Experiment of the Day

Camden sat down to watch a movie while Aiden napped today...and immediately asked for a snack. I almost said what I normally would say when we just finish a meal and he asks for more food...We JUST ate. If you're still hungry, you should have eaten more at lunch. But I stopped myself and thought it would be a good chance to experiment.

We all know they say we eat more when we're sitting in front of the tv, watching a show or playing video games. We don't think about what we're doing; we mindlessly put the food into our mouths, not even paying attention to how much we're eating. Nobody needs to tell us that. We know it's true. SO...what if those foods are healthy foods? Even foods we might not really love? Or even like??

Camden and I both read something recently that was about this very topic and there was mention of putting a plate of healthy veggies out for kids when this situation, among others, arises. Here was my moment.

"Sure, Camden. I'll get you a snack." (Mwahahahahaha...)

I got out a few carrot sticks. He will eat those usually, though. Zucchini. HA. That he does NOT like. So, I cut up quite a few zucchini sticks, at least more than twice the amount of carrots. "What do you want to dip your carrots in, Camden?" He usually uses nothing, but I knew he might want something with the zucchini. Yet I didn't want to SAY zucchini. He thought he would go for some honey mustard dressing. That's what Aiden usually uses to dip some veggies - that or my homemade dressing. (Camden does NOT like ranch for some reason, so...) I even got cute and made a smiley face...dressing was the smile, two blackberries made eyes, carrot sticks and zucchini made the hair. Ok, it really wasn't anything too cool, but still. (Why no more berries? Because the kid will ASK to eat those. The whole point is to see if he'll eat the stuff he DOESN'T like!)

I put the plate next to him on the couch (which is also usually off limits, but I'm experimenting here). "No thanks," he says politely. I walk away.

Five minutes later, he returns to me with an empty plate and a smile. "I know what the trick is," he reminds me. I smile, too.

Yes, child. But you still ate it. ;)