Kids Cuisine

I ran into Charlotte Hume the same way that I have met many amazing people, our mutual blogs. One visit to her site, The Great Big Vegetable Challenge, and I was in love with her tenacity and humor and her approach to getting her picky son to eat vegetables.

Indeed, the whole project began over a few peas rejected by her seven-year-old veggiphobe Freddie. Now, nearly a year later, the project is going to be published as a cookbook upon completion, and Freddie has a whole new outlook on eating. I caught up with her to do a “cross-Atlantic” interview by email.

You recently passed a “vegetable milestone” with peas since your son’s refusal to eat them started you down this path. What are the first thoughts that come to mind when you look back on this past year?

My first thought, looking back on the past year, is how much fun we have had as a family. What started as a rather desperate plea for help with a fussy eater has become a relaxing, involving activity for all of us. I have learnt so much about how you can create change in children who are scared of eating vegetables. And the person who has changed most is not Freddie, but me!

What is the most unexpected and pleasant surprise from this experience?

I hadn’t realised how rapidly Freddie would start to explore and taste vegetables. We have both loved making friends with people around the world, via the blog, all through vegetables. Who would have thought it? We have all been surprised how much we enjoy some of the weird and wonderful vegetables out there - the eddoe, edamame, artichokes, even dandelion leaves - these are just some of the veggies we have tasted and have now become firm favourites. I was the kind of parent who would offer, in rotation, broccoli, peas and carrots which Freddie would reject in rotation. So the surprise is if you leave your comfort zone and try new things, you will be rewarded.

As a mom of a picky eater, what advice and lessons can you share with other parents about getting past “picky?”

Every picky eater has different reasons for being scared of trying new things and each family has to find the best way for them. But the simplest piece of advice I can give is that you have to help a child to learn to explore food before they can learn to eat and taste. For us, for Freddie, this meant going to markets together, chosing vegetables together, visiting farms, talking to farmers about how they produce the food we eat, and tasting as many new things as possible. We try at least 3 recipes for each vegetable so that Freddie can see that even though he doesn’t maybe like peas boiled and served plain, he does like them as pea pesto or in a creamy pea soup. We also hold tasting sessions, trying different varieties of vegetables. Eating through the alphabet of vegetables might seem a bit extreme, but it gave us a momentum which helped him to feel safer and happier with trying new things. So if he came across a vegetable he really didnt like he knew we would in a short time be moving on to something new. Maybe parents could try eating through the letters in their child’s name instead of the alphabet, which I admit is a longer journey to take! And lastly letting them score what they like and don’t like gives them more of a sense of being in control. Freddie likes being the judge and jury — and I don’t take it personally now when he dislikes a recipe.

How have your children’s attitudes changed during this experience?

Definitely. Alex, my 11-year-old daughter, has always been a great eater, willing to try new tastes and enjoying mealtime. The Great Big Veg Challenge has made her even more adventurous, and she is very involved with the cooking. She is happy because mealtime has become far more interesting and delicious.

Freddie’s attitude is utterly different. He no longer sees himself as a vegetable-hater. He is able now to go out to meals with friends at restaurants and enjoy what is on offer. He is relaxed at mealtimes, sees the Great Big Veg Challenge as something to enjoy and something to be proud of.

What are your most favorite recipes?

My favourite recipes are probably the simplest family meals. I love Edamame bean, ricotta and bacon pasta. Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic was delicious and great fun. Ripe plantains baked in lime and ginger were fabulous.

What are your children’s most favorite recipes?

Well I would be lying if I didn’t say that they adore the Chocolate and Beetroot Cake! But on a more healthy note, Freddie has many favourites: edamame bean soup, pea pesto, spinach fritters, zucchini quesadillas, sweet potato calzone, and globe artichoke pizza, to name but a few.

Alexandra loves the Pumpkin Soup that we made, Dandelion Tart, Turnip Fries, Slow Cooked Green Beans, and Kale Chips.

I understand your project will be published as a book. When and where can we find a copy?

Yes, we are so excited about this. A book of the Great Big Vegetable Challenge will be out next July, published by Random House UK. I hope it will be available online on Amazon and in all good bookshops!

Be sure to look for that Kale Chip recipe, which ended up being included in the project! I had left it as a comment and thus, “met” the author by email. It’s been wonderful to hear from Charlotte and watch the creative recipes and projects on her site. I wish her the very best and look forward to the book!