During the food diversification, most babies throw themselves with pleasure on their vegetable puree, in front of parents almost astonished. However, growing up, baby will very quickly prefer pasta (and all starchy foods) to vegetables...
“It is a normal phase intended, in nature, to protect the young of humans, explains Dr. Florence Solsona, nutritionist, in Vegetable Desserts, by Noémie Strouk (to be published on January 27 by Editions Larousse). Indeed, there is often a background of bitterness in the flavor of vegetables and most toxic vegetables are bitter. So if there was a natural craving for bitterness, it might drive children towards unsafe foods. Moreover, since the arrival of Man on this earth, the periods of scarcity have been infinitely more numerous than the periods of abundance that we know for example in the industrialized countries today. Also, the preference that children show for energy foods such as starches allows them to favor what will nourish them the most and therefore allow them to survive. »
We start by putting it on the menu every day, even and especially if they don't eat it. And of course we eat it in front of them! Vegetables are thus placed in the same category as coffee or mustard:foods that children do not like but that they will gradually associate with being older and that they will gradually consume. to be like us. It's simple, but it works!
To help them get rid of their negative preconceptions about vegetables, we can also play on the presentation of the plates (by taking inspiration, for example, from the gourmet and artistic creations of Ida Skivenes). Or serve them vegetables…for dessert! "Healthier desserts with new flavors" is indeed the (successful) bet of the 50 recipes for cakes, muffins, biscuits or ice cream based on fresh or dried vegetables (beetroot, zucchini, sweet potato, red beans, pumpkin…) presented in the book Vegetable desserts. Something to make children want to eat them and make us want to cook them differently. Five fruits and vegetables a day? Easy!
Find in the BIBA magazine dated March, on sale at the beginning of February, 4 amazing recipes for vegetable desserts.
