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Taster Turkeys For Picky Eaters

A couple of Thanksgivings ago, I was faced with my first big dinner for my daughter's new husband and his two kids, ages 4 and 7, whom I had never met. These kids were sweet, but notoriously picky eaters, I was warned. Apparently it was difficult to get them to eat anything but mac and cheese without a scene. And I sure didn't want a scene at our first holiday together!

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So I thought up "Taster Turkeys" as a way to both break the ice and also to encourage them to try a few different foods. I used egg-shaped styrofoam balls as bodies and spray painted them brown. I cut out a base of felt for the feet, made beaks from a piece of pipecleaner, and glued on those "googly" eyes. I bought a small bag of feathers for the tail. I made one complete with tail, so they had an example, but the other two had no tails - yet!

Just before dinner I explained to the kids that these were Taster Turkeys, and that for every food they tried, they could poke in a feather and the turkey would little by little "grow" a tail. The turkeys and a few feathers sat next to each of their plates. By the time dinner was finished, their Taster Turkeys had tails, the kids were happy, and they'd managed to try quite a few different foods, because they wanted their turkeys to have big tails!

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The next month was Christmas, and rather than making "Taster Trees" as the kids enthusiastically suggested (!), I decided I'd involve them in planning the menu instead. I printed out online photos of various vegetables, meats, salad choices, jellos, and desserts (all of which were things I would have made). I mailed the sheet to them and asked them to circle what they would each like to eat for Christmas dinner to "help" me plan the menu. When they finished, they were to mail the sheet back to me.

My daughter advised me that the kids were thrilled to get some mail, and they took their job of circling foods very seriously. When they arrived on Christmas, they were more willing to eat, because they'd helped decide the choices. They even drew a couple of pictures of their own, labeling them with "dill pickles" and "Swiss cheese."

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Fortunately, they soon after outgrew the picky eating phase, but these ideas did come in handy when we were all getting to know one another.

By Janet from Howell, MI

Taster Turkey
 

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Bronze Recipe Medal for All Time! 52 Recipes
December 4, 20090 found this helpful

I think this was an excellent couple of ideas! What a wonderful way to get kids involved in dinner, and what a great icebreaker to your new grandchildren.

 
December 4, 20090 found this helpful

What an awesome idea! You are incredibly inventive, and I am sure the kids will be enriched by being around you! Extremely imaginative, I love it!

 
December 4, 20090 found this helpful

You are one smart cookie!

 
December 5, 20090 found this helpful

I honor you for such a wonderful attitude towards your "step"-grandchildren. Speaking from experience, I know how some grandmothers never quite "get it" that these grafted-in family members are just as special as the born-in ones!

 
December 5, 20090 found this helpful

You are so creative! What a great idea appreciated by all, I am sure.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 846 Posts
December 5, 20090 found this helpful

How very sweet and how very caring of you and I know this has just opened a whole new wide world of food to those little ones! Bless You!

 
December 6, 20090 found this helpful

I really want to thank you for your idea. I never would have thought of it. So far, I haven't had "picky eaters," but if I do, I will remember the way you involved yours!

 
December 6, 20090 found this helpful

Hello all - it's Janet, who posted this tip. I am so taken back by such kind comments about my ideas! I just wanted to thank you all not only for taking the time to read it but for sending such nice responses!

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I won't be blessed with "biological" grandkids, so these little people will be the recipients of all my bottled up grandmotherliness! Your encouragement is really appreciated!

 

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December 7, 20090 found this helpful

Well you get the Grandma of the Month award from me. Great thinking.

 

Gold Post Medal for All Time! 846 Posts
December 7, 20090 found this helpful

You are so very welcome, Janet, and as my daddy who adopted me would say, "Doesn't matter if you're biological or not because you were hand picked!" I know he knew that in my heart I picked him too with a lot of help from God and I am certain your grandchildren feel the same way ;-)

 
November 21, 20190 found this helpful

Brilliant! And shows a lot of love. They are so fortunate to have you in their life.

 

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