Hi! My name is Allison- food is my love language and fostering polite, inquisitive eaters is my passion, located in Newport Beach, CA!
My methodology is based on my successes with the hundreds of picky eaters I have worked with in kids’ cooking classes, private consulting, as well as my own daughter, step kids, and husband (who often eats like a 10 year-old).
All four members of my family are on their own individual culinary journey, and with the foundation of mutual respect, we have had an interesting journey together that I’d like to share with you.
While I think a lot of my approach has come from my own culinary journey and countless trial and errors, my Picky to Persuadable Method mirrors the teachings from two of the most well-respected authorities on the subject Jill Castle, MS. RD. and Dina Rose, Ph.D. and is endorsed by registered dietitians. My approach is all about making food FUN for the whole family, and in the process, making individual connections to the foods that nourish our bodies.
Studies go back and forth about how and when to expose kids to new foods, it’s confusing at the very least! Research studies say if you miss the “flavor window” from infancy you may be out of luck.
The most recent information states your kids will hate foods even more if you “force” them, so where does that leave frustrated parents staring into the microwave looking at the same plate of nuggets day in and day out? And God forbid, you bring your children to someone else’s home who (gasp!) doesn’t serve your little one’s nugget brand of choice.
It’s never too late to change the eating habits of kids and, frankly, adults. Because I have – many times.
Now, if you expect me to tell you all my kids love kale juice for breakfast and learned to write thank you notes in calligraphy before Kindergarten, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Do my kids love everything I make?
Of course not.
But with the help of my Picky to Persuadable Method, and Politeness Policy, they often make a choice to interact with everything I make, and decide for themselves, which is what I really want.
By focusing on making food fun, and fostering an inclusive process that includes their opinions, a foundation of mutual respect is formed where kids can naturally expand their palates without pressure.
From where I started as a new stepmom, years ago, with skeptical, picky, anxious eaters (often eating just French fries as their dinner) I am proud to say they can now sit down at our family dinner table and enjoy a bowl of yellow curry, chicken marsala, and roasted cauliflower alike. With some patience and effort, I believe any child can go from Picky to Persuadable.
Lil’ Pinkies Up! is a step-by-step guide for parents who truly want to develop a positive lens thru which your family sees and interacts with food for the rest of their lives, in a way that brings joy to your dinner table and their tummies.
Enjoy!
So, get started with the Picky to Persuadable Method first!