Raising 5 children (7 years between youngest and oldest) presented a number of mealtime challenges:
$$ cooking for a lot of people on a budget - for many years, after working all day
$$ processed foods were unhealthy and expensive, so almost everything was made from scratch.
$$ we didn't go out to dinner often, especially for a 'fancy' meal -and I love new foods, and everyday foods made to die for.
Anyone with children knows that introducing new foods (even if it is familiar food that looks different) can be a challenge, but I thought it was important that they be willing to try new things. There is nothing that always works, of course, but I can tell you about the approach that I used, combining a three-bite rule, and a vote.
The three-bite rule was simply practical - the palate needs time to adjust to a new flavor or texture, I think. At least three bites were required of any new food. It worked well most of the time....though I do remember making yorkshire pudding and finding that the kids had spit their bites into their napkins...not one of my more successful experiments!
Now, the vote - that was our game, but I took the results seriously. When a new recipe was used (main dish, veggie, dessert, whatever) each of us cast one of the following votes: that the food was NEVER to be made again, was ok to be made again in the future, or -the highest accolade - was worthy of company.
As this blog grows, look for recipes designated worthy of company, those were my family favorites!
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