Simple Asian Style Soup Recipe: How to get bone broth into fussy kids

Lately my kids have been really grumbling about drinking their broth.  The drill in my family for the past few years has been to consume 1/2 cup of broth (eg chicken, beef or fish stock) before the main meal. Maybe it's taste fatigue? Maybe they are not hungry enough? Maybe it's just boredom? So I needed to get creative about it. Here's what I'm experimenting with:

1. Instead of a cup of straight broth consumed as an entree before the main meal I'm using the broth/stock as a base for soups. Last night it was fish soup (made with left over snapper fillets and steamed veggies) and tonight was Asian style soup made as follows:

• Steam Asian style veggies until soft (eg carrots cut on diagonal, thinly sliced red capsicum, green shallots, asparagus spears, sliced mushrooms, spinach leaves)

• Heat chicken broth/stock (together with any left over meat such as chicken pieces) in saucepan (allow 1/2 cup stock per person) until warm. Turn off heat.

• Add miso paste (allow 1 teaspoon/person) into the saucepan with the broth and mix with stick blender until blended through.

• Divide steamed veggies among serving bowls and add dollop of butter on top. Pour stock/miso mixture into bowls.

• Add a drizzle of tamari (wheat free soy sauce) into each bowl together with a scattering of activated sesame seeds and a handful of nori seaweed (cut into strips).

Not only did my kids eat ALL of this soup without any fussing or stalling tactics but Michaela pronouned at the ned "That was really yummy! I'd like more please". Ironic that this was the one occasion where there was no more!

2. Not making such a big deal about them eating their "broth". Perhaps just referring to it as "soup"

3. Stretching dinner out to later (e.g. just before bed time) and reducing size of their arvo tea so that they are genuinely hungry at dinner time.

4. Making their serving portions smaller so they get through dinner easily without feeling daunted.

5. Adding a little more cold gelatinous broth to our banana kefir smoothies in the morning (without making a big deal that it's in there!)

6. Making sure the stock (or soup) isn't too hot when served which instantly puts them off.

7. Adding gelatin powder to desserts such as coconut vanilla panacotta. Gelatin powder is made from 100% ground up beef bones. It is gelatinous like home made broth and I use it as a setting/jelling agent in desserts.

I'd love to hear from other parents on their thoughts about these suggestions and any other ideas in terms of different ways of incorporating broth into their kids' diets.

How to get kids to eat nourishing food- don't give them a choice!!

I’m constantly asked by mothers of “fussy” or “picky” eaters how to get their children to eat a broader range of foods. My advice-  offer up the food you want them to eat over and over again and they will eventually eat it, enjoy it and love it! I don't subscribe to the view "it's better to give them something else even if it’s less nourishing (eg bread, pasta, crackers, muffins, sweets etc) than see them eat nothing at all".  This is teaching them that if they don't eat what's served their parents will cave and give them something else. My second child Michaela didn’t start out with the hearty appetite of broad-spectrum wholefoods she has today. It took years (literally) of offering her eggs morning after morning before she eventually got the idea that eggs for breakfast are not negotiable and in fact they are not only nutritious but bloody delicious. Now she asks for them.  Their choice is simply eat what’s offered or don’t eat at all. Mummy’s not making different meals for different people. We all eat the same thing at each meal. And if you don’t want to eat it, that’s fine but there’s nothing else – and certainly no dessert. When faced with this choice, a bacon and egg brekky starts looking mighty fine when compared with starvation. In most cases I have found from my friends/clients that kids relish the migration to a nutrient-dense diet because their bodies are thirsty for the nutrients that a wholefoods diet offers and because the food is so mouth-wateringly palatable (….think butter, bacon, eggs, lamb chops, spare ribs, meat and veggie casseroles, rich broths, cream, coconut oil, creamy egg yolks, cavier, wild fish, well ripened fruit, sea salt etc)…this is the food that we are biologically designed to eat. Our genes literally expect the nutrients from this food so our taste buds are alive to accepting it. The problem in my house…..when to stop the kids from overeating???

Another avenue that often works is to get the kids involved in the cooking process. There is something rewarding about eating the fruits of ones labour. Make them feel proud that they have contributed to the meal.  I have a saying in my kitchen "whoever helps with the meal gets first serve".