Papa Don’t Take No Mess

Having trouble dealing with your little ones not finishing meals? Can’t seem to get through a sitting in less time than it takes to finish 3 loads of laundry? Does your child flat out refuse to eat anything but pizza and chocolate? Seems some pros don’t fare any better. I recently read an article in the Dining & Wine section of the New York Times interviewing prominent chefs about their children’s eating habits. One participant felt his vocation had no bearing on his child. Another suggested chefs are no different than most parents in winning the battle of getting their kids to eat properly.

I’m a bit more hopeful. My daughter has a healthy appetite and enjoys most things. Needless to say, the concept of waste is a non-issue round our yard, the current economic crisis notwithstanding. With well over 20 years in the culinary game and a few bouts of youth inspired homelessness as well, I don’t mess about when it comes to food. We are definitely blessed to eat well. Bear in mind, I’ve rendered several pounds of flesh over the years so I’d be present in my child’s upbringing and made certain her diet consisted of homemade soups, grilled fish, yoghurt and plenty of fruit and veg from the onset. Tantalize and develop your child’s palate in the early stages by exposing them to fresh, whole foods and you’ll be laughing for years to come. Not to mention, your grocery bill will be comparatively smaller.

The greatest gift we can give our children is to be disciplined ourselves. More important than what goes on their backs or in their minds is first the sustenance we provide. Without balanced nourishment it won’t matter what we do. To me there’s nothing cooler than getting creative in the kitchen with my daughter. We eat out only a few nights a month and hardly ever order take-away, mostly it’s fling open the cupboards and we’re good to go. The few odd occasions my daughter put up a stink at meal time had more to do with preoccupations with jewellery making and Wall-E on DVD in the next room. It was short lived however, for she knows, “Papa don’t take no mess.”