Often, I find myself saying that my kids are picky eaters, which is really not true. Luckily, my kids will try a diverse range of foods, particularly vegetables – go figure. What they do not eat is quantity. They are generally enthusiastic about the first few bites of a meal. They then tap out quickly in search of dessert. Being born eight weeks premature and twins, weight has always been a bit of a challenge and I find myself constantly searching for ways to encourage them to eat a little bit more, without making it feel forced.
As a former elementary teacher, and now twin mom, it has always been clear that kids love novelty. In fact, I have turned everything from getting dressed to brushing our teeth into a game. I figured, why not transfer this approach to meal time. And while I am happy to play along, it is exhausting.
Initially, my race car fork idea backfired when Brody just used it as a toy at the dinner table, and my ‘smiley face’ pancake attempt had Bryce picking out all the blueberries and leaving over the rest of the pancake. On a whim one night, after a delicious salmon teriyaki dinner, which was outright rejected by both kids after two bites, I discovered the attraction of toddlers and toothpicks.
I have now turned anything they eat into a lollipop. From roast chicken to ravioli, it adds a playful dimension to dinner time. It also gives them a break from the fork, which they are still working to master, and allows them to spear foods a bit more easily. I know they can be sharp, so I definitely don’t walk away from the table while they are eating, but it has made family dinners a bit more pleasurable.
I want them to recognize that food can be creative and fun. It takes minimal effort on my part, makes dinner look like a delicious tray of hors d’oeuvres, and entices them every time with the ‘pop’ comparison. Try it 🙂
Linda says
I love your new blog.