Isn’t it amazing the silly things you do once you are a parent?
Let me take you into my world during last night’s dinner. I promise this is 100% a true story!
As I am cooking dinner Chase and Eli were in the living room playing. I was pretty sure that it was not going to be an easy dinner as the two vegetables on our plates were Brussels sprouts and butternut squash. We have been trying to incorporate new vegetables into our diets. Usually I am very intentional about cooking only one “odd” veggie and throwing in the comfort of green beans, mashed potatoes or corn as the complementary side in hopes to make it a little less scary to a toddler. Speaking of that.. why is trying new foods such a big deal anyway?
Well this time I knew that with family coming in town this weekend there was a good chance we would not cook either veggies before they went bad. And I was NOT going to waste our money by letting that happen!
Needless to say we had two new veggies on our plates last night.
Eli was less than impressed!
I remember when he was a baby he LOVED butternut squash! It was on his top list of favorites, right next to avocado! Well I don’t know if his taste buds have changed or just the stubborn two-year old thing has kicked in, but he does not care for it now!
We decided to make a house rule: You don’t have to like the food, but you do have to try it first before you decide.
My hope is that if he tries it enough maybe one day he will like it. I mean it worked with Chase, now he enjoys a lot of veggies he hated growing up. I just want to make sure that my children try new things and appreciate what is given to them. You simply can’t say that you don’t like food until you have tasted it. You might be missing out on something awesome! Yes, I am well aware that my child is only a toddler, but we are setting the tone for the years to come!
So we sat down to dinner. Chase and I were enjoying our dinner, Eli wouldn’t touch his food. And then it happened…
“I know it’s new, and you’ve never tasted it.
You’ll just have to trust in me.
Just give it a try.
Try it. You’ll like it.
Try it. You’ll like it.
Try it. You’ll like it.
Try it. You’re gonna like it.”
That’s right people, Chase and I started singing Yo Gabba Gabba in hopes that Eli would try his new veggies. Oh, that was probably a sight to see! The toddler refusing to eat his veggies and two adults singing at the table. Yes, this did happen! Unfortunately it didn’t really work, he still decided after licking each one that “I no like it“ But you know what, that’s okay. It’s one meal, one new veggie at a time!