Have you heard that French kids eat everything? Is that even possible? What about vegetables? That certainly wasn’t my experience with my own kids or what I’d heard from other parents talking about their food battles. Many parents dread dinnertime as it can be the most unpleasant time of the day with their child. Does this sound familiar?
Vancouver-based author and researcher, Karen Le Billon, described her oldest daughter as a picky eater right from the start. By the time she was four, she lived on pasta, toast and fishy crackers. If there was anything she didn’t like on her plate she would do a “crazy food dance.” Her younger sister started out eating everything but then unfortunately took the lead from her sister and began limiting the foods she would eat. Dinnertime was a nightmare in her home.
Karen moved her young family to France and experienced firsthand that French kids really do eat everything. But it doesn’t just happen overnight. Parents in France know they are in charge of their children’s food education. Just like teaching kids to read, they can also be taught how to explore and be open to trying and enjoying all kinds of foods – even vegetables! Karen began to use what she learned from French parents and was amazed by the results. This was not only the beginning of her daughters’ food education but her own as well. Now if you ask her oldest daughter what her favourite foods are she would say beets, broccoli, leeks, lettuce, mussels and mackerel.
Karen’s how-to book, Getting to Yum, takes parents step-by-step through her seven secrets of raising eager eaters. Join Karen Le Billon in Guelph on Saturday, October 21 from 2 - 4 p.m. as she shares her stories and the research behind taste training - a method that can prevent and cure picky eating. With Karen’s help, you can put the fun back into family mealtime and learn how to change dinnertime reactions from YUCK to YUM.
Getting to Yum with Karen Le Billon
Saturday, October 21, 2017, 2 – 4 p.m.
Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, 200 Clair Road West, Guelph, ON
The cost of the event is $10 which includes a copy of Karen’s book, Getting to Yum. To purchase tickets, click here.