to try new food--especially if they've been told it's healthful. One way to demystify a new dish is to get your kids involved in its creation--from making the shopping list to buying the ingredients to helping with the cooking. Here's how:
LET THE KIDS PLAY CHEF: Have younger ones tear lettuce or help stir, while older ones chop ingredients for stir-frys, salsas or stews.
LET THE KIDS HELP WITH SHOPPING: Each month, have your kids explore the produce aisle and pick out one new red (or orange or green or purple) item to try.
VISIT A LOCAL FARMERS' MARKET: My kids grew up in the city and never knew that carrots had tops or that zucchini had blossoms until they visited an outdoor market.
EXPLORE FOODS OF OTHER CULTURES: Celebrate holidays such as the Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo and Columbus Day by serving foods from related countries (in this case, China, Mexico and Italy).
AROUND THE WORLD IN BREAD
Trying new foods can be both nourishing and educational, as this activity demonstrates. Bread, a universal kid favorite, is a good first vehicle for introducing the idea of a varied diet. Try pita bread from the Middle East, lavash from Armenia and Lebanon, chapatis from India and East Africa, rye bread from Sweden, breadsticks from Italy and baguettes from France. You might even tack up a map and mark the countries whose bread your family has tasted. See how many become regulars on your dining table.
