As I’ve said before it’s not always easy getting my kids to eat some foods, especially new ones, but it’s not always a struggle either.  I make the foods we all often like to eat and don’t try to make things they won’t like.  I’ve said in the past, don’t make them what they’d like and by that I mean don’t make them just what you think they will eat, let them try things. Don’t stop introducing new foods, especially vegetables.  Vegetables are what we need to eat more of yet so many people don’t give their kids any at most meals.  Look at most kid’s menu items.  Where are the veggies?  I think sometimes adults don’t give kids the benefit of the doubt. They may actually like them.  Remember Mikey?  He ate it and he liked it!    Like my husband used to go crazy if my kids tried to use a knife.  I reminded him that they need to learn to use a knife properly so he should show them.  As long as they’re aware that they’re dangerous and not to use the big chefs knives without us around, I believe that they will not cut themselves (or at least badly).  But what’s wrong with a knife at the dinner table.  Goodness when are kids supposed to learn if we don’t give them to tools, the guidance, the opportunity?

The other night I had given my eldest a couple of beets I’d roasted the day before because he loves beets.  He gets so excited when he smells them roasting and can barely wait for me to peel them.  My other sons never want to eat them.  But they’re there if they’re ready and we still offer them.  My middle son decided to finally give it a good try, but I hadn’t even offered, I guess I’d just gotten used to him saying no.  This time he took the initiative because he was really curious about getting his pee to change color!  Yes, that’s why.  He wanted his urine to be pink.  Best part, he remarked after trying it, “Wow! I really like that!”  Yippee!  Another one converted to beets and without a tear, a protest or a fight.

Recently my kids and I were over a good friend’s house for dinner.  She also has three kids, 2 boys and a girl, who all eat very well.   I had brought the mixings for my cocktail I’d created, homemade bread and makings for a salad.  One of the salad ingredients was roasted beets.  They were roasted just an hour or so before our visit.  My friend remarked that she didn’t know if she liked beets.  I easily convinced her to try one and she couldn’t believe that she didn’t eat them regularly; she’d realized that she’d only had pickled or canned beets before.   Knowing her eldest (also 8) would be open to trying them she had him taste.  He loved them!  The other two weren’t so convinced.  So I mentioned that they make your pee turn pink.  That was it, they had to try!  And they both like them!  Funniest was when her 4 year old daughter immediately rushed to the toilet and observed that it wasn’t pink!  She was a bit disappointed that she’d have to wait a few hours. 

This time at our friends’ could have been the catalyst for my middle son to finally give them a good try.  Whatever, however, love the result.  And I don’t mean the pee.

Here’re my roasting instructions from another post.