Well, it happened again… my middle son ended up in tears when he found out was for dinner.  After we’d spent most of the late afternoon scouting out the best tree from the tree farm and cutting it down, we were just up for a quick meal.  We were having a hodgepodge of some leftovers—ratatouille and beef bourguignon that a caterer had made for a party I’d organized the night before.  My husband also made lamb burgers from the lamb delivery we’d recently gotten from the farm at which I “belong” to the CSA program. The lamb (and also beef) came frozen and it was wrapped in old fashioned butcher’s paper in different cuts— ground, chops, leg etc.  I’d defrosted the ground lamb originally to make meatballs, but didn’t get around to it.

So we knew my son wasn’t going to want to eat the ratatouille even though it’s full of vegetables he likes, but because they’re all mixed together. He was told he didn’t have to have any, but that wasn’t the only thing he was whining about— but the burgers.  My kids love lamb (and I know plenty of people who don’t like it) and I was rather surprised at his reaction.  He said it was because he “only likes hamburgers and cheeseburgers not lamb burgers!”  Ah. Well, my husband, who’d cooked them, easily coaxed him into trying just a taste.  From there it was hard to get him to stop! 

He not only liked it, he was eating it so quickly— it was still so hot he could barely eat it, but that didn’t put him off from blowing on it and getting it into his mouth pronto!  We served broccoli as our green vegetable (knew there wouldn’t be any complaints about that) and I hadn’t pushed the ratatouille.  I figure getting him to eat one thing he thinks he wouldn’t like is enough for one meal.  The other boys both loved the beef stew and my youngest son convinced my eldest to give him his lamb burger (they were mini burgers) because he too loved it. Next time I’m going to spice it up a bit by sautéing some onions and cumin and adding it to the meat.   Love lamb and cumin together.

I guess like many of my past posts I’m trying to share the same message.  You may be surprised that your child will actually eat something especially after they may have had a meltdown over it. It’s often my middle son who complains the most about any food (that’s mostly his personality) but he’s also a great eater who actually has a varied diet.  If it’s not just offered but actually given they often come around.

  s