Last week, I introduced a new item on our sidebar, The Cook's Library, which is a list of cookbooks and magazines that we like.
One of the books I mentioned is the new book by Jessica Seinfeld, 'Deliciously Deceptive,' in which the recipes include pureed vegetables hidden inside dishes such as brownies, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, et cetera.
I had no idea at the time I wrote the post how controversial Seinfeld's book, and others that are similar to it, would be. The biggest complaint seems to be that people find the idea of sneaking healthy foods into kids to be dishonest, and many have said that they feel following this practice will do more harm than good, as moms should be encouraging healthy eating.
What is your opinion? Do you think it's dishonest to hide vegetables in other foods? Do you find it easy to get your children to try new foods and eat their veggies? Would you consider your kids picky eaters?
I have decided that I don't need the Deliciously Deceptive book, but not because it's a bad book or because I object to the idea of hiding vegetables. It's just because I'm a good enough cook that I don't need a recipe for macaroni and cheese, and because I'm not inclined to spend the time pureeing vegetables.
The author is clear that her book is not advocating this method as an alternative to offering vegetables in their usual form or teaching kids about healthy eating choices. Rather, she acknowledges that kids can have bizarre eating habits and that as long as you make sure healthy foods are right where they can choose to eat them, what they can't see what hurt them.
Even before this book was published, I put extra veggies in my food. Finely diced carrots in chicken salad, chopped onions in scrambled eggs, shredded zucchini in meatloaf. I serve those "beefed up" foods along with whole grains and fresh vegetables. My son has been picky in the past, so it makes me feel better knowing that even if he chooses not to eat his broccoli, he's still getting some vegetables from the other dishes I made. When he was a baby, he was briefly classified as a failure to thrive baby, due to an undiagnosed food allergy, and my pediatrician told me to "get the food into him, any way you can." I involve him in every aspect of cooking, and that has made a big difference in how well he eats, but he still has days when he doesn't eat well.
I think the difference is in using the 'hiding veggies' method as the primary way to get veggies into your kids and using is as insurance in case the usual method doesn't work. Let's face it, not every mom is comfortable in the kitchen and plenty of parents can use some guidance on how to make something healthier. As for being dishonest, don't we tell our kids that a man from the North Pole comes down the chimney every Christmas with a sack full of gifts? What's the difference?
Let us know what you think? Is hiding vegetables in other foods an offensive idea, or is it one you have used in the past? What are some of your tricks for getting your kids to try vegetables (and like them)?
One of the books I mentioned is the new book by Jessica Seinfeld, 'Deliciously Deceptive,' in which the recipes include pureed vegetables hidden inside dishes such as brownies, mashed potatoes, chicken nuggets, et cetera.
I had no idea at the time I wrote the post how controversial Seinfeld's book, and others that are similar to it, would be. The biggest complaint seems to be that people find the idea of sneaking healthy foods into kids to be dishonest, and many have said that they feel following this practice will do more harm than good, as moms should be encouraging healthy eating.
What is your opinion? Do you think it's dishonest to hide vegetables in other foods? Do you find it easy to get your children to try new foods and eat their veggies? Would you consider your kids picky eaters?
I have decided that I don't need the Deliciously Deceptive book, but not because it's a bad book or because I object to the idea of hiding vegetables. It's just because I'm a good enough cook that I don't need a recipe for macaroni and cheese, and because I'm not inclined to spend the time pureeing vegetables.
The author is clear that her book is not advocating this method as an alternative to offering vegetables in their usual form or teaching kids about healthy eating choices. Rather, she acknowledges that kids can have bizarre eating habits and that as long as you make sure healthy foods are right where they can choose to eat them, what they can't see what hurt them.
Even before this book was published, I put extra veggies in my food. Finely diced carrots in chicken salad, chopped onions in scrambled eggs, shredded zucchini in meatloaf. I serve those "beefed up" foods along with whole grains and fresh vegetables. My son has been picky in the past, so it makes me feel better knowing that even if he chooses not to eat his broccoli, he's still getting some vegetables from the other dishes I made. When he was a baby, he was briefly classified as a failure to thrive baby, due to an undiagnosed food allergy, and my pediatrician told me to "get the food into him, any way you can." I involve him in every aspect of cooking, and that has made a big difference in how well he eats, but he still has days when he doesn't eat well.
I think the difference is in using the 'hiding veggies' method as the primary way to get veggies into your kids and using is as insurance in case the usual method doesn't work. Let's face it, not every mom is comfortable in the kitchen and plenty of parents can use some guidance on how to make something healthier. As for being dishonest, don't we tell our kids that a man from the North Pole comes down the chimney every Christmas with a sack full of gifts? What's the difference?
Let us know what you think? Is hiding vegetables in other foods an offensive idea, or is it one you have used in the past? What are some of your tricks for getting your kids to try vegetables (and like them)?
