Confession time... our kids are horrible vegetable eaters. They will will scarf down meat from anything that moo's and inhale anything starchy (with butter and cheese) but if it's green, orange or yellow, the battle is on. Yes, we have a fall and spring garden and stock the fridge with squash, cabbage, broccoli and green beans but that doesn't mean the kids are begging for veggies to be on the dinner table. Wes and I both realize that the kids need to be better at trying new foods and eating more vegetables so last night when I sauteed some green beans with diced Italian tomatoes (canned of course), everyone was required to eat at least 2 green beans. I spared them having to couple it with the tomato.
Austin decided to get the green beans out of the way early on. He ate the beans as fast as he could and then moved on to the sirlion and buttered potatoes. Avery & Caleb put it off as long as possible. Austin tried to be a cheerleader and told them they weren't "that bad" and with a little encouragment and water to drink it down, Avery chewed up the 2 beans. Caleb on the other wasn't as convinicng and I think he thought we'd let down our guard and let him leave the table without fulfilling the 2 bean requirement. As easy as that would have been, we stayed strong and the table was just about fully cleared before Caleb attempted to eat his first bean. He had tears in his eyes and stuffed it into his mouth and drank water. Then he did what I remember doing when my mom made me try spam patties (gross!)... he gagged it back up onto his plate.
Wes was so frustrated with him and his bean eating production by this time that he was order straight to bed. I admit I felt a bit sorry for him but I know that if we don't get the kids to try new things, they'll be the picky eaters that annoy the crap out of me. You know the ones that have the same menu anytime you are invited over and won't try anything found on a Chinese menu. It's something we'll continue to work on... and for my stomach's sake, I hope we don't have much more gagging.
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