Play Date Plates

Susannah's friend was admittedly a little skeptical of the Asian pear but while she proved herself a good little eater, we have had some picky playdates. Last year, I would make playdate food, a compromise and then my kids would have a nutritional step down and the guest would not like it anyway...for example, vegan whole grain pasta dishes, quesadillas, pizza, gluten free english muffins and peanut butter sandwiches and the friends would still pick around every vegetable and sometimes reject whole grain crusts / breads. So this year we just stick to whatever we would otherwise have. If that happens to be just vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds then, fine, said guest must accept or reject. After lunch yesterday, one of Susannah's friends asked for a doughnut which brough on outright laughter from Luke, a doughnut in this house, where did she think she was?

Anyway, the playdate food above include cooked sprouted lentils (for fiber and a complete protein), lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cooked corn, sprouted corn tortillas, watermelon, Asian pear, Thai hummus (amazing from Roots in Clarksville...their chana masala hummus is even more amazing), and Whole Foods black bean dip. So, I am offering a pretty big array of stuff that the pickiest eater should be able to tolerate. Yesterday's picky eater wound up asking for pistachios and then just sucking the salt off of them...hmm. Think I can mend her ways by the end of the summer?