Bridie Sellers' Food Revolution

IT'S HAPPENED

I've always been a fairly healthy eater, but in the last couple years, I've been educating myself more and more on the matter. When Gavin was a toddler, I considered boxed mac & cheese healthy if I added some peas and corn to it. Now I rarely will serve the kids anything from a box (it happens.....maybe once every three months) and choose to make my own from scratch versions of the processed foods they like.

Sam has always been a good eater and accepting of my crazy creations. Gavin, not so much. A year or so ago, I began fighting the battle with him, tired of making him separate meals all the time. And besides that, he needs to learn to make healthy food choices. Isn't that one of the best gifts I can give him as a parent?

A couple weeks ago I made him take two bites of my salad.

Then last week I asked him what he wanted for dinner. I was making Tuscan Bread Salad, and I figured there was no way I was getting him to eat a salad for dinner. He said "peanut butter sandwich....wait - what are you eating for dinner?" When I told him he said "I want salad for dinner too".

After I picked my jaw up off the ground I said "really....you like salad?"

"I liked the salad you made me eat the other night."

So he ate salad for dinner. He didn't like the cannellini beans very much, "but I'll eat them anyway."

Saturday night he ASKED for salad for dinner again. I was making pasta with zucchini and mushrooms. I offered him just plain pasta with sauce. He asked for salad. So he ate his salad, and later I was feeding Sam some of the pasta. Gavin decided he was still hungry and came and ate some of the pasta as well.

You know...pasta with zucchini, portabello mushrooms, onions, and sundried tomatoes. No big deal. Ate it without complaint or commentary.

Last night I was making pork chops and veggies. He asked if we were having salad. Not tonight. "Any time you're going to make salad, tell me ok?"

Umm.....I know this is a family blog and all but can I just say "Hell to the YEAH!"

And he ate all the green beans and carrots on his plate without complaint.

So it's happened. The food revolution. In my house. My boy is eating healthy, nutritious meals. Without a fight.

My heart is so glad.