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Do you have a tiny chef at home? If you do check out the Lil Chef Skill 101 & Dinner Party at Playtown Café in Boca Raton. Your budding chef will learn kitchen safety and knife skills. Along with cooking skills, kids will learn table manners – those sure come in handy when you take your little one out to eat. Read the full story

By MONICA ENG

Health officials and parents everywhere continue to puzzle over how to get kids to eat their fruits and vegetables. But I discovered the answer a few weeks ago.

And it turns out Pennsylvania State University nutrition scientist Barbara J. Rolls made a similar discovery that she revealed in the May issue of the American Journal for Clinical Nutrition.

Rolls and colleagues worked with preschoolers and found that if you feed them generous amounts of vegetables – in this case raw carrots – as their first course, they will eat more of them. Rolls and company are funded by a National Institutes of Health grant aimed at increasing vegetable consumption in children.

Start with hungry kids

I worked without a grant and experimented on my 6- and 11-year-olds. Through them, I found that if you take kids home hungry from hours of swimming (stubbornly passing up every restaurant on the way home), then feed them consecutive fruit and vegetable courses, they will devour them happily, and skip the fattier foods later in the meal.

It requires the parent to act as a short-order cook or at least do some advance work, but it worked beautifully. Here’s how the meal went:

First course: Fragrant, crunchy Gala apple slices. It helps to have one of those apple corers/slicers.

Second: Sweet red pepper strips

Third: Spinach sautéed in olive oil and garlic, then sprinkled with sea salt and lemon juice

Fourth: Two hot bowls of fresh broccoli soup made by dropping steamed broccoli in a blender with chicken stock (or hot water and a bouillon cube in a pinch)

Fifth: Organic baby greens tossed in a light vinaigrette

Did they still have room for their organic burgers? About half a burger each. And no one had room for dessert.

Preload the meal

Without knowing it, I had followed many of Rolls’ tips from previous books, including The Volumetrics Eating Plan, that emphasize "preloading" a meal with foods of "low energy density," especially fruits, vegetables and soups. Rolls found that foods with low energy density actually make you feel fuller than high-energy density. This is mostly due to the high water and fiber content of the low energy density foods.

Eating these foods before the rest of the meal, she says, will leave you full with fewer calories.

And although her Volumetrics books were aimed largely at weight loss in adults, Rolls’ latest research is focused on increasing fresh produce consumption in kids. Although these principles may seem like common sense, Rolls said this is the "first time anybody has shown that increasing the portion size of a low energy dense food, like a vegetable, gives you an increased intake," especially in a specific sequence.

Theoretically the NIH could take the research and make recommendations for public policy that could include the order in which foods are served in schools.

Perhaps the salad or other vegetable could be served before the kids get their nachos, fries and chocolate milk. Instead of trying to make veggies compete with high energy dense foods on the same tray, have them enjoy them first.

It works for dining out

For those parents who don’t want to feel like short-order cooks and servers, you also can make this work at restaurants.

I tried the same preloading principles at a Vietnamese restaurant with four hungry kids.

We asked our server to bring out the cold vegetable salad and sauteed Chinese broccoli before the rice plates, noodle soups and fruit smoothies.

And just as they did at home, the ravenous kids dived into the vegetables because nothing else was on the table.

They also didn’t notice that I’d asked the server to go light on the sugar in the smoothies.

Sometimes, it seems, it’s just a matter of engineering the sequence and contents of the meal behind the scenes.

Just don’t tell the kids.

EASY BROCCOLI SOUP

Cut a large head of fresh broccoli into five pieces. Place into a steamer basket; steam over boiling water until fork tender.

Drop the steamed pieces in a blender that can handle hot liquids; add a cup of chicken broth or hot water and a bouillon cube. Blend for 45 seconds. Add more water and blend again if you prefer a thinner texture. Season to taste.

Pour into bowls and garnish with a squeeze of lemon, fresh pepper or any other favorite condiments. Cauliflower works well as a substitute for broccoli.

TIPS TO GET KIDS TO EAT PRODUCE

1. Allow your child to pick out three fruits and vegetables of his choice at the store.

2. Ask your child to help you prepare the produce for the meal.

3. Give the fruits and vegetables fun names like ‘X-ray eyes carrots,’ according to a Cornell study.

4. Keep cut-up fruit and vegetables around the house in high-traffic areas.

5. Freeze your child’s favorite fruits in season (when they’re cheaper and delicious) for smoothies later.

Common Threads, created by Art Smith of Chicago, is a national after-school program for under-privileged kids ages 8 to 12 that locally, is hosted by FIU School of Hospitality.

Thirty-two students from William Jennings Bryan and North Miami Elementary schools in Miami-Dade County are participating in the program, “Cooking Skills and World Cuisine”, taught by Chef Michelle Bernstein & Instructor Mimi Chacin, to celebrate cultural differences and the things people all over the world have in common.

Super Bowl XLIV is coming to Miami on Sunday, and, well, OK, the Divas won’t be there — but we’ll be near a big-screen TV with an excuse to create some attention-grabbing noshes.

While cold brews and hot wings are top picks for the guys, this sippy sweet will keep the kids happy, a yummy concoction from our pals at the Dairy Council of Florida, who are rolling out a new healthy kids initiative in schools with the NFL.

Just 200 calories a serving and cinch to throw in the blender so you can get back to checking out those cute football players.
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Classes

CAKES ETC., 2800 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. (561) 615-4431

Basic Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Tuesday and runs for two more weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Advance Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m., begins today and runs for four weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Basic Candy Molding Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Feb. 11. Tuition is $20, supplies included.

Advance Candy Molding Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Feb. 18. Tuition is $25, supplies included.
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Events

A Tasteful Pursuit, 6 p.m. Jan. 28, The Brazilian Court Hotel & Beach Club, 301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach. Chef Daniel Boulud and several other award-winning chefs will gather and prepare a memorable meal. The multi-course, wine-paired dinner and auction at Café Boulud benefits Share Our Strength, a non-profit organization aimed at ending childhood hunger in America. Tickets: $300 a person; table-hosting opportunities are available for $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000. (202) 478-6528.

Classes

CAKES ETC., 2800 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. (561) 615-4431

Basic Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday . Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Intermediate Cake Decorating Class, 6:30-8:30 p.m. today ; runs for two more weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

Rolled Fondant/Gumpaste Class, 6-9 p.m. beginning Thursday and running for two weeks. Tuition is $40 plus supplies.

WILLIAMS-SONOMA, The Gardens Mall, 3101 PGA Blvd. Palm Beach Gardens. (561) 799-2425

Comfort Foods, 6-8:30 p.m. Sunday . Join chef Greg Strahm for an evening of satisfying dishes. $60.

Mommy & Me Valentine’s Breakfast Party, 9-11 a.m., Feb. 14. Join chef Alicia Schaffer for a fun-filled morning of delicious breakfast treats. $50.

IN THE KITCHEN, Gallery Square North, 389 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta. (561) 747-7117 or www. inthekitchennow.com

Italian Wine Dinner, 6:30 p.m. Thursday . $90.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 2635 State Road 7, Wellington. (561) 904-4015

Going Green with Carlos (ages 8-12), 4:30-5:30 p.m. today . Green Mission specialist Carlos Acosta, as he teaches children the importance of eating greens to be green.

Gluten Free Cooking, 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday . Chef Joe will teach how to make an easy, gluten-free dinner.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton. (561) 447-0000

Girls’ Night Out, 6:30-8 p.m. Friday . Enjoy a night of pampering away from home. $15.

PUBLIX APRON’S COOKING SCHOOL, Polo Club Shoppes, 5030 Champion Blvd., Suite D2, Boca Raton. (561) 994-4461 or (561) 994-4883

Couples Cooking Series, 6 p.m. today . With your loved one, you can experience the wonderful world of fine cooking with this three-part class. $275 per couple.

International Garlic Lovers, 6:30 p.m. Thursday . True garlic lovers get new ideas from around the world. $40.

Food Heaven, 6:30 p.m. Friday . Lobster, crab, filet mignon and chocolate are some of the most decadent ingredients on any menu. Learn to cook a dish with all three. $55.

Brazilian Steakhouse, 6:30 p.m. Saturday . Learn basic slow roasting techniques. $45.

Italian Techniques, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday . An advanced-level class designed for those who have a high comfort level sautéing, chopping, slicing and dicing. Three-part class. $150.

The Basics of Culinary, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday . This six-part series is for every home chef, regardless of experience level. Learn to prepare full menus while focusing on techniques used by professionals, including knife skills, sauces, sautéing, roasting, grilling and braising. $300.

Do you worry about your kids (or yourself) getting enough vitamins and minerals from food? Vemma NEXT is ideal for children 2 to 12.

The orange-flavored natural liquid is designed to meet children’s nutritional needs without preservatives, artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners.

For every month’s supply purchased, Vemma will donate a month’s supply of NEXT to a needy child.

Comes in single serving, 2-ounce bottles and 32-ounce bottles. Available at www.vemma.com.

I use them with frozen fruit to make an extra-healthy smoothie.

Costumed kids get one free doughnut of their choice from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday (Halloween) at Dunkin Donuts in Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie & Indian River counties.

No purchase necessary. There is a limit of one doughnut per child ages 12 and younger.

Find your nearest local Dunkin Donuts here.

The featured doughnut for the season is the Boston Scream, a Boston Kreme doughnut with a decorative orange squiggle on top.

A food processor can turn a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into truffles. (AP)

I’m no fan of deception when it comes to getting kids to eat healthy. But I’m not above novelty to keep things interesting.

Which is how I came up with this idea for candylike truffles made from that all-American childhood staple — peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. These are seriously delicious, even if the process of making them seems pretty strange.

All I did was make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on whole-wheat bread, then run them through the food processor until they formed a thick dough.

I then rolled tablespoon-sized chunks of it into balls and coated some with crushed peanuts, others with powdered sugar.

Banish all thoughts of those dreaded soggy PB&J sandwiches from your lunchbox days. While reminiscent of a sandwich, the texture of these truffles is pleasantly chewy and thick, and the taste is decadent.

Other coatings could include crushed almonds or pistachios, mini chocolate chips (though that detracts from the healthy aspect of this kid-friendly snack), cocoa powder, or finely chopped dried fruit, such as dried cranberries or cherries.
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Television and peers can trump parents when it comes to influencing what children eat, but that doesn’t mean families can’t fight back.

A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study found that parents have waning influence over what their kids eat. But it also found that the best defense is to start teaching healthy eating habits early.

Adopting common-sense approaches at home can help:

First, be careful about forbidding certain foods. A good/bad approach often makes less healthy foods more attractive. It also limits children’s ability to develop the skills they need to make their own healthful food choices.
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