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with Katherine Alford from Food Network Kitchens
Q: What kinds of school lunches can you pack for your child if she's a picky eater?
A: For lunches, everybody says the sandwich thing, but not everybody loves sandwiches. I like making soups and pasta, which work nicely in a hot thermal mug, and rice and beans. Pasta is always a big hit with kids and soups, such as miso, for some reason they love. With pasta, make sure your child doesn't refrigerate it because it won't taste good cold.
If your child is a picky eater, ask them what they like to eat. For instance, if you're having a hard time getting them to eat vegetables, ask them which ones they like and give them to them. Kids will pretty much find their own. To introduce new vegetables, give them something familiar along with a new one, which may take some time before they'll start eating it. I read somewhere that a child needs to be exposed to a food ten times before they'll eat it. If they don't want it, set it aside, and don't make them eat foods that you won't eat.
If you want to get inventive with sandwich shapes and the appearance of their lunches, having kids help prepare works best. They are very clear on what they want their food to look like. If something isn't right, like the shape of their pizza slice, they won't eat it. Having them help also gets them involved in the process and kids love the process of creating something, even if they don't eat it.
When making their lunches, you should put a balance of food in there. Be aware if they like crispy or soft things and ask them what their friends are eating, which might give you a sense of what they want. And if they want junk food, let them know that these foods are tasty but it's not ok to eat so much bad stuff. If you demonize them, they'll want to eat more. It's better for you to limit them and find other salty or sweet alternatives.
You'll want to keep lunches interesting to the child, not the parent. When children are in school, they might want to eat the same thing everyday because there are so many things going on a school and it is comforting for them to have something familiar. Don't stress out about it. There are a lot of variables going on and sometimes they eat and sometimes don't.
Give them choices, and ask them what they'd like to eat and try to encourage them to eat new things. What children choose to eat is a greater sense of their identities. In a world where they don't have much control, let them have choice within responsible parameters and don't make a big deal over what they eat. If you make a big deal over it, it makes for bigger food issues down the line.
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