GETTING KIDS TO LIKE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

GETTING KIDS TO LIKE EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

November 28, 2012 | Filed in Olive Oil World

By Angela Bell
Olive Oil Times Contributor | Clemson, South Carolina

We need fat in our diet. Our bodies need it as a source of energy, to process fat soluble vitamins and as the source of essential fatty acids important for the normal function of certain glands, metabolic functions, growth and reproduction. Children in particular need good dietary fat.

Unfortunately, most children I know eat mostly bad dietary fats, the kind that come from meat, dairy and baked goods. One of the best choices for dietary fat is extra virgin olive oil. But, for most kids, olive oil is as appealing to their taste buds as oysters, liver and Brussels sprouts.

So, what do you do with the finicky eater? The problem with olive oil is the taste, not the texture, so you could try hiding it. The success rate, however, for hiding a flavor that is distasteful to a child is somewhere around zero. Instead, the long-term goal should be to help the child develop a palate for olive oil — and the earlier the better.

Ways for kids to savor the flavor of olive oil

Dip it. Let your little ones play with their food. Teach them to dip bread, pita wedges or tortilla chips in lightly seasoned olive oil. Even toddlers can successfully dip their food and will begin associating olive oil with fun. It’s a great way to start developing a taste for a healthy alternative to butter and buttery flavors.

Buy olive oil made especially for kids. Just as there are spicier, more pungent extra virgin olive oils well suited for the adult palate, there are varieties of sweeter, milder olive oils made especially for children. Drizzle it over a favorite dessert, spread on toast or use it to fry their chicken tenders. Even though it is sweeter than the more adult variety, it has an olive oil flavor to which their palates will eventually become accustomed.

Taste test olive oil. It probably took you a while to find your favorite flavor of olive oil so don’t expect your child to take any less time than you did. Have a family taste test. Buy small containers and sample each until everyone finds one that pleases their palate. Label it for her use only.