“Eww, do I have to eat it?”
This question can be heard by countless kids at dinner tables across America when they’re faced with foods they don’t like. Children give many reasons why they do not like certain foods: color, texture, smell or a peer who told them it was gross. However, as we get older we tend to enjoy foods that we disliked as a child. Why is that?
The School Health Advisory Council at Nixa Public Schools offers two explanations: exposure and fun. Adults who love food that children do not enjoy typically have been exposed to, and, in turn have tried, more foods, prepared more ways. Trying something cooked three different ways is a great way to see if you like it or not.
Nixa has given students more exposure to food by challenging them to try something new each month. Similar to the television show, “Fear Factor,” the lunch staff provide a sample once a month and dare the children to try it. These samples are usually items that are adventurous or not typical, such as beets, star fruit, jicama and kale chips. Students are allowed to sign their name on a chart if they eat the item.
This is where the magic happens. Students encourage each other to try the item. Positive peer pressure spreads through the lunchrooms. “Eat it, eat it!” is heard down the hallways. The goal is not to convince children to like the food but provide an opportunity to try something new and wake up their taste buds in a fun way. Perhaps they still were not a fan, but the exposure hopefully encourages them to try new and different foods as they grow older.
The other key to helping youngsters try foods they dislike is to make food fun. Nixa’s SHAC has created the Nixa Iron Chef event to engage students in food exploration.
The schoolwide competition has 20 teams, and six individual “chefs” from kindergarten to eighth grade get the opportunity to flex their chef muscles in a cooking competition.
Teams are given a secret ingredient and a theme in which to use it. Last year, the competition was a pizza challenge, and the secret ingredient was fresh spinach. Student chefs dress up and decorate their cooking stations in creative and amazing ways to really add their passion to the event.
In order to prepare, students have test kitchens at their homes where they try out flavor combinations and explore different foods, giving them even more exposure to new options.
All of this gets students together in a fun way and starts those lifetime skills of learning an appreciation for food.
It helps kids learn how to cook and make healthy food taste flavorful. This is a much better way to engage students in food nutrition and wellness versus more traditional ways that may seem boring to a child.
Cooking encourages kids to share their ideas, express their passion and discover their culinary creativity – it’s empowering and creates an indelible impression. SHAC embraces the sentiment that “food is caring” and works to encourage forward-thinking school food programs.
Kids are going to be kids. There are some items even the most skilled lawyer can’t convince a child to eat. However, by exposing students to a variety of foods and showing them how fun it can be to cook and create flavor, a child’s palate can expand.
Now that’s a mouthful of hope for the pickiest of eaters.
Nixa resident and chef Rob Corliss founded All Things Epicurean to connect people with their food, environment and wellness. He’s developed menus for such restaurants as Sheridan’s Unforked, done food styling for Tyson and collaborated with the Almond Board of California. He volunteers time with the Nixa School Health Advisory Council. Corliss can be reached at robcorliss@7ate9.biz.
