What's Cookin' - Getting Kids to Eat

Published November 14, 2007 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

It’s always an adventure getting children to eat. Sure, you can feed them Spaghetti-Os and chicken nuggets for the first 15 years of their lives, but most parents prefer a bit more variety, for themselves if not the kids.

I spent the first 10 years or so of my cooking existence juggling the likes and dislikes of myself and my four siblings. Then I had many wonderful years cooking only for myself and other adults – and I gloried in being able to use onions, mushrooms and even zucchini whenever I wanted.

Now there are nine nieces and nephews in the mix, and I am being forced to once again try to juggle the vagaries of childhood likes and dislikes. First there was the Great Stroganoff Showdown between myself and my sister Tammy’s third child, Emma, and the “Would you just chew your bloody food!” confrontation with her oldest girl, Sarah. I have chased Abbie’s boy Carter – AKA The Human Pinball – around the house trying to get him to hold still long enough to eat something … anything. And since my sister Kristin has moved in with her two offspring I have learned that Kent likes anything meat related but won’t eat pasta and Kassie will eat anything so long as it in no way resembles baby food – this despite the fact that she doesn’t yet have any teeth.

And this past weekend I had a “confrontation” with my brother James’ older boy Jakob, age 4. James and company were visiting from up north and we all gathered together for dinner Sunday afternoon at my parents’ house. I fixed pork roast and candied acorn squash, something I knew the adults would like and that Kassie and Kent would both eat. We sat down and all was well until Jakob, before trying a single bite, whined those dreaded words: “I don’t like this.”

In desperation, I called on the “Popeye” ploy. “That’s pork,” I told him. “That’s the kind of meat Transformers eat. Ratchet gave me the recipe. He’s the medical officer, so he knows what’s best for Autobots.”

My mother, experience in such subterfuge, caught on quickly. “What kind of motor oil did you use? It tastes great!”

“I stuck with 10-30 Castrol oil. Anything heavier overwhelms the taste. Ratchet says it’s best with applesauce.”

Jakob willingly ate the pork, with plenty of applesauce, of course. He also ate Optimus Prime’s favorite spinach (the kid has no idea who Popeye is). The ploy did not work with Bumblebee’s Special Acorn Squash – apparently the texture turned him off – but everyone else, including his 2-year-old brother Kaeden, gobbled it happily. Kent, the resident carnivore, finished the last of the pork and yours truly polished off the spinach. No leftovers. Mission accomplished.

Ratchet’s Pork Roast

I usually omit the motor oil, making this a tasty, low-fat meal for humans and alien robots alike.

1 pork roast, about 3 pounds

2 medium onions

2 cups beef broth

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cut the onions in half and slice into large chunks. Layer the onion into the bottom of a small roasting pan and lay the pork roast on top. Mix together the beef broth, garlic and ginger and pour over the pork. Cover the roasting pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F. Remove the roast and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve with applesauce or top with the onions from the pan. Serves 6 to 8 humans.

Bumblebee’s Special Acorn Squash

OK, Jakob didn’t like it, but most kids – and Autobots – do. The marshmallows can be omitted for a dinner serving all adult humans.

4 acorn squash

3/4 cup brown sugar

ground cloves

ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1 cup mini marshmallows

Cut each acorn squash into quarters and clean out the seeds. Microwave for 10 to 15 minutes or until softened. Let cool. Slice off the rind and cut the squash into slices. Layer the squash into a greased 13- by 9-inch pan and top with the brown sugar. Sprinkle with just a bit of cloves and a generous amount of cinnamon. Cut the butter or margarine into about 10 slices and place on top of the brown sugar. Sprinkle the marshmallows on top of all of it and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the marshmallows are browned. Serves 6 to 8.

Macaroni & Cheese

If all else fails, you can always go for mac & cheese. If you are sick of the boxed stuff, try this recipe, which is sure to please adults as well. For a real treat, use a mix of cheeses for the sauce in this family favorite. For a heartier meal, add cubed cooked ham before baking.

2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

dash pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups milk

4 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Sauté the onion in the butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk and cook, stirring slightly, until thickened and bubbly. Add cheese and stir until melted. Stir the macaroni into the cheese sauce. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole and bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly. Serves 8.