The Parental Influence on Food Choices
Now that I’m feeding my daughter all normal human foods, it’s really made me stop and think about what I’m eating—and not eating. I’m not at all a picky eater. I don’t nitpick what goes on a pizza or pick around foods when eating something with a lot of ingredients like a soup or casserole. But I also don’t branch out a lot from my comfort foods. I definitely don’t experiment as much as I should.
I didn’t realize how much food I didn’t particularly like until I realized what food items I wasn’t giving my daughter. I started thinking about foods I never had growing up that I love now. Brussels sprouts? Weirdly obsessed with them. Sweet potatoes? Delicious. Tofu? Yum.
So I decided not to skip giving my daughter foods that I don’t like. Peas? We’re always stocked with the frozen variety. They’re one of her faves. Lima beans? Never eat them, but I’ll have my daughter try them. Cooked carrots? Not a fan, but she can give them a shot. Now I’m just hoping she’ll learn to love Brussels sprouts, so I’m not the lone ranger in the fam who likes them…
Did your parents’ food dislikes influence you trying different foods? What do you eat now that you never ate as a kid? —Erin