Experimental Eating

As I started to become more serious about cooking, I wondered why humans tried some of the ingredients that they did.  Was it hunger?  Was it fortuitous?  I mean really, who in their right mind would follow a pig who is grubbing through the dirt for truffles and take something that smells that musky and pungent from that pig and put it in his mouth?  Well, now that I have been both a pediatrician and a mother I no longer wonder - we eat what we do because of toddlers.
What got me thinking about this, again, is the recent posting of a friend of mine on Facebook.  His child decided to eat not one, but SIX laxative strips.
Over the years, I'm not sure if I have had more phone calls from parents because their children have eaten something inappropriate or because they refuse to eat at all.  I have never been able to figure out why this is so. But I know that in the picture above the last thing thing most toddlers would eat is the broccoli.  (I think the first thing would be a toss-up between the pills and the rocks in the dirt, but that is not an experiment I will try.)
Can parents take advantage of their children's natural curiosity to put odd things in their mouths to get them to try different foods?  I'm not sure.  I have noticed that they do tend to try things that are bland,  like dirt and paper, and usually spit out "spicy" leaves that they find in the garden.  For some reason they prefer their non-food items to be muted in color.  (I base these observations on the calls I get from parents about what their children have eaten.)
One of the things I used to do with my daughter and her friend Mollie is to let them experiment in the kitchen, with close supervision.  They would invent their own concoctions of edible items taken from all drawers and shelves.  Of course, because my daughter was raised with the  understanding that she always had to take "one bite", she insisted that I try everything she made: "Just take one bite, Mama!" she ordered.  Lucky for all of us, this is before the two of them could write, so none of their recipes were kept for posterity.  (I will say her cooking skills today are great and Mollie is no slouch in the kitchen either.)
Can you take advantage of children's love of non-food products?  Again, I'm not sure.  But I do know that I am not a believer in the recent fad of "hiding" foods found in a number of cookbooks on how to get kids to eat.  My reasoning is:  1)  I don't have time to cook a separate dish for each family member  2)  It is important to learn about different tastes and textures  3)  Most importantly, my job as a parent is to teach my child how to eat properly and hiding food is a cop-out.
Which is not to say that I do not take into consideration different likes and palates.  My daughter hates asparagus.  I love them. I did make my daughter take "one bite" multiple times when she was young because I cook them frequently.  But I was finally convinced that she really does not like them and because she eats so many other vegetables when I make them for me I am willing to make something else for her.  And then we are both happy.

Here is a recipe that I've found that most ages, including toddlers eat.  It is easy to make.  It is not spicy, not identifiable as a specific food to a toddler and is versatile.  You can eat it hot or cold.  You can send it in a lunch.  You can bring it to a potluck.  And you can change some of the herbs depending on your family's preference.  Your toddler may even choose it over rocks and other non-foods!.

ZUCCHINI PIE

Ingredients
4 c. grated zucchini
4 large eggs, slightly beaten (or 7 egg whites or 5 oz of egg whites)
1 c. Bisquick
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 small onion chopped
1/2 c. oil (preferably olive)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro) or 2 tbsp fresh basil or rosemary (stronger flavors)

Mix together in a bowl.
Grease a 9x9 inch pan.  Put in pan.  Cook in 375 degree oven until brown (about 50 min.)

Serve hot, warm, cool or the next day!  I hope you try it and your family and friends enjoy it as much as the many people I've given this to, both already made, and as a recipe.