Every parent knows the struggle of getting their child to eat. It’s a universal truth that when you want them to eat, they often refuse.
I didn’t always understand this reality. Before stepping into parenthood, I held the naive belief that these challenges wouldn’t apply to me. I thought my child would naturally enjoy a wide range of healthy foods, thanks to my own passion for gastronomy—a passion rooted deeply in my family’s heritage. Surely, I mused with unearned confidence, my child’s taste buds would be as vast as the Great Plains, as vibrant as a Van Gogh painting, and as expressive as a sonnet.
How wrong I was!
When my daughter turned three, she unexpectedly gained fame as a viral internet sensation. A popular social media figure spotted her munching on a pickle at the farmers market, indulging like it was an ice cream cone. The online community applauded her as a “good eater,” and hailed “Pickle Girl” as their “spirit animal.” All I could think was: what a farce! I screamed internally, “These are lies!”
The truth is, just months prior to her viral moment, my daughter had dramatically fallen off her growth curve. Every day was a battle to get her to eat anything (excluding pickles). One doctor even advised me to restrict her diet to red meat to raise her weight. I smiled politely at her suggestion while secretly deciding to enrich everything my daughter did eat with generous amounts of butter and oil.
Fast forward nearly four years, and her eating habits have thankfully improved. There was no single transformative moment; rather, change came gradually, one small victory at a time. We continued to offer her small bites of foods that once intimidated her, often paired with various forms of encouragement. Our family meals began to revolve around dishes we knew she enjoyed, and gradually, her palate expanded. Cooking together became a regular activity, further enriching her experience.
After some time of navigating these challenges, I was presented with a delightful opportunity. The Bon Appetit team provided me with a complimentary meal code from Blue Apron and inquired if I would like to try it out with my family. Was this a wise choice?
Cooking with a child who tends to shy away from various ingredients presents several logistical challenges. Expect plenty of “Ew, that’s gross!” and “Get it off me!” along with some inevitable tears. To navigate this, I developed a strategy for selecting recipes thoughtfully—often opting for modified versions of familiar favorites. I also limited the amount of raw meat in our meals (a nonstarter, to say the least) and pre-measured the ingredients. This approach made it simpler for her to pour the components into a mixing bowl and also reassured her that there were no hidden surprises.
