Different people look at this picture and they see different things. Quite literally, the picture is of a plate with a serving of chicken parmesan. I look at it and see a mouth-watering dinner option. The Fireman and Thing1 feel the same way. My friend over at Dragonflies@Dawn looks at it and probably sees a trip to the ER for too many allergic reactions to list. (Although she probably also sees the chance to share a healthier, gluten/soy/etc-free version in the comments section below, which is better for everyone. Hint-hint. Not that I'm hinting or anything.)
However, Thing2 looks at the picture and thinks, "OMG WHY THE FRUIT IS THEIR FOOD TOUCHING?!" I know this because when I showed him the picture, he vocalized his thoughts using just about that same phrasing. Then he launched into a monologue that declared his dislike for the meal, the directive that if that's what I'm fixing then he's eating something else, and a lengthy explanation about why some foods should not ever touch. Apparently it messes with the universe or something.
Little does he know, he's been eating chicken parmesan for ages. I just fix his plate a little differently. Here's how to fix a picky kids' version of one of my family's favorite meals.
- Fix spaghetti noodles like normal but replace red sauce (or if you're Italian, the gravy) with cheese sauce. Call it "long macaroni and cheese" if they balk about the noodle shape.
- Instead of chicken breast, use chicken nuggets and serve them on the side.
- Whereas you'd normally melt cheese over the chicken, try serving up some mozzarella sticks instead.
And there you go. While your picky eater's plate may not look like everybody else's (which is half the fun in being a picky eater in the first place) at least he or she is getting all the same foods so you don't have to feel like your family is eating several different meals during the same mealtime session.
What are some ways you get around picky eaters? I'd love to hear all about them in the comments section!
Becky
I have a picky eater. It stems from autism, so let's say he's neurotic and picky. Food can touch, that's not the issue, but textures are. So spaghetti sauce is good, but if it has chunks in it, even of tomatoes, he won't eat it. There is no logic to this, the kid is addicted to ketchup, but will not in any form eat a tomato. He insists it's different. (what he doesn't know is that I secretly blend up a lot of veggies and put it in his food anyway. The jerk, he'll eat his veggies one way or another, but I digress...)
ReplyDeleteHealthy GF/SF vegan version of chicken parm.
We use a quinoa noodle in our house. It tastes more like a whole wheat one and unlike rice noodles doesn't stick to itself, the pan, the water and generally end up a gooey mess.
I started canning my own gravy this year, so if you're not that committed, no problem, just double check your jar of sauce at the store. And double check it every time, formulas are routinely adjusted to account for materials on hand, and with the drought this year much more has soy/soy oil filler in it.
As to the protein source, the noodles have some (go quinoa go!) but roasted veg will have some as well. The combination of the two will net you the same or more as the chicken.
Roast yourself a handful or two of cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus and zucchini (per person).
Now you have noodles, sauce and a protein source, you just need to decide if you're mixing the veg in or not. If you'd miss the dusting of cheese, get some nutritional yeast. It smells slightly funky (but so does parmesan)and you can sprinkle it over your noms.