Kids Cuisine

What is comfort food? A cup of hot chocolate, perhaps. A soothing, chocolately, warm liquid running down my throat into my belly, with touches of whipped cream on top happily comingling with chocolate, as it should be… and that is just one drink that imbibes one with good feelings.

What are your comfort foods? I would reach for homemade macaroni, lasagna, maybe some chili, or just a pile of cheese with a bottle of red wine. I could find a content place with some olive oil and artisan bread, or a bowl full of hearty soup. Though your reach-for comfort foods might be different than mine, in the end it is all about warming up our tummies, injecting some semblance of peace into our souls, experiencing a pinch of relaxation, and/or the feeling of receiving a food-centric hug. At least for me–and my kiddos–comfort foods are all about feeling good.

My kids’ list of comfort foods are different than my own. I thought about what would make my fourth grader content, feeling good and warmed with familiarity via his food. What does he reach for time and again? What are his favorites that he has hand-selected to warm his taste buds, tickle his tummy and enlarge his heart?

Oh the list that came to mind: ketchup with hash browns, mustard with salami and cheese on a baguette, scrambled eggs, nutella on toast, [homemade] fruit smoothies, pears, bacon. Are comfort foods ever good for you? In his case we manage to balance these food loves with a lot of food likes—many of which are a slew of fruits, vegetables (roasted potatoes, lemon broccoli, carrots and apples), and the like.

I went out on a limb recently and offered him a chance to “taste test” ketchup. I am always looking for ways to cut out the bad (in this case too much ketchup) and replace it with good (in this case, too much organic or homemade ketchup). Yes, I made ketchup from scratch and bought organic ketchup for him to try next to the Heinz original. Sure, he tried all three. Wincing and moaning and curiously swapping one dab of ketchup for another. The end result? He decided to eat his hash browns with mustard—a choice that he knew would deliver feel-good with every bite.