When my children were babies, I believed as they got older they should eat vegetables because as their parental "unit" I told them to. I made all of their baby food by pureeing veggies and fruits so they wouldn't have that nasty stuff that comes in a jar, making sure they were exposed to a variety of flavors and colors.
Now, as a five year old sits in front of me denying all healthy and viable options for dinner (and worse yet, he has influenced his three year old sister to do the same), I'm ready to ditch the "because I said so" defense.
When my kids were babies, my sister gave me Jessica Seinfeld's cookbook of trickery, where your kids are eating brownies made with spinach and carrots and don't even know it. Now, Shanan, I'm sorry you have to read this here for the first time, but I thought that was a crock: kids should eat vegetables for what they are and appreciate them for their texture, flavor and high vitamin and fiber content! I now realize this is the true crock. So, I broke out the cookbook and decided to make whole wheat pizza pockets with a thin layer of pureed spinach between the bread and sauce. As is my necessary custom, I made several substitutions (whole wheat bagels, homeade tomato sauce...), but kept the pureed spinach the same. Now, Jessica warns: "Let the pizzas cool 5 minutes before serving so the cheese cools and doesn't pull off (and the spinach stays completely invisible).
Now, Jessica "I'm the world's most perfect mother" Seinfeld, what do you do when your five year old peels the cheese off and discovers the hidden spinach layer and revolts!?!? Is this where your nanny steps in and you take off to the day spa?
UGH!
So, I simply went back to my original defense and made him eat it because I am his mother and he should appreciate spinach for its flavor, texture and high fiber content.
...and I told him he could have ice cream if he finished his dinner.
