Feeding Time

by Phil Stott

So I'm something of a food guy. I enjoy eating it, cooking it, reading about it and even watching TV shows about it. I'm someone whose list of life-goals includes shaping a future vacation around a visit to Ferran Adria's famed restaurant El Bulli in Spain (if you want to know why, it's all because of this review), and whose kitchen gadget wish list exceeds my annual income. I can spend all day at work thinking about what I'm making for dinner, and view weekends-at least in part-as an opportunity to get away from it all by stationing myself in the kitchen (or, weather permitting, over the grill). Like I said: something of a food guy.

Bearing all of that in mind I had some concerns for my palate when I first found out I was to become a parent (a little over two years ago). That's because, if becoming a parent is about sacrifice, food is one of the first areas where sacrifices have to be made-starting at the very outset of pregnancy and continuing for much longer if breast-feeding is in the picture. Out go many of the things that make eating fun: things like shellfish, sushi, blue cheese, rare steak, coffee, and much more (including alcohol). Sure, I was still able to eat and drink pretty much whatever I wanted, but with a pregnant/breast-feeding wife, the opportunity to do so just came around a lot less often. And since Maeve started eating "real" food, the challenge in making meals for the household has stepped up a notch.

Like so many other areas of parenting, though, there are a ton of resources out there that can help to provide for even the most demanding of palates (be they toddler or adult) and, from them, I've gleaned some good lessons.

It's a challenge, not a chore

Pregnant women and young children have one thing in common when it comes to food, and you just have to accept it: no matter what you do, sometimes they just don't want to eat anything. And sometimes they'll eat and then throw up. Neither of these is a reflection on your cooking, and neither should dissuade you from getting back in the kitchen and trying to find something they will enjoy. Back when Meghan first got pregnant, we tried several cookbooks for ideas. While most were good, this one was our favorite because of the way it staged the meals through the pregnancy cycle, while some of the dishes in it were so good that they're still in our regular rotation.

"Ethnic" food is still on the table

Get mad cravings for your favorite dish at your local Indian restaurant? Looking to branch out beyond your usual repertoire but afraid because the different cuisine might not be suitable for the kids? Give it a try anyway. To date, we've hauled Maeve along to a variety of restaurants and fed her from our plates, without having to venture into chicken finger territory. Here's the tip: ask the server for something appropriate for a child that an adult would also eat. (Example: Indian biryani comes with the curry on the side. And Korean restaurants are particularly kid friendly.)

"Cook for a day, eat for a week"

OK, let's overlook the fact that the above quote was taken from a book called French Women Don't Get Fat. And let's definitely not go anywhere near the fact that the reason it's in my house is because I bought it as a gift for my wife.* Let's focus instead on the meat of the quote, and the message of the whole book-that the key to a healthy lifestyle is to do everything in moderation, and that eating healthy, home-cooked food doesn't have to mean hours in the kitchen and piles of dishes to wash every day. Example: once every couple of weeks, I make a lentil, carrot and random vegetable puree for Maeve-sometimes with cheese through it. An hour of cooking (and less than 15 minutes of actual work) makes around 10 portions for her. It's healthy, it's cheap, and she loves it.

Whatever the circumstances, and no matter how large my family may grow, I can't foresee a point in my future where I'll stop being interested in exploring food. Bearing that in mind, there's no time like the present to start introducing Maeve to some different flavors, colors and textures. By doing it now, I'm hoping to open up a whole world of great meals to come-for her and me!

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* OK, just to prove I'm not a complete jerk: It was NOT any kind of veiled commentary or suggestion. Meghan saw it featured on Oprah and was intrigued by the theory behind it. As far as I'm concerned, that makes me thoughtful for remembering-not to mention brave!