When my son was a toddler, he’d frequently devour the medium-rare filet mignon on my plate. Today, I watch him eat salad and grilled chicken for dinner at least once a week. I see him gravitate toward dark chocolate.
Some of these choices are driven by his dairy allergy. He was never offered mac & cheese, so it’s not something he wants. He can’t have milk chocolate or processed candy, so he’s become accustomed to dark chocolate and homemade candies made with minimal ingredients.
Some of it is also driven by what he is exposed to. We cook a lot in our house. (Admittedly, we cook a lot of the same foods week after week, but still.) When we go to my parents’ house, my mom cooks. Even before the pandemic — which forced us to eat more meals at home — he was accustomed to a lot of homemade foods.
Sometimes I wonder if he will grow out of his dairy allergy and discover these foods that he’s been denied. I wonder: What will he crave? What will he discover that he loves? Will it be fancy cheeses or Kraft in a box? (I soooo hope I can share a cheese plate with him someday.)
I don’t know the answer, of course. But I think a lot about raising kids as “foodies” — and what that really means.
What Does Being a Foodie Mean?
So, what does it really mean to be a foodie? Some often connect this word with snobbery. Someone who prefers high-end or “fancy” foods. But to me, that’s not what it’s about.
And to be clear: I want my son to be a foodie … Not so that he can order a $60 steak or dine on lobster. But I want him to be able to be adventurous. I want him to enjoy food — and the process of cooking. When I make something as simple as General Tso’s chicken, as I did this week, I don’t want him to fear trying the sauce, as he did this week.
I also want him to appreciate quality ingredients and real foods over manufactured ones. I want him to appreciate fresh foods vs. processed. I think about my conversation with Allison Rinehart. I think about the ways that she has introduced her own children to new flavors. The way she has expanded their horizons. The way she has embraced being a foodie. And I’m inspired.
A Gift
When my son looks at a restaurant menu, I want him to skip over the chicken fingers and to be open to other options. I want him to learn about foods and cultures from around the world. I want my son to be able to go to a Mediterranean restaurant — or to the Mediterranean someday — and be able to enjoy something (or many somethings) on the menu.
He doesn’t need to love every sauce or dip or every cut of fish … But to me, being a foodie is about enjoying food, being eager to try something new, being excited to explore recipes and restaurants.
A foodie’s attitude is my wish for son — because it’s the gift of healthy, open-mindedness, flavor and adventure.