How to Get Your Kids to Try New Foods (No Bribes Needed!)

Neophobia. It’s the fear of trying something new, and I see it in the clients I work with all the time. I’ve known a friend of mine for 20 years, and for 20 years she’s let neophobia rule her food culture. She eats only white food: pasta, bread, chicken, yogurt, potatoes and rice. Eating anywhere with her is pretty much a miserable experience. She’s anxious about eating away from home in the first place and constantly worries, “Will there be something I can eat?” When she’s ordering from the waiter, she’s got a rush of nervous questions: “Is it spicy? Is there anything green in it? Is the dish all mixed together?” Sadly, her rotten relationship with food and penchant for making dining a painful experience (for everyone) can probably be traced in a direct line back to her childhood.

All of us have some memory of enjoying a food, only to have our friend (or child) say, “Ew! You like _______ (fill in the blank)?!” My client’s son used to eat avocado with a spoon pretty much every day. One day he came back from preschool and declared he no longer liked avocados and not to send them in his lunch anymore. It turns out that a kid next to him at lunchtime told him his food was yucky. His mom had a choice: She could take avocados out of his repertoire, banish them from his lips and honor his wishes, or she could take this as an opportunity to take all the behavioral nutrition I’ve helped to cram into her head and apply it with her son.

Eating is strongly influenced by social relationships, culture and environment. While it is perfectly normal for kids to go through food jags where they like certain foods and kick former faves to the curb, how you parent your kids as they form their eating relationships is uber-important in turning out healthy eaters. It turns out that this child’s buddy had never tried an avocado and was reacting to his own fear of unusual foods. I don’t want any kid to let neophobia run his life, so here are my top tips to help your kids try and accept new foods:

Model, model, model. Until your kids are teens, you are their role model (then you get to turn that honor over to Taylor Swift and Derek Jeter). Kids watch their parents and mimic their behaviors, so you need to show them that you eat a variety of foods, that you try new things and what it looks like to taste something you don’t care for. In short, show them with your actions how you would like them to behave and they will copy your lead. Sometimes it is helpful to think about food as analogous to life: We want our kids to be open-minded and nonjudgmental. Make sure you are showing this attitude toward food, just as you to do toward other, seemingly more important topics.

Try-it Tuesday. Add to your food culture a day of the week when you try something you have never tried before. Talk this up at the dinner table before you kick it into action. Prepare your family by telling them that you want to teach them to experience new foods because it will help you all eat a diet with more variety. When it is possible, just like you ask your daughter if she wants the blue shoes or the red ones, ask her if she’d like to try dragon fruit or kiwi. Giving a choice between two foods empowers your kid in the decision making and may help her like a new food more.

Make some rules. Each family should come up with the rules that suit their household best. You may go with the one-bite rule, where everyone has to take one bite of everything on his or her plate. You may choose to assign a special plate as the tasting plate, so that if a food freaks your kids out, they don’t have it staring at them next to the chicken and broccoli they already enjoy. One of my favorites is a “no, thank you” bite, whereby the eater can ask for just a taste instead of a serving. A “cook’s bite” is a bite you take to honor the cook who worked hard to make your food, even if looks like green slime to you. Regardless of the rules you make, let everyone know how you expect them to react to the food. There should be no “Ew!” or “Gross!” or “Yuck!” because that could make the little sister who may have loved the hummus not love it anymore.

Make it familiar. When you want your kids to taste it, eat it, try it, put it in the context they already know. This means you should keep most of the meal familiar to them. When they’re trying something new, there should be at least one thing on their plate that you know they love. The new food doesn’t need to be hidden in the sauce; it can be presented with the rest of a meal that your family usually enjoys. For example, if your kids love pizza, make it in a new way to up the nutrition. It’s the same old pizza, but with a twist.

Keep trying. Keep in mind that it is human nature to have a little neophobia. Being skeptical of new things kept us from feasting on poisonous berries when we were hunting and gathering. Your children may not like the foods you want them to eat the first time. Or the second time. Or the third. Just keep trying! Eventually (it may take 20 tries!) the new foods will be accepted, if not adored.

Chickpea-Crust Pizza

Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

Crust

2/3 cup chickpea flour

2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

Tomato Sauce

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 (8 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

Pizza Topping

3 ounces (1 link) chicken sausage

1 cup provolone cheese, grated

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

Make the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, water, garlic powder and salt. In a round pizza pan, heat olive oil over a burner on medium heat, then pour “the dough” into the pan and spread it to about an 1/8-inch-thick layer. Cook the ‘dough” for approximately 3 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Flip the crust over like a pancake and cook on the other side for approximately 3 minutes.

Tomato Sauce:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and carrots, and saute until the vegetables are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and simmer on low heat with cover on for 20 minutes or until thick. Put the sauce into a food processor and process until smooth.

Assemble the Pizza:

Brush 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over chickpea crust.

Cut chicken sausage into ¼-inch slices.

Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce over crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.

Sprinkle grated provolone cheese, covering tomato sauce.

Place chicken sausage slices on top.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Photo: iStock.com, Rich Vintage.

Keri Glassman is the founder and president of Keri Glassman, Nutritious Life and The Nutrition School. She is a contributing editor and advisory board member for Women’s Health Magazine, the Health and Wellness partner for JW Marriott, was Lead Nutritionist for Turner’s health and wellness entertainment brand, upwave and the Nutritionist and Judge on the healthy cooking competition show, “Cook Your Ass Off”. She has authored four books and is regularly featured on The Today Show, Good Morning America, and Access Hollywood Live.

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This Week’s Nutrition News Feed

In this week’s news: A study wholeheartedly endorses whole grains; eating healthy may be better for your budget; and scientists create a pill that tricks the body into losing weight.

Carbe Diem!

Carbs: One day they’re in, the next they’re out. Today is an “in” day, but only for one specific type of carbs: whole grains. Researchers who analyzed data from two large studies examining the eating habits of 118,000 healthy men and women found that higher consumption of whole grains was associated with lower cardiovascular mortality and lower mortality overall. According to the researchers, every 28-gram daily serving of whole grains resulted in an estimated 9 percent lower cardiovascular-related death rate and 5 percent lower rate of death regardless of cause. The authors concluded that the study results “are in line with recommendations that promote increased whole grain consumption to facilitate disease prevention.” Toast, anyone?

Is a Healthy Diet Financially Fit?

You may no longer be able to blame your budget for bad food choices. Although a 2013 study determined that the healthiest diets (high in fruits and veggies, fish, and nuts) cost about $1.50 more per day to maintain than super-unhealthy diets (lots of processed foods and refined grains), The Healthy Skeptic author Robert Davis, Ph.D., is refuting the common wisdom that healthy diets are more expensive. “In fact, a healthy diet can be quite affordable, depending on which foods it includes,” Davis says in a video posted on several news sites. As evidence, Davis cites studies that found that fruit juices without added sugar are no more expensive than those with it and that whole-grain cereals are often actually cheaper than the sugary options. Plus, healthy foods can leave you more satisfied, he says, meaning you eat less — and save.

Pill Dupes Body Into Burning Fat

Losing weight is never easy, but researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed a compound they say tricks the body into reacting as if it has consumed calories, causing it to burn fat and effectively halting weight gain. The new diet pill, fexaramine, has shown promise with obese and diabetic mice and may soon be tested on humans. Because it stays in the gut and doesn’t get passed into the bloodstream, the researchers say, fexaramine may have fewer side effects than appetite suppression or other diet drugs — and may be an effective alternative to gastric bypass surgery for obese and diabetic patients. “This pill is like an imaginary meal,” said Ronald Evans, director of Salk’s Gene Expression Laboratory, who spearheaded the research. “It sends out the same signals that normally happen when you eat a lot of food, so the body starts clearing out space to store it. But there are no calories and no change in appetite.” Whoa.

Photo: iStock.com, PeopleImages.

Amy Reiter also contributes to FN Dish.

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Winter Mornings Call for Hot Breakfast!

Breakfast is the one meal you don’t want to skip. It’s the first opportunity you have to take in good-for-you nutrients. A cold bowl of cereal, or some berries and yogurt may be fine in summer, but once winter’s chill is in the air, you may want something hot to shake off the cold. Cozy up to these healthy, bone-warming breakfasts, each with fewer than 400 calories.

“Hot Chocolate” Banana-Nut Oatmeal

Wake up with a warm bowl of oatmeal mixed with bananas and chocolate. Sound unhealthy? It’s all about portions. With only two tablespoons each of chocolate chips and unsweetened cocoa powder, it’s calorie-controlled deliciousness at its best!

Spinach and Feta Frittata

Add greens with a boatload of folate to your morning with this Food Network Kitchen frittata.

Gluten-Free Honey-Nuts-‘n’-Oats Pancakes

Rice, tapioca, almond and millet flours make up the gluten-free blend in this breakfast favorite. Rolled oats and almonds add fiber for a breakfast that satisfies (pictured at top).

English Muffin Breakfast Pizza

You can enjoy pizza with Canadian bacon for breakfast – what a way to start your morning and take in four food groups!

Healthy Breakfast Muffins

These whole-grain delights made with almond meal, flax seed, oat bran and spelt flour contain 6 whopping grams of fiber each. Make a double batch and store some in the freezer for later.

Toby Amidor, MS, RD, CDN, is a registered dietitian and consultant who specializes in food safety and culinary nutrition. She is the author of The Greek Yogurt Kitchen: More Than 130 Delicious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Day.

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6 Reasons We Love White House Chef Sam Kass

At the end of this month, Sam Kass — White House chef, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor for Nutrition Policy — will step down. Thirty-four and recently married, Kass, who has played a pivotal role in first lady Michelle Obama’s efforts to encourage healthy eating and reduce childhood obesity, said that, while he loves the first family (they attended his wedding in August) and remains a staunch supporter of their work and mission, he is ready to join his wife, TV journalist Alex Wagner, in New York. “I have to put our future first,” Kass, who started as the Obamas’ personal chef in 2005, when the president was but a lowly freshman senator, told the Wall Street Journal.

A Chicago native and college athlete, Kass played baseball for the University of Chicago and graduated with a degree in U.S. History. He worked at 312 and Avec in Chicago and was trained as a chef by one of Austria’s greatest chefs, Chef Christian Domschitz in Vienna. If his past is any indication, Kass’ future will be filled with impressive accomplishments. Here are six things, in addition to cooking for the first family five nights a week, that Kass accomplished during his six years in the White House:

1. As a guiding force behind the first lady’s “Let’s Move” fitness initiative, he helped to shape and work toward its goals: giving kids a healthy start and parents the information to help them make healthy choices, improving food in schools and access to healthy, affordable foods, and encouraging kids to be active.

2. He was, according to the White House, the first to hold the post of senior policy adviser on nutrition.

3. He helped the first lady plant a Kitchen Garden on the White House’s South Lawn, growing organic seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs — including some that were grown in Thomas Jefferson’s garden at Monticello. The garden, which was planted in 2009, can be toured by community organizations and school groups interested in gardening and healthy eating, and has inspired many schools and organizations to plant healthy gardens of their own. To date, the garden has yielded thousands of pounds of produce that has been used to feed event guests, staff and the First Family at the White House, with further harvests donated to local food shelters.

4. He supervised the installation of a beehive — a White House first — on the South Lawn, to pollinate the Kitchen Garden, as well as other plants and flowers around D.C. The colony’s estimated 70,000 (or more) bees also provide honey used in the White House kitchen.

5. He worked with President Obama to homebrew White House Honey Brown Ale and Honey Porter, using, yes, honey from the South Lawn’s hive. “As far as we know the White House Honey Brown Ale is the first alcohol brewed or distilled on the White House grounds,” Kass wrote in a blog post on the official White House website in 2012. “George Washington brewed beer and distilled whiskey at Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson made wine but there’s no evidence that any beer has been brewed in the White House. (Although we do know there was some drinking during prohibition…)”

6. He has helped to promote a widespread embrace of healthier food options — in stores and in schools — and to address the way food is marketed to kids. The New York Times has credited Kass with helping “popularize a way of eating embraced by moneyed urban foodies. Just as the first lady’s fashion choices and toned biceps permeate the consciousness of the country, Mrs. Obama and Mr. Kass have taken organic gardening and the whole-wheat-ification of grilled cheese sandwiches mainstream.”

Kass, who will continue to work on healthy-eating issues as he moves into the private sector, “has left an indelible mark on the White House,” President Obama told the Washington Post. “And with the work he has done to inspire families and children across this country to lead healthier lives, Sam has made a real difference for our next generation.”

Amy Reiter also contributes to FN Dish.

Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Kent Weakley

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Smoothie of the Month: Kale, Avocado and Flax

If you’ve been following my smoothie posts over the last year, you may have realized that I’m not a fan of the typical green smoothie. Don’t get me wrong — I adore dark leafy greens but prefer them enjoyed in savory ways, not blended with sweet fruits and ice.

Since January is a good time to get people enthused about eating more greens, I thought I’d share my version of the much-loved green smoothie. Instead of adding banana to create a smooth texture, I used avocado, and added a dash of lime and salt to place it firmly in the savory camp. With the addition of omega-rich flax oil and the healthy fats from avocado, this is a smoothie you can feel really good about drinking as a meal replacement or healthy snack.

Wishing you all a green and healthy 2015!

Green Smoothie with Flax and Avocado

If you’re not using a powerful upright blender, stick to spinach, as kale is quite hardy and won’t blend up as smooth. If Persian cucumbers are not available, substitute English cucumbers for them. For a frosty drink, add a large handful of ice.

Serves 2

1/2 ripe avocado, pitted and peeled

2 small Persian cucumbers, diced (3/4 cup)

1 cup spinach leaves or kale, torn into bite-size pieces

2 tablespoons cold-pressed flax oil

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup plain unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch sea salt, plus more to taste

Add all ingredients to an upright blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with sea salt and serve immediately.

Photo: Stephen Johnson

Amy Chaplin is a chef and recipe developer in New York City. Her cookbook At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen is available this fall. She blogs at amychaplin.com.

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Get Happy! Instantly Perk Up Your Attitude with These 5 Foods

January can be a cruel month. There’s the post-holiday lull, the pressure of those resolutions and the long cold winter ahead. Need a mood boost? These five foods will take you from down to downright happy even before they hit your palate. Reclaim your feel-good chemistry by feeding your brain some mood-enhancing minerals, energy-balancing nutrients and essential healthy fats. You’ll reap the rewards in no time.

1. WATER

Eat your good ol’ H2O — an easily overlooked mood shifter that’ll keep your body functioning at its optimum level. Even slight dehydration can alter your energy level and attitude. Water helps convert food into energy, which releases happy hormones. And the more energy you have, the better your mood. Plus, it’s easy to get your fill: Load up on water-packed veggies and fruits like cucumbers, tomatoes or strawberries — or just drink water straight up.

2. DARK CHOCOLATE

Even before rich, dark chocolate hits your palate, the anticipation of eating it sends a message to your brain — enough to trigger the release of serotonin, which balances your mood. Chocolate can also give you mental clarity, thanks to energy-efficient magnesium, a mineral that delivers an immediately improved state of mind, by helping to convert protein, carbs and fat into energy. Want the biggest positive effect? Let chocolate melt in your mouth.

3. WALNUTS

Protein-rich walnuts are packed with omega-3s — essential fatty acids that contribute to brain health by delivering serotonin and dopamine, both happy hormones for mind and mood. Plus, the protein helps stabilize your blood sugar levels, which can fluctuate from high to low throughout the day, wreaking havoc on your overall temperament.

4. AVOCADO

Texturally, this creamy fruit delivers a sumptuous feeling on your palate. Nutritionally, avocados contain B12 and folic acid, two powerhouse nutrients that are known mood lifters. Potassium-rich avocados also help lower blood pressure, and their high monounsaturated-fat content helps carry nutrients to build your body’s cells.

5. GREEK YOGURT

Have you had your daily dose of probiotics? These good bacteria that naturally thrive in your gut enhance not only your digestion and immune systems, but your happiness level, too. Beyond building strong bones, calcium contributes by regulating your hormone levels, enhancing your mood.

Silvana Nardone is the author of the Silvana’s Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Kitchen: Timeless Favorites Transformed.

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This Week’s Nutrition News Feed

In this week’s news: Fast food may make grades sink fast; there’s new evidence that resveratrol in red wine may carry ancient benefits; kids diet for the darnedest reasons (i.e., the best!).

Fast food flunks out

Could feeding your kids fast food put them on the fast track to lower grades? A nationwide study published in the journal Clinical Pediatrics found that fifth graders who frequently consumed fast food had lower test-score gains in reading, math and science by eighth grade. The link held true even after the researchers controlled for other factors, including how much the kids exercised and watched TV, what other foods were in their diets, the socioeconomic status of their family, and what their school and neighborhood were like. Although the study did not determine causality, the authors suggest the link may have to do with a lack of nutrients, like iron, that boost cognitive development and with high amounts of fat and sugar, which may affect memory and learning, noting that the results “suggest [children’s] fast-food consumption should be limited as much as possible.”

Red, red wine, feel so fine?

Now that you’ve toasted the new year with champagne, it may be time to break out the red wine. Resveratrol, an antioxidant in the skins of dark grapes and in wine made from those grapes, has been found to activate an ancient stress-response mechanism in human cells that offers protection against DNA damage, according to researchers at the Scripps Research Institute. What’s more, the researchers note, the level of resveratrol needed to activate the stress response may be much lower than was previously believed. The new research may help explain the “French Paradox” (i.e., the low rate of cardiovascular disease in France, where diets high in saturated fats are common). “Based on these results, it is conceivable that moderate consumption of a couple glasses of red wine (rich in resveratrol) would give a person enough resveratrol to evoke a protective effect via this pathway,” study author Mathew Sajish said. Who’s up for a refill?

Take a cue from the kids

Teens today — it looks like we can actually learn a thing or two from them, even when it comes to diet and weight loss. An in-depth study of teens who had been obese or overweight and then lost weight and kept it off found that they’d been motivated to shape up for their own good — to be healthier and to feel better — rather than to please their parents or peers. “Our findings suggest that teens have motivations that are more intrinsic,” study author Chad Jensen, a psychologist at Brigham Young University, said. “One implication is that parents should help to focus their teen on healthy behaviors for the sake of being healthy more than for social acceptance.” Support during major life transitions, an emphasis on healthy food options and a commitment to making slow, steady progress during long-term goals are also key, Jensen said.

Amy Reiter also contributes to FN Dish.

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