Hidden in the Fried Rice

Do you have picky kids?  I do. I’ve been trying for years to get my kids to eat a variety of foods.  It would be easier if they weren’t polar opposites when it comes to food!  One loves pasta and one hates it.  It’s ridiculous but I can’t say that I am surprised.  When I was pregnant with my son, all I wanted were cheeseburgers and donuts.  Guess what foods are his favorites?  When I was pregnant with my daughter, I craved chicken (which I don’t really like much myself) and vegetables.  She loves fried chicken and salads!

On the other hand, my husband and I are very conscious about our macronutrients.  Children don’t have the same nutritional needs so I don’t expect them to eat the same foods we do.  Kids need way more carbs than adults do!

 

There are three dishes that they both like.  I am afraid to make them all each week because then one of the little monsters will decide that they hate it.  And making the same thing a couple times a week is boring.

This month I introduced Pork Chop and Pea to #OneNewFood.  #OneNewFood was created by Lauren of Oh Honestly! and Kristin from Mommy In Sports when they decided they had had enough with their picky eaters.  Echo from The Mad Mommy and I have joined in their quest to feed their kids a well rounded and nutritionally sound diet.

I gave my kids the choice when it came to what new food we were focusing on this month.  They had the choice of yellow squash, tofu or these…

 

They chose squash.

I eat squash all the time and offer it to them consistently.  They consistently refuse.  So I decided to cloak it in a favorite.  Chicken fried rice.  They both will eat fried rice, though my chicken loving daughter picks OUT all the chicken in this dish.  She likes the eggs in the rice.  Since, they are a source of protein I load my fried rice with eggs to compensate her chicken refusal.  I’ve created monsters.

I cut the squash into small pieces and left the skin on so that it would be “camouflaged” in the rice and eggs.  Unfortunately, Pea wandered into the kitchen looking for a popsicle while I was cooking this and caught me red handed.

[bctt tweet=”When hiding your #OneNewFood in a dish, it helps if you kids don’t see you hiding it.”]

She totally refused to eat it, though she did pick out and eat some eggs and rice.  I gave her cucumbers and lettuce and decided to try another day.  At least, she eats some vegetables.  My son is the one that isn’t a fan of healthy eats.

But he LOVED the fried rice and ate both his bowl and Pea’s.  He even asked me if I would teach him how to make this fried rice when he is older so that he can make it whenever he wants it.  The next day he finished the leftovers.  This #OneNewFood was a win!

I have a plan for Pea.  I will continue to steam or saute squash for myself and eat it in front of her.  Once she watches me eat a vegetable about 100 times she steals it from my plate.  Since she is the only kid in her kindergarten class that eats all the veggies from the veggie platter during class parties, I am not too worried about her initial squash refusal.  She most likely refused because I tried to hide it!

I was exposed to vegetables in soups as a child.  My parents also used to force me to eat canned peas.  I still hate them to this day.  It took me until adulthood to fully appreciate the yumminess of vegetables so I know that my children won’t become fans overnight.  All I can do is to continue offering healthy choices and variety.

Do you have a picky eater, too?  We are giving one lucky reader a 21 day fix in the form of a Family Board Game called Rounded Plate ($29.95).   The game uses customizable goals, incentives, and family competition to help kids think of themselves as healthy eaters.

You can win by entering the giveaway below!

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Want to join in our quest towards healthy eating habits?  Tag your posts and photos with #OneNewFood!