeing how vegetables grow, it is all an important piece of education for children. While it is very influential and important to develop a palate for nutrient dense foods, exposure to gardens and farms can also be important for them to understand hard work, different lifestyles, and respect for the environment.
Comment below and tell us what experiences you've had with your kids in the kitchen or garden. We love hearing from you.
Collette and Natalie
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