Bananas ala Kid

Our four year old has a discriminating palate. In other words, he’s a VERY picky eater. I keep telling myself that there’s nothing unusual about this. Lots of parents are in the same boat. But this doesn’t make it any less frustrating. My first priority is to not make his eating habits become a battle, as I know that I’ll lose. The second priority is to make sure that he gets proper nutrition. This is the biggest challenge. And the third priority is to keep introducing and reintroducing (and reintroducing, and reintroducing, and so on) foods that he refuses to eat in the hope that he’ll try them and like them.

To make a long story short, I’ve had to come up with some clever ways to get nutritious food to pass his lips and reach his belly. Here’s a simple, fun, and yummy recipe that he and I came up with, and which he always devours.

Bananas ala (Your Child’s Name Here)

Slice a banana
Put a dollop of peanut butter on each of the banana slices
Place a single M&M in the center (or use chocolate chips or chocolate sprinkles)
Top with a few colorful sprinkles
Enjoy!!!

Note: You can use apple slices instead of the banana (Apples ala Kid!). But my son insists on having his apple slices peeled — this may or may not be necessary for your picky eater.

I know what you’re thinking… “What’s with all the sugar?” Well, sometimes you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do. And sugar is not always the enemy — in this case it’s a welcome ally. Moderation is the key.

When I get really irritated with my son’s stubborn ways, I’m comforted by the fact that he (probably) won’t be eating this culinary masterpiece at his wedding reception. Rather, he’ll (hopefully) prefer more traditional fare. At the rate we’re going, however, the caterer might want to have some bananas and peanut butter on hand, just in case.