Cook’n for the Kids... Flavors that Are Parent Preferred & Kid Approved!

When it comes to cooking for kids, many of us can attest that there are no shortage of challenges to face down. Almost intuitively, they just seem poised to prefer the sweeter side of foods instead of the necessary foods like VEGETABLES!

Its true that as they grow and age, some kids will soften their disdain for the dreaded category of healthy food options, but, it’s also true that, even as adults we sometimes find that we have to force ourselves to choke down, flavors and textures that, seemingly weren’t meant to be enjoyed. Maybe we’re driven by health concerns, or maybe we’re just overly concerned about the fit of our clothes and the latest “fashion police”, or maybe we just want achieve a certain look and feel. Whatever the reason, being goal oriented, we sometimes subject ourselves to the indulgent flavors of cardboard, sour dirt, bitter essence, terrible tannins, and medicine flavored sawdust! Mmmm yummmmy! Add to that, an overpaid and underused gym membership, and a dash of the current diet trends, and we’re all set to be miserable, until we decide to tackle the next food hurdle.

Unlike adults though, most kids aren’t terribly concerned about the look and feel of a diet fad; they simply throw on their fitted “fashion of the moment” and go off, meandering their way through the day. Of course there are always exceptions, but why waste time being caught up the troubles of food subjectivity, when the end game for kids is really about.... how the food tastes!

It’s probably safe to say that, when it comes to food, most kids overlook the ingredients and processes that go into making the food taste good; and its in this space that we find opportunities to sneak in a few vegetables, and create credible flavors that we know they’ll appreciate, which for all intents and purposes, we’ve affectionately label with the term, “stealth health”.

It’s important to note that a younger pallet will pick up on tannins more readily than a more seasoned one. So for some foods, balancing the flavors with salts, acids and other enhancers will play a critical role in escorting the healthier foods into the preferences process.

In order to implement the stealth health initiative, we must first tackle the question, what is it that makes the preferred foods, taste so good? And to conceptualize the answer in terms of the average kid’s palate, we submit the following 4 main flavor profiles; Salts, Fats, Acids, and Sugars. Now, its worth noting that Netflix has a popular mini series that discusses the use of Salts, Fats, Acids, and Heat. And they do a fantastic job of describing the use of these profiles in everyday foods for the average palate, but we’re talking about the ever illusive kid palate. And these palate types are in the process of growing and evolving. So when being introduced to those “non-preferred” flavors, using a sweeter component is much more effective than using spice or heat!

Think about it this way. As kids we’re introduced to flavors and textures that coat our mouth like, puddings, purées, yogurts, etc. right after we’re taken off the bottle. Most of which use dairy or something sweet, as a “familiar” flavor component to make said introduction. And for the most part, we still enjoy these textures and flavors in the for of milkshakes and smoothies!

From this analogy, we learn that we can use a familiar flavor (catalyst) to weave in a lot of other unfamiliar flavors, allowing kids time to adjust and accept the more necessary elements of healthier everyday eating... Make sense?

So now the question is, how do we translate this into making those likable kid approved foods?

Ok, let’s walk through this one together.

• Kids like foods that taste good, but that may not be good/healthy for them. (Most of us can relate to this reasoning).

• Parents want foods that are good for the kids, that also have the kids “buy in”, so that they’ll eat said “healthy” foods on a more consistent basis.

• Based on what we know of what kids like; (sweeter foods, creamy textures, bold flavors, etc.) the trick now, would be to find a way to use those “catalyst ingredients”, as an escort, to introduce “stealth health” into foods, preferred by the parents, while still being kid approved...

And therein lies the riddle!

To be fair, we have to say that the answer to this riddle will vary from child to child, because every kid won’t have the starting point for flavor preferences but as parents you know what your kids will and won’t eat! However, now that you have the understanding of the “catalyst ingredient” as your escort, you can begin developing twists on recipes that will allow you to accomplish your end game; namely preparing healthier foods, for your kids.

So for a brief perspective on this, lets say that your kids like spaghetti, but they don’t like zucchini or carrots... As it turns out, zucchini and carrots compliment tomatoes, (which is the base of traditional spaghetti sauce), and they can do so without overpowering the flavor of the sauce.... Try taking a few of each, blanch them for a minute and after puréeing or finely chopping them, add them to the sauce as it’s simmering. This is a great back door to way to implement the “stealth health” benefits to your sauce/spaghetti. You could also use finely chopped celery, mushrooms, or bell peppers to compliment the sauce flavors, without the additional ingredients being so obvious.

Lets try another one. Lets say you can’t get your kids to eat beans. (pinto beans, lima beans, black beans, etc). Well, do they like chili? You can always swap out the red beans in a chili for black beans, white beans or even pinto beans. Ever thought about making a chicken chili, or a soup where the beans are a little blended, and paired with fresh herbs and smoked sausage? How about a play on hummus? You can blend in a few spices, stealth health a few veggies, and use it as either a dip, or a spread. Serve it with chips or crackers or even, other vegetables, like celery or carrots! What about a “beans and rice” combination, with a little roasted chicken, ham or smoked bacon. The idea is that you can get really creative with it! Remover the trick is finding the “catalyst ingredients” that will allow you to gain a little leverage for keeping the “stealth health” initiative alive!

What if your kids like coleslaw, but they don’t like broccoli or brussel sprouts. Guess what makes for great crunch and added texture to a “sweet and creamy” slaw! Shaving the brussel sprouts or chopping the broccoli into really small pieces allows for the best of both worlds, because you can accomplish the slaw texture, and “stealth health” the vitamins into the mix at the same time! You could also add, fresh spinach, kale, finely chopped blanched green beans, blanched and finely chopped cauliflower, or carrots, all which will play well with the slaw texture and the “sweet and creamy” finish.

We want to be sure to point out that some foods like spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, English peas and a few others, get a bad rep especially when simmered too long. Because they can also take on a bitter, dirty, flavor and a bit of a slimy texture as well. Sometimes, blanching them or even serving them fresh, just works for all the right reasons. At other times, they can respond quite well with a splash of acid or the compliment of a creamier environment, as when paired with risotto or fondue; and the results can be quite enjoyable.

Blanching foods that have a more tannic mouthfeel and off putting finish, can actually mute some of those bad flavors and allow the fibers to open up, lending a nice crisp and semi sweet flavor to replace the “nasties”. Once those secondary flavors are released, they can easily be complimented by spices, acids, oils, and other great flavor enhancers.

Conclusion

Preparing healthy foods for the kids, doesn’t have to require a small miracle or, a knight in shining armor, but the challenges cannot be overstated. With a few explanations and a little forethought, you can come up with a few subtle ways to compliment the healthy foods they need, while still giving them the flavors they love. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little, and as their palates become more seasoned, adjust your recipes and come up with new combinations based on the new “catalyst ingredients” as you discover them! The signature recipes that’s they’ll come to prefer are yours to create!

Give it a shot and see what you can come up with. And when you’re done, drop us a line and let us know what you did, and how it turned out!!