As urban Indian parents we do inherently believe that we are probably feeding our kids right because we feed them freshly made home cooked food. Our kids grow up eating roti, sabji, khichdi, dosa, idli and all of that which is great but what happens when we travel? Why do Indian parents carry so much food in their suitcases when they travel overseas? A lot of it is to be blamed on us as parents who have not taken the effort to expose our kids to different food types & cuisines. A lot of it is cultural influence and availability of different variety of foods that are available in different parts of India or across the world. A lot could be attributed to even lack of authentic world cuisine available in India. Why can’t we teach our kids to eat local food when we travel? Ofcourse there is the whole vegetarian bit to the story which is very important but barring a few cities finding vegetarian food is not a big challenge anymore. I also believe that as parents food is not something that we think is important for our kids to learn about, its a chore and it needs to be ticked off.
While both my kids love food, flavours and trying different cuisines I think there is so much more to try. Here is an idea that I am probably going to practice. Order something from the menu that my daughter has never tasted, tried or rejected(not in the recent past ofcourse).
Here are 6 foods I am going to stop ordering every time I dine out:
1. Cheese Dosa: Even though it’s healthy, available at all Birthday parties, non messy and easy to feed. I will try and try really hard to skip this one. I think if this one gets tough incase there are no other options I will be happy if she learns to appreciate good coconut chutney, rasam and sambhar. If you are at your favourite south Indian restaurant then make them try the Podi upma, bisibele rice, rava dose, rava idli or the neer dosa.
2. White & pink Sauce Pasta: Penne Alfredo with veggies is the the easiest to feed and the only one that qualifies when moms say “my child eats everything” . Try a different sauce, a different flavour or atleast a different pasta.
3. Garlic Bread with cheese: Moms are so paranoid about white versus brown bread that they tend to over look at the variety of other breads available. Try a different bread the next time you are buying bread or at a dining out. Try the baguette, honey and oatmeal, sourdough, rye bread or a brioche.
4. Cheese Corn Balls & cheesy Nachos I remember eating this as a kid at New Yorkers and I don’t think the recipe has ever changed after that. Mexican food is a lot more then that nachos so don’t be satisfied that your kid ate well if he finished a complete platter
5. Paneer Butter Masala less spicy with Tandoori Roti:Â While Paneer and Tandoori Roti are both healthy I think it’s okay for kids to try something else too. Maybe a kulcha, puri, roomali roti, makai ki roti, jowar ki roti and some other vegetable or gravy while eating Indian food. There are so many Indian breads available today that you could pick one each time and still not repeat for the next 5.
6. Sizzling Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream: Again this is something that I remember growing up eating but it’s got to change. I am lucky that the daughter has a sweet tooth just like me and loves to try different desserts. With so many pâtisseries, ice cream stores and desert options on the menu we are going to pick a new one each time.
It is going to be a tough task especially when you are pressed for time but I ready to take the effort. I am sure it will work. Do share your feedback in the comments below or on our Facebook or Twitter Page.
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Janani S Koushik
Parul Gupta
Kanishka Pariani
