Changing Tastes

I used to listen while nutritionists and other medical people would say - "Tastes change. you need to keep trying to feed your children new foods." Well, after too many dinners where my children gagged on vegetables they didn't like, I was done. No more trying to make them eat it. When I wanted something besides peas, corn, green beans, or broccoli, I made two vegetables one for my husband and I and one for the kids.
I am not sure when or who started passing both vegetables around the table. At first the bowl of different vegetables just passed everyone by. then one day, one of the children took some - to which my husband and I both were shorted. The real shock was when they asked for seconds of our vegetable! So we started making a little bit more to accommodate the one or two who would eat with us. This went on for about a year.
The other night we made spinach a sure fire make the kids gag vegetable. I remembered that the last time we had it Mac decided he liked it and was disappointed when there wasn't enough for him to have seconds. I also remembered that Mary Kate like it. So we made what we thought would be enough for the four us us, but then discovered that my other daughter, Shannon, enjoyed spinach too. I distinctly remember her gag reflex working very well with spinach when she was forced to try it about eight years ago. I was surprised to discover that she now liked it very much!
There are still a few vegetables that not everyone likes - brussel sprouts, and lima beans come to mind. Who knows how long that will last? I have some confidence that it will be longer than the spinach.
For those of you out there who despair of ever having your children eat more than beans, corn, and peas, remember the best way to get them to try something else is to continue to eat it and enjoy it in front of them.

Take care and happy cooking!