If you're the parent of a picky eater, perhaps Nonna can help.
A friend of mine recently told me about Joann Bruso, author of the book Baby Bites: Transforming A Picky Eater Into A Healthy Eater. Bruso also has a related blog, Nonna's Kitchen, and produces a podcast called What's Cookin' With Nonna. Her mission is to help families cook and eat healthy food.
"Nonna" is an Italian word for "grandmother" -- Bruso is currently grandmother to six grandchildren. Before she had children she wrote a monthly nutrition column. Years later, after trying to feed her toddler grandson, Joshy, she she created her method for transforming a picky eater into a petit epicure.
The answer, as she explains in her post You Can Transform Your Picky Eater Into a Healthy Eater, is to encourage your child to play with his or her food! Bruso incorporates sensory learning and directed play to build familiarity with and curiosity in new foods. She also encourages parents to improve the nutritional value of their children's food, tossing out the processed junk in favor of fresh, home-cooked meals.
Bruso expands her method in her book, and it look like a terrific resource. So is her blog, chock full of recipes and useful nutritional advice. Her twice-weekly podcast is a delight.
Does her method work? I'll leave that for you to find out! But I think she's on to something.
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