Sara Moulton Dishes
The Food Network star shares her secrets for getting kids to eat hea
Jan 17, 2007
Indeed, the star of Food Network's hit series, "Sara's Secrets" and Chef of the executive dining room at Gourmet magazine, claims the reason she went to cooking school was because she always liked to eat.
But healthy recipes weren't on her radar as a kid. "I really only ate hot dogs and french fries and ice cream sundaes until I was nine," Moulton told me in a recent interview.
And not surprisingly, her own children, now 16 and 20, went through picky eater phases as well.
"Kids need time for their palates to grow," Moulton says. But that shouldn't stop you from offering them great food. "I think it's important every day to expose them to new tastes."
That goes for picky spouses, as well, Moulton says.
So how does a family cook who wants to make healthy recipes cope? Here are Sara's best secrets:
Tip 1: Offer choices you know they'll eat at every meal.
"I’m not saying I’ll make an entirely different meal for everyone," Moulton says. "But I know my son will always eat raw carrots and raw red pepper strips, so I have that in case he doesn't eat whatever vegetable we're having."
Her rule: If she's going to make something special for one person in the family, it can't be more complicated than baby carrots or a salad.
Tip 2: Use vacations as an opportunity to teach kids about food.
If you're traveling, avoid fast food spots and opt for local eateries instead. The food will be better, and the atmosphere might entice your picky eaters to try something new.
Tip 3: Make family dinners a priority.
"If I had to choose between soccer practice between 6 and 7:30 p.m. or having them home for dinner, I'd choose dinner every time," Moulton says. "The single most important thing is for the family to reconnect every day."
Tip 4: Cook!
Cooking at home is almost always healthier than eating out and it helps kids develop a palate that is used to healthy foods, rather than tons of salt and fat.
Check out Sara Moulton's recipe for Super Food Burritos or her new cookbook, Sara's Secrets for Weeknight Meals.
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