On Eating Vegetables

Recently, I was inspired by Pamela Druckerman's Bringing Up Bébé to modify how we eat here at Chez Wheel.

Our typical dinnertime has involved me setting pots and pans on the table in the midst of a few plates and not-the-right silverware, forgetting to serve drinks, and hopping up to get napkins midway through the meal. Despite my adherence to Ellyn Satter's Division of Responsibility (I decide when, where, and what; my kids decide whether and how much), I find myself prompting my almost-5 and almost-7 year olds to try their vegetables, vaguely hoping that some day they'll stop grossing out about them and that my investment in an organic farmbox every week will be worth the cost and cooking effort.

Druckerman's snapshot of French eating with kids is enticing. Small children sitting down to a three- or four-course meal, trying a variety of foods, and enjoying a richly varied diet sounds idyllic. Druckerman does uncover a strategy for how to do this: teach kids how to eat.

Here are some changes we've made:

1) serve the meal in courses: vegetables first, then main, then a fruit dessert.

Result: My kids will try vegetables on their own when it's the only thing in front of them. We've had wins with artichokes and asparagus so far.

Another benefit of serving in courses is that I don't often serve family-style. Everyone gets a portion, and while anyone can ask for seconds, the adults in the family (who probably don't need seconds that often) are protected from grazing.

2) make the food look pretty(ish).

Result: Adding a pretty plate, or a sprig of parsley on a breakfast plate is relatively simple and makes eating a special activity. Since we're moving from "rarely setting the table ahead of time" to "pretty," I'm taking baby steps and giving myself a lot of grace. The kids do want to help with setting up for "fancy" dinner, and this change might help me move them into having regular chores.

3) talk about the food.

Result: Just asking whether the kids will think the food will be sweet, salty, spicy, sour, etc. helps them think about taste and makes them more willing to try a variety of foods. We end up comparing flavors and enjoying the food a whole lot more.

4) finish up with fruit.

Result: Oh my word, my kids are gaga over the concept of fruit for dessert. I have a nagging guilt for not serving more fruits and vegetables (we're nowhere near 5 servings a day), and this is an easy fix. (I'm sure they're bragging to all their friends that they get dessert every night now.) The fruit even leaves me more satisfied and keeps me from craving sugary desserts after the kids go to bed.

The only downside to this plan is that I have to think ahead. I have to plan the meal more than 30 minutes in advance, I have to have fresh fruit on hand, and I have to have enough clean plates to serve three separate courses. But these are all things that I should do anyway, and they're becoming less of a hassle as I adjust to the new plan. So far, the benefits are great enough that I think this will be a permanent change, but I reserve the right to order pizza as often as I need to.