In this DASH Magazine feature, Melissa discuses how she learned to bridge the gap between “kid food” and “adult food” and serve one meal the whole family can eat together. She tries to get rid of the barrier by meeting her daughters where they are, not just where she wants them to be. By getting her daughters to accept her into their world, Melissa is able to guide them slowly into hers. She shares some of her most helpful strategies to make a meal that is both kid- and parent-friendly, including her secret weapon: a toppings bar with nutritional options to accompany a kid’s classic like mac and cheese.
Here is an except from the story.
“At a birthday party a couple of years ago, my daughter Charlotte offered me a bite of a sugary, overfrosted cupcake—classic kid food. When I declined (did I grimace?), she asked, ‘Mommy, why do you ask us to try foods you like, but you won’t try what we like?’ This was an entirely fair question. I believe in making one meal the whole family can eat together, and I often encourage my four girls to try unfamiliar dishes (“You might love spinach salad!”). But I’d been so busy coaxing my kids over the bridge to my world that I was ignoring theirs.”
And here is the recipe for Melissa’s Family-Friendly Mac and Cheese with Toppings Bar.
Click here to check out all Melissa’s stories in DASH.
