Food for Thought

Kids can be picky when it comes to food and while it often seems easiest to appease their palates, we can do some hard work now that will reap a big reward later.  Am I talking about strictly following the food pyramid? No,  I am talking about exposing our children to diverse cultures through food.  Here is what I have seen in kids whose parents have done this; they have a sense of adventure, what's new isn't scary but exciting, they don't just except diversity but are intrigued by it and they want to learn more about people who are different than themselves.  I have two little friends who are six and while they love macaroni and cheese they gobble up Korean BBQ and relish in using chopsticks.  More importantly these meals lead to lots of questions, and what better way for a family to connect than sitting around a table and exploring something new together!

 Waiting for a table can be fun as long as the bench doubles as a stage.

   

 This was the first time we took Pearl to Blue C Sushi. We have a local place that we like to support but we thought that it would be fun for her to experience the Kaiten (conveyor belt) style of dining.  Kids love watching the food go around and the atmosphere is very laid back.  For now we get her, edamame, rice, salad,  karaage (fried chicken bites) and agedashi tofu.  My nephew has been going to sushi since he was a baby and now at 9 orders for himself!

 

My little one's mind is like a sponge and I want her to soak up new experiences that will enrich her life and create memories that will help her grow and learn.

 Supplement your child's learning!  I love these chopsticks from AJ Panda because they make learning to use them a lot more fun and a lot less frustrating for the kiddos!  Melissa and Doug make a great sushi set that has velcro so the pieces can be put together and "chopped up".  A friend gave First Book of Sushi to Pearl and it is her all-time favorite... I KNOW THIS BOOK BY HEART!  It has beautiful illustrations and rhymes, what could be better?