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Children need good dietary fats for energy and growth, but often conÂsume bad fats from meat, dairy, and baked goods. To help kids develop a taste for healthy fats like olive oil, parÂents can encourÂage them to dip bread in olive oil, make gummy bears with olive oil, buy kid-friendly olive oil, have taste tests, and fill chocoÂlates with olive oil.
We need fat in our diet. Our bodÂies need it as a source of energy, to process fat solÂuÂble vitÂaÂmins and as the source of essenÂtial fatty acids imporÂtant for the norÂmal funcÂtion of cerÂtain glands, metaÂbolic funcÂtions, growth and reproÂducÂtion. Children in parÂticÂuÂlar need good dietary fat.
Unfortunately, most chilÂdren I know eat mostly bad dietary fats, the kind that come from meat, dairy and baked goods. One of the best choices for dietary fat is extra virÂgin olive oil. But, for most kids, olive oil is as appealÂing to their taste buds as oysÂters, liver and Brussels sprouts.
So, what do you do with the finicky eater? The probÂlem with olive oil is the taste, not the texÂture, so you could try hidÂing it. The sucÂcess rate, howÂever, for hidÂing a a flaÂvor that is disÂtasteÂful to a child is someÂwhere around zero (decades later I can still taste the calves liver in every meatÂloaf even though I know it’s not there). Instead, the long-term goal should be to help the child develop a palate for olive oil — and the earÂlier the betÂter.
Five ways for kids to savor the flaÂvor of olive oil
Dip it. Let your litÂtle ones play with their food. Teach them to dip bread, pita wedges or torÂtilla chips in lightly seaÂsoned olive oil. Even todÂdlers can sucÂcessÂfully dip their food and will begin assoÂciÂatÂing olive oil with fun. It’s a great way to start develÂopÂing a taste for a healthy alterÂnaÂtive to butÂter and butÂtery flaÂvors.
Make gummy bears. Gummy bears will satÂisfy any child’s sweet tooth. Pick a recipe that you can make together that uses olive oil for flaÂvorÂing. You can find the ingreÂdiÂents online and molds at your local hardÂware or sportÂing goods stores. Insect and worm-like lures are the best.
Olive Oil Gummy Worms from Modernist Cuisine on Vimeo.Buy olive oil made espeÂcially for kids. Just as there are spicier, more punÂgent extra virÂgin olive oils well suited for the adult palate, there are variÂeties of sweeter, milder olive oils made espeÂcially for chilÂdren. Drizzle it over a favorite dessert, spread on toast or use it to fry their chicken tenÂders. Even though it is sweeter than the more adult variÂety, it has an olive oil flaÂvor to which their palates will evenÂtuÂally become accusÂtomed.
Taste test olive oil. It probÂaÂbly took you a while to find your favorite flaÂvor of olive oil so don’t expect your child to take any less time than you did. Have a famÂily taste test. Buy small conÂtainÂers and samÂple each until everyÂone finds one that pleases their palate. Label it for her use only.
Fill chocoÂlates with olive oil. You can buy chocoÂlates filled with olive oil or you can make them on your own. The same method used for fillÂing chocoÂlates with brandies and other liqueurs can be used to fill them with extra virÂgin olive oil. In either case, you are retrainÂing the palate of a young one to equate a pleasÂant expeÂriÂence with olive oil. Stored in the refrigÂerÂaÂtor, the conÂsisÂtency of the oil thickÂens to a creamy cenÂter, not unlike a popÂuÂlar holÂiÂday chocoÂlate egg!
Like wine, olive oil is made from fruit and offers an assortÂment of flaÂvors. Your adult palate evenÂtuÂally learned to enjoy a colÂlecÂtion of wines, and so too, your child’s palate will evenÂtuÂally learn to enjoy extra virÂgin olive oil.