Monday, July 21, 2008

How to Get a Six Year Old to Eat Pesto without Complaining

To a six-year-old boy, pesto looks like something someone threw up. It's bright green with darker specks. So how do you get a six-year-old to eat it? Here are the steps you need to take.
  • Start about three and a half months before you plan on getting him to eat it by having him help plant the seeds for the basil and parsley that will be used in the pesto.
  • Have him water the seedlings and check on them every day.
  • Let the boy help shovel loads of compost into trash cans from the local department of public works to bring home to dump in your garden.
  • Have him help transplant the basil and parsley into the garden.
  • Check on the plants and water them with him every day.
  • Three and a half months later, let him rip basil and parsley right off the plants.
  • Let him cut up his knuckles while grating the parmesan cheese to go in the pesto.
  • Have him smell each ingredient before it goes in the food processor.
  • Let him turn the food processor on and off many times.
  • Cook his favorite pasta.
  • Put pesto on his favorite pasta.
  • Watch him eat without hesitation "his" pesto.
  • Smile when he's surprised he likes it.
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2 comments:

Allison said...

I like that post. The more hands on and part of the process the kids are, the more likely they will eat it. It works for my 7 year old daughter. But how do you get a 9 year old boy to eat it? At that age they can't be tricked as easily. I guess I will just wait til he gets old enough to care about his health, about 20 more years, hopefully. I guess his wife will worry then. Ha Ha.

Robin Shreeves said...

My (almost) 9 year old isn't as into it all as my 6 year old is. We did most of the garden planning and planting while he was in school (my younger son had afternoon kindergarten). The 6 year old is also my little chef - he's very interested in helping in the kitchen.