Toddler Cafe: An Interview & Giveaway

We recently had the opportunity to sit down with The Toddler Cafe cookbook author, Jennifer Carden.  She shared with us some great tips for getting your toddler to eat a variety of foods, dealing with some of those opinion-filled, no moments at the table, as well as a recipe for some Toddler Truffles.  To win your own copy of the cookbook, just leave us a comment about your child’s favorite food.

What made you decide to write a cookbook specifically for the toddler?

My husband and I decided on our honeymoon that we wanted to make books. He is a photographer and I was working as a chef and food stylist at the time. That was seven years ago. Our opportunity and idea came when we had our daughter, it seemed like the perfect project for us to explore feeding our child and helping other people to get creative with kids food.

You mention that from ages 2-5 kids go from having “no opinions to having lots of opinions,” what is a parent to do to handle this phase, especially when it comes to finicky palettes?

My philosophy is not to give a lot of attention to the “picky” eater. Always serve what you want them to eat, every night, even if they won’t touch it. Serve a tiny amount, maybe one carrot stick, one cherry tomato, and one small piece of crisp lettuce. Overwhelming them will put a negative spin on the meal from the start. Then after maybe a month of seeing the same food over and over ask them to taste it. Make up a funny story or game about the food. Engage them in the story and they may surprise you.

In today’s rush, rush society, how can families find the time to eat together and interact over meals?

I know it is hard, we all have crazy schedules and time is limited, but it is so important to try to spend time together. Just start with one night of eating together. Start a tradition like talking about your favorite event of the day. Try to eat together, your kids will eat better and be engaged in the process. Make it

You say “This quick and dirty approach, with an emphasis on “dirty,” will help you set up your kids’ positive relationship with food for life.” When is a good time to start cooking with kids?

Your child can be in the kitchen from day one, just getting used to the smells of food cooking is a great way to get them used to food. When my daughter was small I put her in the sling or on my back and, chopped, and stirred with her right there. 2 is a perfect age to start hands on with the kids. Let them add dry ingredients, stir and most importantly, taste!

What advice do you have for handling the power struggles that inevitably take place with toddlers over food? What about when they get stuck in a food rut and only want to eat chicken nuggets or peanut butter or whatever they’ve decided upon?

• When a power struggle arises don’t back down, you are the boss.
• Give your child choices, but limit them. If they will only eat chicken nuggets then give them 2 choices before the nuggets. Something like this, choose 3 bites of fish or 3 bites of beans and then you can have the chicken nuggets. Always try to get the healthful food in first. This will expand their tastes and give them the power of choice.

You suggest that as a parent that you give a “positive response to ANY food you try, even if you don’t love it.” Why is this necessary?

Your experience does not have to be your child’s experience. Your tastes are formed from your childhood and learning from your parents, why limit your kid’s palate just because you hate mustard? (OK, I hate mustard, see what happened to me!) Let them decide what they like and don’t like.

Often times, as a parent, we like to offer our kids choices. You suggest that we “don’t make a habit of asking your child what she wants for dinner; doing so is setting a trap for yourself.” Can you elaborate on this?

Asking your child to make that decision is much more difficult than we could know. Sometimes as adults we don’t even know what we want for dinner. A child will usually chose what they know, so the are likely to choose a familiar dish. By you choosing for them you are in the driver seat. Offer them one familiar item and a new one too.

What are some suggestions for parents to “set the stage” for mealtimes? Should mealtimes follow a schedule, or would something more casual and fun work better?

A routine is best for mealtime, they will know what to expect and how they are expected to behave.

• Give fair warning before the meal so they can prepare to stop playing.
• Have them participate by setting the table or helping plate the food.
• Have conversation or “play” during dinner creatively interact with your kids, engage them, even in clean up.
• Eat at the table.
• A casual dinner once or twice a week is fun too, just explain the difference to them. Give clear boundaries about what is expected from them but make it fun.

Are there any tips or quick and easy recipes you’d care to share with our readers?

One great tip I love is from Stephanie Catt the winner, of our Chronicle Books and Boon Tips and Tricks Contest, The “Eat something” game. If they have potatoes, say, “Eat something that grows in the ground.” Then it’s a race to be the first one to eat the right answer. Mostly, they’re easy riddles, like eat something that’s green, or round, or barks (hot dogs). Now, they like to take turns coming up with their own riddles. It’s fun and takes the stress out of dinnertime.

Another tip that is fun is to wrap up new food items, in parchment or wax paper and place it on the plate as a surprise for them to open.

Here is one of my favorite recipes, beans are a vegetable and have more fiber than any other vegetable, they are the vegetable with more!!

Toddler Truffles

These look like chocolate but they are made of beans! This is like a version of a Chinese sweet bean dessert, but this one’s made from ingredients you might have on hand. If you want to get crafty, you can always substitute authentic Japanese adzuki beans, which come canned. This recipe is very forgiving—you can really go to town, making it taste different every time. This semisweet creation bakes like a cake and scoops into balls. It is so moist and delicious and is packed with fiber. Rest your creative juices; they will need no help eating this.

Makes about 24 balls

One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
1/2 stick (2 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt
2 eggs
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spray or butter an 8 by 8-inch pan; set aside.

In a large, deep bowl, combine the beans, sugars, nuts, butter, baking powder, and salt. Using a stick blender or food processor, start to work the ingredients around. When they are fully blended, add the eggs and blend to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until firm and the edges get slightly crisp. Cool and cut into small cubes or take a spoonful and roll into small balls in your palms. Dust with powdered sugar.

Store covered, up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Variations:

• Substitute white beans, pintos, or adzuki beans. They can be found in the ethnic aisle of your store. The texture and color may change, but the idea stays the same—a cake made of beans!
• Add a tablespoon of orange zest, try different kinds of chopped nuts, or add dried currants after blending for a chunkier texture.

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment with comment with your child’s favorite food. No purchase is necessary. One comment per person, please.
2. You must supply us with a valid email address.
3. The contest starts now and entries must be date stamped by our server no later than Sunday, June 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time to be eligible.
4. The winner will be selected during a random drawing using random.org and will be notified via e-mail to receive the prize.
5. No prize substitutions.
6. You must be 18 years old or older to enter and a resident of the USA.
7. No purchase necessary.
8. Void where prohibited.