Mother Knows Best

Just out of curiosity, we called a few cooking moms-in-the-know to see what advice they had to offer about kids and vegetables. Here's what they told us:

• Kathy Gunst, author of The Parenting Cookbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Cooking, Eating, and Entertaining for Today's Families (Henry Holt, 1996): "Roasting is a great way to prepare vegetables for kids, because it intensifies the natural sweetness. My kids wouldn't touch boiled beets, pickled beets, any beets. But they love them roasted. It's simple and quick and not very messy. I also make a lot of pancakes with grated vegetables."
• Marialisa Calta, syndicated food columnist: "My kids love those baby carrots you can buy in bags at the supermarket; they're great for parties and car trips. Some kids I know love grilled veggies because they're part of the fun of grilling. If your child doesn't like something once, don't assume he'll never like it. Try again at some point. And don't sweat it if your children don't eat vegetables. That's why they make fortified breakfast cereals."
• Nina Simonds, author of Classic Chinese Cuisine (Chapters Publishing Ltd., 1996) and China Express (William Morrow & Co., 1993): "My son doesn't like many vegetables at all. So I try to build on the things he does like. He loves potatoes, so I make him potato pancakes and I put other vegetables in them. He likes crispy things, too. I make a spinach pie with filo dough and feta cheese that he loves. A parent has to set some guidelines where food is concerned, but you can't make too big an issue of it or you're dead."
• Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 1977; revised 1992): "My kids love broccoli stir-fried with a mild peanut sauce; also, very sweet bell peppers just served raw, in strips. Take your kids to the market, ideally a farmer's market, and let them taste and choose. Be patient if their repertoire seems limited; it will grow. Speaking of growing, try raising a few things in a garden. If kids get a chance to grow and pick their own green beans, sugar snap peas, or zucchini, they will feel connected to the food."