My kid's intro to brussels sprouts

MaryMorph · #1 10-29-2009, 08:08 PM

I fed my 4 y/o son brussels sprouts for the first time today. Nate managed to get down the 2 "No thank you" bites that I required, although it was a bit of a struggle for him.

When he was done, he rather sweetly said, "Mommy, I know it's not polite to say, "This su*ks", but if I say it into my arm so you can't hear it, is it OK?"

I guess they weren't a hit.

I thought they were delicious.

mary jo

KristiB · #2 10-29-2009, 08:11 PM

I didn't like them till I was 40 years old. I think because mom used to boil them.

But then I tried them roasted and have been hooked ever since.

Mom was shocked when she saw them on my blog.

JackieO · #3 10-29-2009, 08:33 PM

My husband and I have always liked BS in moderation, and we have converted many family members and friends over the years by shredding and sauteeing them with a little bacon, then adding nuts, bleu cheese, Dijon mustard or even dressing them with balsamic vinegar.

Boiled or steamed BS with no "treatment" is a brutal way to introduce the veg, IMHO.

oct2189 · #4 10-29-2009, 08:58 PM

If it makes you feel any better, my 46 year old husband has pretty much the same response to any veg I try to give him. Even if I cook it w/ bacon.

DeeK · #5 10-29-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oct2189

If it makes you feel any better, my 46 year old husband has pretty much the same response to any veg I try to give him. Even if I cook it w/ bacon.

Maybe cheese? Everything's better with cheese

, well at least according to my son.

lantana · #6 10-29-2009, 09:11 PM

Maybe he is a "super taster" who can easily detect bitterness in vegetables?

oct2189 · #7 10-29-2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeK

Maybe cheese? Everything's better with cheese

, well at least according to my son.

You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no, he's unswayable. Maybe he is a supertaster. <sigh>
I've made myself a meal of vegetables and had him look at me very sadly and say "aww sweetie, did you lose a bet?"

oct2189 · #8 10-29-2009, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryMorph

I fed my 4 y/o son brussels sprouts for the first time today. Nate managed to get down the 2 "No thank you" bites that I required, although it was a bit of a struggle for him.

When he was done, he rather sweetly said, "Mommy, I know it's not polite to say, "This su*ks", but if I say it into my arm so you can't hear it, is it OK?"

I guess they weren't a hit.

I thought they were delicious.

mary jo

Mary Jo, props to you for having the "2 bite" rule and being attentive to it! I think that DH problem came from his ability to skillfully hide his veggies in his dinner naokin

. He never developed a taste for them.

MaryMorph · #9 10-29-2009, 09:46 PM

I roasted them with a little s/p and olive oil, then made the balsamic browned butter sauce from that yummy CL asparagus recipe. He's usually great with his veggies and I've got a pretty tough hide so I'm not going to take it personally.

I loved them as a kid. I always had fun peeling apart the many layers!

mary jo

mkc · #10 10-29-2009, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lantana

Maybe he is a "super taster" who can easily detect bitterness in vegetables?

My husband is. As a broccoli and cauliflower and asparagus fan, it's frustrating.

Canice · #11 10-30-2009, 02:37 AM

First off, that's just plain funny! Ah, the tension between knowing what is incorrect to say and the overwhelming need to say it

Quote:

Originally Posted by KristiB

I didn't like them till I was 40 years old. I think because mom used to boil them.

But then I tried them roasted and have been hooked ever since.

Mom was shocked when she saw them on my blog.

Yup, I was 40-whenever-Mollie-Katzen-made-hers-on-NPR before I liked them. Now I *love* them! But at home we also only had them boiled to mush...then topped with a knob of Fleishman's margarine. "Definitely NOT Good Eats". Funny thing is, I *wanted* to like them, only because, like so many kids, anything that was a mini version of anything was appealing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lantana

Maybe he is a "super taster" who can easily detect bitterness in vegetables?

I think 4 years old is a little young to attribute a distaste for cabbage as being a super taster. Yet once again, I was listening to someone on the radio talking about how in every culture on earth, young children are predisposed, for evolutionary purposes, to like sweet food and dislike bitter. In fact, I think it was Michael Pollan, on City Arts & Lecture, talking about the film adaptation of The Botany of Desire.

lantana · #12 10-30-2009, 05:51 AM

Sorry I got off track. I meant perhaps the 46 year old husband is a super taster.

Denise · #13 10-30-2009, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryMorph

When he was done, he rather sweetly said, "Mommy, I know it's not polite to say, "This su*ks", but if I say it into my arm so you can't hear it, is it OK?"
mary jo

This cracked me up! I can just picture him muttering into his arm about his veggies!

LakeMartinGal · #14 10-30-2009, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryMorph

I fed my 4 y/o son brussels sprouts for the first time today. Nate managed to get down the 2 "No thank you" bites that I required, although it was a bit of a struggle for him.

When he was done, he rather sweetly said, "Mommy, I know it's not polite to say, "This su*ks", but if I say it into my arm so you can't hear it, is it OK?"

I guess they weren't a hit.

I thought they were delicious.

mary jo

That is so cute! How did you keep from giggling?

zwieback · #15 10-30-2009, 08:38 AM

That is so funny. I didn't like brussel sprouts until about a month ago (I'm 35), or at least I didn't think I did (I don't think I've eaten them in well over 20-25 years). I was in the grocery store one day, walked past them and I just felt I needed to eat them. So, I bought some, brought them home and fried them in a pan with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Now, I can't get enough of them and crave them.

TieKitty · #16 10-30-2009, 10:18 AM

What a funny story! Even if I had a "2 Bite Rule", I still don't think I could have gotten my DSs to try them. But kudos to you for having him do it. It will probably make him more likely to try new things as he gets older.

I'm another one that didn't like them until I was over 40. Now I love them roasted.

Lauren · #17 10-30-2009, 04:55 PM

Yeah for Nate!!!

BS is a veg I never liked as a child, but have recently revisited. I sautéed them with EVOO, seasonings and a drizzle of balsamic. Yum! I can't wait to try them again.

HejazSunKat · #18 10-30-2009, 05:03 PM

Picturing an outraged 4 year old spitting a brussels sprout across the room and declaring loudly: "This sucks!" is pretty funny. I know I'm embroidering and he was much more polite than that but thanks for the giggle.

karen w · #19 10-30-2009, 05:23 PM

I guess my kids are "oddballs"

. . . well 2 out of 3 of them anyway. My 2 boys absolutely LOVE LOVE brussel sprouts and go out of their way to request them at this time of year. DD on the other hand is an entirely different story

. Last year DH had DS#2 with him at Costco and he saw the big bag they had there. DS#2 begged DH to buy them, so DH calls me on his cell to ask if he should. Although we really did not need veggies in the house at that time, how could I say "no" to a request like that! So DS#2 got his wish. I usually do them roasted with balsamic browned butter as well or else roasted on the stovetop or shredded and sauteed in a skillet. They like 'em any which way I make 'em!

Karen

Our Network of Sites