Hiding fruit and veg

[creations]

if you have a steamer basket with small enough holes to contain the riced cauli.

I've never riced cauli but I imagine it falling through the holes of my steamer. I could use a sieve though and pop a lid over it. Thanks.

[*Ali*]

I tell my kids the fruit and veg is in dishes or they see it go in if they are helping me prepare. It is just if they/we don't like the flavour/texture on its own we are happy to eat it for the nutritional benefit if we can serve it in a more palatable way. I don't see it as tricking them.

I couldn't just let my kids not eat any fruit or veg. My older sister has three kids (plus a husband) who don't eat veg at 5, 10 and 14 (and 36) so that would put me off waiting for kids to balance their own diet if left to it. 

[snowbird]

Well for starters, I don't really believe in 5 a-day and if you look into it you will find that it was actually started by a load of fruit and veg companies - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1349960/5-day-fruit-vegetables-myth-claims-nutrition-expert.html  Not really wanting to debate this - just worth having a look at it.

All that aside though (even before I changed by belief in this!), I agree with MJ&N and don't feel we should be hiding veg in meals and 'tricking' our little ones. I really do just go down the route of preparing food (including veg of course) and letting LJ decide if she wants to eat it or not. Never encouraged her to eat anything and she will try new foods when in the mood, even if she often might spit it out and say it's not nice lol! I really believe in modelling and letting them get on with it. Their body knows what it needs!

I've heard of lots of cauliflower recipes which people love, but taste nothing like it. Very versatile! E.g. http://www.theharcombedietclub.com/forum/showthread.php?16357-OMG-Cauliflower-Mash

[zeri]

I've never riced cauli but I imagine it falling through the holes of my steamer.

I'm not sure, I don't actually follow a recipe, but the one I posted looked pretty close to what I do. I steam the cauli, but not so it's soggy. You don't want it too wet. Then I just mash it with a potato masher and throw in an egg, oregano, grated cheddar and Parmesan. I spread thinly (1/4 inch) on a parchment lined cookie sheet and back at 475F until crispy. I do a bunch of small breads, almost like square cookies, because the kids like the edges. When it's done I brush with garlic butter, sprinkle more cheese and pop it back in until the cheese is toasted. Voila! We've been cutting back on the cheese gradually, and DH even grated in some broccoli stem the other night. They gobbled it up.

[snowbird]

Sounds good - am going to try it here! xxx

[creations]

Sounds great. I have to get up the courage to try it, for DS cauli is one of his very rare true dislikes, I'm not even sure I ought to be trying this as perhaps his body knows it isn't going to suit him. It's such an interesting idea though, I'm intrigued to find out how it tastes.

Whilst I basically don't agree with conning kids into eating food or hiding all the fruit and veg I also (as Ali said) couldn't just not let my DS not eat any fruit or veg. I know full well regardless of my basic beliefs on openly showing him and naming the food he eats if I found myself in that situation I'd be trying to find creative ways to get him to eat some.  I did when he wouldn't eat protein, just kept trying everything until he ate some and I'd be the same with any food group.

[Aishi]

That's a lot of ideas! Thanks ladies! I will def try some of those. Whereas I agree with the theory of letting Los regulate there food intake and not hiding stuff I know my dd. she's a stubborn lil thing and i think she's just decided she doesn't like fruit and veg cos I used to insist that she at least try :-/ so now I just offer and she ignores lol

I will keep offering it to her but like pps have said i couldn't just let her not eat any yk? Interesting topic tho

[deb]

I never used to be much of a "hider" until Natalie wouldn't eat anything BUT grains and the odd meat (and not much of that). Ended up doing a "breakfast smoothie" for her which was rice milk (dairy intolerant) with a rice protein powder added to it. This stuff has greens in it and you'd never ever know it: http://shop.rainbowlight.com/Protein-Energizer-Creamy-Vanilla/p/RBLT-410019&c=RainbowLight@ByName . From the website: "1,225 mg of nourishing green foods, such as kale and spinach, provide whole-food nutrition and fuel for natural energy.* 200 mg of nutrient dense organic spirulina delivers antioxidants, B vitamins, vegetable proteins and is also sustainably harvested."  Natalie does eat a pretty varied diet now, but this helped get us thru a period of about a year or more where, to her, veggies just were for plate decoration.

[barbaraz78]

Very interesting topic!
My DS eats almost everything but one of his real dislikes were peppers and eggplants. I keep him exposed to them as we eat them (even if not often, because as I know he doesn't like I tend not to buy often). Eggplants, he actually started to eat a little, even if he is not a fan of them, when he was 3 or so. But peppers, I thought it was a real dislike, as he could not eat anything where they were included, even if hidden. Since one months a go, when he tried them again and he actually ate few pieces, saying he likes. So, definitely, keep offering, as tastes change a lot over time.

[*Ali*]

Just FYI Aishi, in the UK rice milk isn't recommended for LOs under 5yo due to the levels of inorganic arsenic.
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/drinks-and-cups-children.aspx#close

[deb]

Just FYI Aishi, in the UK rice milk isn't recommended for LOs under 5yo due to the levels of inorganic arsenic.
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/drinks-and-cups-children.aspx#close

That's a good point - that research wasn't widely known yet when we started our journey. In retrospect I'd probably use almond milk (I'm allergic to it myself, though.), or you can use regular cows' milk and add a mixer. Thanks for reminding me about that!

[Aishi]

So she wanted mash potatoes with cheese and beans for lunch...I decided to be creative and grated some carrot which she saw me do. I told her it was carrot and she out right refused to try it. So I just added it to the beans as cheese and some mashed cauliflower to the potato.

I know a lot of you feel it's not right to hide food but I wanted to see if she would eat it or whether it really is sensory issue wrt some foods. Anyway she had a hissy fit about the grated carrot cos she thought it was orange cheese (she has white cheddar .) I had to pull out the carrots but she ate some wo noticing and honestly she had no idea there were carrots or cauliflower in there. I did tell her that it had carrots in and she was smiling and saying ugh I don't like carrots. And she's taking bites out of my omelette as I type which has the same veg in . If I tell her it has veg in she will refuse to eat it. It just seems like a control thing doesn't it?

Eta she just asked for rest of my omelette to eat herself and noticed the carrots. She asked if it was carrots and I said yes you've been eating it with me just now and she just said ok and finished it ! 

[barbaraz78]

I would put the stress out of it if it is a control thing. Just keep telling her (or with your DS when she can hear) that vegetable and fruit are good for our body, that vitamins help us to see better, and give us strength and attention to play and have fun... And let these concepts settle down in her. Keeping offering but not forcing. If it is a control thing, it will pass when you give back the control.

[michaeljacknnugg]

Yes, keep offering (just present a range of food and enjoy it!) and nothing else. Hard to do!!!

[koe2moe]

One tip about introducing new foods is to introduce it with a favorite taste.  if cheese sauce is a favorite, then add the new food to it to help make positive association. 

Aishi, sounds like you did well today.