Fruits and Veggies

Matthew will eat anything.

Except avocado. I certainly don't make him eat it because he'll happily consume everything else in sight.

So today I took him to Sprouts and we stocked up on our fruits and veggies. For some weird reason, he didn't want to go to Sprouts. "Mommy, turn around. I want to go to Walmart instead!" I don't know why he was set on Walmart but, while their produce will do in a pinch, it isn't my favorite place to shop for it. I told him that if he was really good at Sprouts, I'd buy him a treat. This means that I let him pick out a small amount of something that they have in the bulk bin section.

So, there we were, shopping along. I was debating between getting broccoli or cauliflower. While I love both passionately, cauliflower is my favorite between the two. Troy and Garrett prefer broccoli. Of course, I could have selected both delicacies but we've had both within the last week so I decided we'd just go with one of the two today.

So I asked Matthew.

He said we should get both.

"Well, let's just get one today," I suggested.

"Okay. Broccoli."

I walked over and filled a bag with two smallish heads.

"WHOA! WE ARE GETTING TWO?" he squealed. "Oh yay! Is one of them my treat for being good?"

"Sure!" I said, wanting to keep up this vegetable enthusiasm. Of course, I also let him get several gummy worms because I'm not a crazy health nut.

But it reminded me of what healthy eaters I have. Of course they love chips and candy and cookies because what red blooded American kid doesn't? But they love fruits and vegetables and fish and great big salads.

I'm sure that, in part, I got lucky, but it took diligence and hard work when they were teeny to achieve this level of peace and harmony at meal time. So, mama of that baby who is spitting green beans at you, persevere. Fight the fight. It is WORTH IT!

And, who knows, maybe one day that green bean spitter will happily declare in the middle of the store that the broccoli is his treat for being good.