We mark the progress of our lives by marking milestones - birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Less often, we remember and celebrate the moments that make up those milestones.

This is for those moments.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Plating Up Is Wasted On My Child

When you've got an active six-year-old, what's more important - what they eat or what it looks like on the plate?

In this house presentation is all about what actually gets the food eaten. So if that means making smiley faces with tomato sauce on poached eggs or serving food in the can, so be it!!

Take this typical dinner - yes, that's tuna, still in the can (as well as the [cold] baked beans), along with frozen peas and corn kernels - very frozen 'cos they crunch' - and stuffed olives. And a big thank you Ikea for making the teeny serving bowls which delight my Katie (yes I do realise they are for dipping sauces). :)

Served like this, every morsel is eaten. That's lean protein, three serves of veges (Katie calls olives a vegetable) and pulses - nothing wrong with that little lot. If I tried to dish it all up pretty, steam the veges and warm the beans I'd be lucky if she ate one-quarter.

It may not score highly with the MasterChef brigade but who cares? Not Katie, not me. Beats serving up nuggets and chips or overdosing on sugar and/or fat. And it's quick, being on the table in under five minutes. Anyone with a small child can tell you that this is crucial after a hard day at school ;-)

Her tastes will change as she gets older; she is curious about lots of other meals I cook and I know one day she will try the risotto, the chilli, the pastitsio, the lasagna. Until then I will be thankful for kid-sized portions in fun-size tins. And a healthy, happy child.

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