Do you struggle to get your kids to try new foods? Join me each week as I attempt to turn my culinary critics into adventurous eaters by encouraging them to try a new food every week on New Food Monday.
- WEEK 1: Gnocchi with zucchini ribbons via Eating Well. Kid rating: 3 out of 10
- WEEK 2: Stuffed shells with (minimal) sauce. Here’s the recap. Kid rating: 7.5 out of 10
- WEEK 3: Carrot soup (via 101 Cookbooks). Recap. Kid rating: 8 out of 10
- WEEK 4: Pasta with creamy pumpkin sauce. Here’s the recap. Kid rating: unavailable due to Buddy’s severe exhaustion and inexplicably early bedtime that night.
- WEEK 5 (otherwise known as “Cop Out Week”): Cheese omelets. Here’s the recap. Kid rating: 10 out of 10 (but that’s only because we cheated).
- WEEK 6: Broccoli-parmesan fritters (otherwise known as “Mommy’s absentee week”): I completely missed this meal due to work obligations, but Dr. G. assures me that it went as “well” as previous weeks … meaning Buddy was not a fan. Mimi, on the other hand, quite enjoyed them. As did I, by the time I got home. Not sure what it was that Buddy didn’t like about them – it’s a broccoli pancake, for crying out loud, and he loves broccoli. Unfortunately, being a tired and cranky 6-year-old, he couldn’t articulate his reasons. I still think we’re in the midst of a power struggle. And I’m not sure who’s winning and losing. Sigh.
- WEEK 7: Falafels: Here’s the recap. Kid rating: 10 out of 10
- WEEK 8: Buddy’s reprieve week, thanks to Hurricane Sandy
- WEEK 9: A second reprieve, thanks to the traveling husband.
- WEEK 10: Pasta with creamy butternut sauce. Kid rating: 5 out of 10.
- WEEK 11: Zucchini frittata. Kid rating: 5 out of 10 (Buddy), and a surprising 7 out of 10 (Mimi)
- WEEK 12 (after a slight hiatus): Spiced black bean tacos (although we put cheddar cheese on Buddy’s). Kid rating: 8 out of 10 (Buddy); Mimi refused to try them. Dr. G. and I thought these were awesome. So tasty!
- WEEK 13: Tortellini with peas a la Martha Stewart. Kid rating: 9 out of 10 (both kiddos!). Adding this to the MVP recipe list.
- WEEK 14: Broccoli and cheese calzones. Kid rating: 3 out of 10 (both kids). Seriously, how the heck did my kids NOT like this?! I don’t get them sometimes. I thought these were yummy!
- Week 15: Mushroom omelets. Kid rating: 8 out of 10 (Buddy), 2 out of 10 (Mimi). Can’t win them all!
- Week 16: Chicken fajitas. Kid rating: 7 out of 10 (Buddy). A big fat 0 for Mimi. I will say, Buddy enjoyed his fajitas, even though he picked out the onions that he had thought smelled “so good” while they were cooking, and took his fajita apart and ate each ingredient individually. But it’s better than his sister, who saw the fajita on her plate and screamed bloody murder.
- Week 17 (after a small break): Bow tie, spinach, tomato and feta salad. Kid rating: 7 out of 10 (Buddy), 3 out of 10 (Mimi). He took his sweet old time, but eventually he ate all of his spinach and begrudgingly agreed that it was good. Also, this recipe was SUPER easy to make and really fast. I highly recommend it!