It’s hard for me to admit this, but my kids hate squash. Their only real experience is with butternut, which is probably the least offensive, the least squashiest of all squash. The word squash is starting to look weird.
I figured if a gateway squash exists, spaghetti squash would be it. Cook it, separate it into strands, and all of a sudden you have something that resembles noodles.
We had one taker. Emma is turning out to be the Mikey of our family. Those of you who grew up in the 80s will remember Mikey. He pimped Life cereal for years. “Let Mikey try it…” Mikey was the youngest, about Emma’s age. These days, Mikey’s probably sporting gray facial hair and a combover, but I respect the guy. He was the kid with a perfect appetite, the kid who would try anything. It took Emma some time to get comfortable with spaghetti squash, but once she did, she channeled her best Mikey. All of a sudden, she was the kid who ate everything.
ME: OK guys, spaghetti squash. Emma I’m going to give you a little bit. Lauren don’t try it yet, I want you to smell it and do all of that first.
EMMA: Eeeewwww….
ME: We don’t say ew in this house. Remember?
EMMA: Ack!
ME: We don’t say ack either.
EMMA: I don’t like it.
ME: I don’t like it is the same thing. We can’t say these things. What does it look like? (I sample a bite).
LAUREN: Hey no fair, you get to eat it before us!
ME: That’s because I’ve had it before.
EMMA: It looks like a banana.
ME: How come?
EMMA: Because it looks like a flower.
ME: What does it look like Lauren? You always have wonderful descriptions.
LAUREN: Well….it looks like my hair.
ME: It does look like your hair, what a good description. Sam, what does it look like?
SAM: Um, honey.
ME: What does it smell like?
LAUREN: Normal spaghetti actually.
EMMA: It smells like pagetti.
ME: Cool, anything else you want to say before it before we try it?
LAUREN: No.
ME: Who wants to tell me first what it tastes like.
LAUREN: Squash.
ME: It tastes like squash? Or does it taste like spaghetti?
EMMA: Yeah. Spaghetti.
ME: Yeah? It’s so cool right? It’s like vegetable spaghetti.
ME: Sam do you want to try it? You’re the only one who hasn’t tried it yet.
SAM: No.
LAUREN: I think it tastes like squash. I’m not really into it. But I still tried.
ME: You still tried, which was fantastic. And you (Emma) liked it. Right?
EMMA: Yeah. I loved it.
ME: Mmmmm…I love it too.
SAM: I think I’m a barnacle boy.
The kids are hilarious. Love Mikey’s grey facial hair and combover.
As usual, they bring their own style to the discussion!
It took me a while to “like” squash. I don’t even know if I would say I like it, but I can tolerate it. I usually mix it with zucchini.
I started out mixing it with sauces so I wouldn’t get the full on taste and slowly but surely started eliminating sauces and just eating it with a bite of rice. And now I can it as is. Although, it’s a lot easier for adults to alter their taste buds than for picky toddlers : )
That’s great that you’re doing so much to get yourself to like a bigger range of foods- I should do this. I need to get over my hatred of oatmeal 🙂
They are a brave group! Not sure my guy would even look at it let alone smell it or taste it. Funny!
A funny things when you try a new food every week, they get over the hurdle of trying- usually I can get everyone to at least taste it these days. Which is all you can ask of them 🙂 I’m sure the mister will grow up to be a great eater, he has a mom who cares about good food, that always helps…
Every time I try spaghetti squash with Lila it is flung all over the place like a baby on a spaghetti commercial. The fun of it is more enticing than anything right now for her. Josh and I are fine with that as we love it for ourselves!