Honey I tricked the kids
Picky eaters are the worst. I should know, I used to be one.
As a kid I hated all things edible, except one. Back in the day I would have traded my baby brother for a bowl of frozen strawberries (ok, I would have traded him for a black eye, but that’s a different story.) And when I say frozen strawberries, I’m not talking about the good wholesome Whole Foods type of berries. I’m talking old school, the kind that came soaked in sugared syrup and frozen in a cardboard box with a tin roof. It was my preferred form of sustenance and I was a blissful child, until one day, while eagerly awaiting dessert, this: Imagine, the bubbling hot defrosted berries were en route to the table when suddenly, out of nowhere, my mean ole ma grinned and said:
Oh, these? Nope these are most definitely not strawberries. Sure, they look like strawberries. They smell like strawberries. They even taste exactly like strawberries. But it’s rhubarb. Yes, rhubarb. Go on, try some.
I struggled. I sniffed the bowl. I swear I wanted to taste, but I couldn’t do it. Thanks to Mom’s trickery (and a stubborn streak that multiplies with each subsequent generation) I refused to eat my favorite dessert. But hey, no hard feelings ma. You did what you had to do, right?
As a parent now myself to a couple of stubborn, non-eaters, I too have succumbed to tricking my kids. But here’s the thing: I try to trick them INTO eating; and I will do whatever it takes.
Apparently, hiding veggies from children is controversial, especially since Jessica Seinfeld released Deceptively Delicious, a cookbook for parents of picky eaters. With it, the line in the sand was drawn between parents who believe children should be forced to fork their foliage in full awareness, and those of us who rub our evil hands together as we gleefully watch the kiddies consume hidden veggies and try not to scream, “Ah-hah! Gotcha!” with each green that sneaks stealthily down an unwilling throat.
I have not seen Seinfeld’s cookbook, but I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.
Check out these Zebra Fries my kids gobbled down. Shhhh, want to know a secret? They’re really beets. Really. Beets. Aren’t they beautiful? Sliced into fry-shapes, they’re not even scary.
Hey, while we’re at it, anyone up for a Confetti Cookie?
What’s in the world is a Confetti Cookie? Simple, it’s a chocolate chip cookie with pretty green streamers running through it. (Off the record? Those tiny green stripes are shredded zucchini, but I won’t tell if you don’t.) I borrowed the recipe from Barbara Kingsolver’s book (and my bible) Animal, Vegetable, Miracle.
Vegetables? What vegetables? Just smile, and have another cookie my dear. You can trust me, I’m not hiding any greens up my sleeves.