“My kids are so picky.” “My son won’t eat anything green.” “All she’ll eat is celery”. The complaints from parents are endless and frustrating. We all hope to have that kid who eats everything, without complaining, but does he really exist? Probably not, but there are a few things we can do to expand kids’ horizons a bit. For starters, shop and cook with your kids.
With farmers’ markets popping up everywhere from Spokane to Tallahassee it’s easy to find out what’s in season in your town. Cooking with the seasons means the freshest produce at reasonable prices. Take some time to find your local farmers’ market and schedule a field trip with your kids. Before you go, tell them that they get to pick out what you’ll make. If they’re old enough you can even give them the money to buy it. You’ll be amazed at what that little bit of empowerment will do!
Once you get there, don’t rush. Walk from stand to stand, introduce yourself to the farmers, and make sure your kids know that these are the people who are growing their food. When I stopped by Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, in Berkeley, CA I saw this in action. The school is home to Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard project. Kids there grow the produce, harvest it, and cook it. Seeing 11 year olds raving over Swiss chard made me realize how important it is for them to really have an attachment to the source of their food.
Farmers love talking about what they do and are happy to share tastes of juicy berries or crunch kale. Produce from a farmer as opposed to that giant plastic clamshell from the super-store just feels different, especially when your kids get to buy it from the source. Once you’ve walked the market and seen everything, go back and make your purchases. If your kids are anything like mine, a few dollars in their pockets and they’re ready to buy the first thing they see. Tell them they should see, and taste, everything first and then make their decisions.
Back at home, unpack your finds and check out “Cooking from the Farmers’ Market”. You can read more about the produce you bought and get easy and inspiring recipes too. Cook together! No matter what their ages, kids can helpin the kitchen. They can measure dry ingredients, stir batter, use the mixer, or slice the veggies-your call. Whatever it is, let them have some ownership for the dish. Sure it won’t be perfect, and it will absolutely be messy but in the end it’s worth it.
When it’s all done, bring your family to the table and let your kids talk about what they made. Taste the dish and see what you think. You might just be surprised to see how much those kids eat when they have a chance to really get involved.
Recipes:
Blueberry Summer Pudding (p. 190)
Broccoli and Cheddar Soup (p. 42)
Steamed Artichokes with Dill Mayonnaise (p. 176)
Rolled Eggplant with Sausage and Mozzarella (p. 163)
Honeydew Lime Ice Pops (p. 216)
Chicken and Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry (p.37)
Jodi Liano is an author, cooking instructor, recipe developer and the author of Williams-Sonoma’s Cooking from the Farmers’ Market, Williams-Sonoma’s New Flavors: Vegetables and Williams-Sonoma’s Eggs cookbook. Jodi graduated from the six-months full-time culinary course of Tante Marie’s several years ago and has since worked in many aspects of the food business. She has spent time in the kitchens of The Food Network in New York City, on the line at Rose Pistola restaurant in San Francisco and worked many hours with Mary Risley testing the recipes for The Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook. Her true passion is teaching cooking, particularly classes relating to cooking and entertaining at home. Her focus in on making the kitchen an approachable and fun place for everyone. Go to Jodi’s Blog: Mmm…that’s good!
