There are, however, a few ways to get your kids to try new foods. After all, they have an arsenal of reasons why not to eat it, why not keep your own stockpile of weaponry to get them to eat the food they don’t want to.

Be a Role Model

Children’s minds are like a piece of bread, soaking up all of the oil surrounding it. Being a role model and continually trying new foods in front of and with your child can help to shape their ideas about trying new things.

It is important to let your kids see that it is ok, and even fun, to try new things from time to time. Demonstrating the adventure and intrigue of trying new foods will stick in your child’s memory for the rest of their life.

Meal Plan Together

Kids are more apt to eat something they made, or at least planned to make. Letting your kids design the weekly meal, and even help cook the meals increases the chance they will try and like foods you are preparing.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 (28 oz.) can barbecue flavored baked beans
2 C frozen whole kernel corn
4 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 C reduced fat cheddar cheese, shredded
12 (8 in.) flour tortillas
3 C lettuce, shredded
1 1/2 C tomatoes, chopped
3/4 C reduced fat sour cream

How to Make It:

Crumble the beef into a large skillet placed over medium heat.
Cook the beef 8 minutes, stirring often, or until the meat is cooked through.
Drain the beef well and return to the skillet.
Add in the baked beans and corn.
Pour the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine all the ingredients together well.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the mixture and cook 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
Place the tortillas on a flat surface.
Spread the middle of each tortilla with 1/2 C of the beef mixture.
Top the beef with lettuce, tomatoes and a dab of sour cream.
Roll up the tortilla’s around the filling.

Makes 12 wraps

They said food is the way to a man’s heart and these wraps are one way to ensure that. If you like beans then these tasty treats will work perfectly for a great dinner or lunch idea. You can add chopped onions, green peppers or any of your favorite vegetables to make this wrap an even more nutritious delight.

Preparation Time: approximately 10 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 25 minutes

Nutritional Information: (approximate amount per wrap)
Calories 373; Fat 11gt; Saturated Fat 4g; Carbohydrates 50g; Protein 20g; Fiber 4g;
Cholesterol 27 mg; Sodium 605 mg

Potato Starch Flour is a great substitute. The thickening that this flour provides is outstanding and because of the high starch component, the ingredients bind to it like glue. Mix a little with water first to help hydrate the granules and get the glue working, then substitute potato starch flour in your recipe, cutting the amount of flour needed in half to get the right proportions.

Tapioca Flour

This light, white, very smooth flour comes from the cassava root. You might be familiar with the chewy little balls found in tapioca pudding, so you can imagine how well it reacts with baked goods. Anything that needs to be chewy, like French bread or white bread, could use this kind of flour.

Soy Flour

High in protein, soy flour has a nutty taste and a smooth texture due to the high fat content. Soy flour is usually used in combination with other flours, to make baked goods such as brownies, cookies and muffins. Since soy flour can stand up to almost every thing, it is also good to combine with nuts and or fruits.

Brown Rice Flour

This gluten substitute comes from unpolished brown rice. Because this ingredient contains bran, it has a higher nutritional value that traditional flour. This type of flour is used best in more dense breads.

Living gluten free is not difficult to do, but it does require a little foresight into what ingredients work best to replace the gluten. The basic premise is to figure out what ingredient, or combination of ingredients, will work the same as the ingredient they are replacing – gluten. Be sure to consult with your doctor before going on a strict gluten free diet to make sure there will be no adverse effects.

The gluten is what keeps cookies, cakes and pies soft, moist and held together. It makes baked goods have their texture because of the air getting trapped within the sticky boundaries of the gluten. When gluten isn’t present, we need to find other substances that can form a sticky shield to hold the gasses in.

Xanthum Gum comes from the dried cell coat of a Zanthomonas campestris. Since it is made in a laboratory, xanthum gum is scientifically sticky. Guar Gum is another, more natural binder. A powder is created from the seed of the Cyamopsis tetragonolobus plant and is an excellent substitute for gluten. These alternative sticky-substitutes can easily be found in any health food store.

Gluten free substitutes

Every day someone is coming up with a new way to substitute a common item into recipes that call for gluten. There are ways to substitute combinations of ingredients, cup for cup, where you would use any of the three main gluten-based flours. Let’s take a look at some of the less common substitutes for gluten and open up the realm of possibilities.

2 C of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 C of fat free buttermilk
3 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp molasses
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated fine
2 large egg, separated
1/2 C applesauce

How to Make It:

Place the flour into a large mixing bowl.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and toss to combine.
In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk, oil and molasses until well blended.
Add in the ginger and egg yolks and whisk to combine.
Fold in the applesauce.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes or until soft peaks from when the beaters are lifted up.
Gently fold the egg white mixture into the batter.
Spray the waffle iron with a non stick cooking spray and preheat.
Pour 1/3 C of the batter onto the waffle iron spreading the batter to the edges.
Close the lid and cook 5 minutes or until the steam stops.
Continue until all the batter has been used.

Makes 9 servings

Waffles are an easy and delicious way to serve breakfast to a few or to a crowd. These waffles are light and fluffy and full of great taste. To keep them healthy top them with fresh berries instead of syrup.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 5 minutes per batch

Nutritional Information: (approximate values per 2 waffle serving)
Calories 208; Fat 6g; Saturated Fat 0g; Carbohydrates 33g; Protein 6g; Fiber 1g;
Cholesterol 47 mg; Sodium 277 mg