New foods

I am happy to announce that my 7-year old is a good eater. He will try everything at least once and by doing so, finds new foods he loves. Jeremy, age 2, is also a good eater. This little kid can pack away almost anything I give him. There's only a few things he won't eat, but I always make him try it, and sometimes that results in tears and ten minutes of chewing the same bite. Chloe, my 5-year old is a little harder. Her list of will-not-eat-for-anything foods is a bit longer than the boys'. I'm sure this is just a phase though as she used to be one of my best eaters.

So, am I simply blessed with good eaters? Children who will try their food when I ask them to? Little angels who clean up their plates without complaint? Uh, no. Of course, I can't take all the credit on this: God certainly did bless me with good kids! But, I feel I can take some of the credit as I have been the one who has encouraged, coaxed, and yes, forced bites of food to go down the hatch. For years I have put endless plates of food before my little ones and convinced them it would be good. From the very first bite of pureed sweet potatoes, I have been there telling them "veggies are good for us! We'll grow up big and strong!"

Have there been tears at my dinner table? Yes there have been. Has there been gagging? Why yes. Yes there has been gagging. But, it has been worth it because over the years, my kids have learned to try foods, they have developed tastes for foods they used to cry over. You wanna know what's music to my ears? "Mommy, can I please have more peas?" Yes! My kids love healthy foods because it hasn't been an option.

Does it sound harsh to you? Well, there is a soft side to me too. If there is a food my child has tried and tried and still gags with, I will make a sandwich for him/her. Lets me honest, I am 28 and there are still foods I will not eat. Mushrooms, cooked spinach, liver, etc. I'm just now acquiring a taste for bell peppers and brown rice.

And really, I could say my rules for trying foods goes back to my childhood. I was the kid who would chew on the same bite of lettuce for so long that I would start oozing green nastiness out of the corner of my mouth. I was that child who would gag over bites of french toast, choking back sobs as I tried my hardest to swallow, washing it down with a bit of milk. Did it help me to love french toast? Um, no. But, other things I was forced to try are foods I now eat all the time.

The real question is "why?" Why do I insist on my kids eating what is before them? Well, for several reasons. God may call them to be missionaries living in different countries where they may be required to eat fish eyes or chicken feet. If so, they will thank their mother for instilling a sense of adventure of trying new foods! (haha, okay....maybe not) The most important reason right now is nutrition. I am learning so much about it right now and want to feed my family what will keep them healthy, not just right now, but well into their adult-hood. I want them to establish habits of healthy eating that will guide them through their lives: not just for now when Mommy says they have to.

Besides, teaching them to accept what is before them is the same as teaching them to be content with what they have. They don't ask for alternatives at dinner (most of the time), they don't scream or throw a fit when they don't have pizza. Now, table manners is a whole other post that I will have to do later. haha! Every meal is the same thing...."Sit still." "Don't talk with your mouth full." "Jeremy, don't stab Mom with your fork."

We haven't mastered the whole eating thing yet, but we are well on our way. And it's not like we always eat perfectly either. We still have pizza night, and I'm always happy to cook the kids' favorite meals. I can honestly say that dinner time is one of our favorite parts of the day. :)