”Porcupine Drinking Cocoa” by Carmen Williams Manrique MORE STUDENT
THE NUTCRACKER
STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS
Cold Front Coming
It’s getting chilly outside. Time to warm up with this issue of Kids VT! Astrid Hedbor Lague’s got a yummy butternut squash risotto recipe to recommend on page 13. She made it with her 18-year-old son, who has finally started to show an interest in learning to cook. Congrats, mama!
On the other end of the spectrum, Seven Days food writer Jordan Barry documents life with an unpredictably picky toddler on page 23.
Carolyn Fox and Angela Simpson compiled some notable family-friendly winter events (page 11). And the kids at the Davis Community School have imagined woodland creatures celebrating and coping with the cold (page 16).
Speaking of coping … graphic artist
Elisa Järnefelt puts current events in perspective with her two-page meditation on parenting through turbulent times on page 14. She ends with a promise: “For my daughter, I will choose to shed light on hope.”
BOARD GAME CAFE
Da
for any loss that results from the incorrect publication of its advertisement. If a mistake is ours, and the advertising purpose has been rendered valueless, Da Capo Publishing may cancel the charges for the advertisement, or a portion thereof as deemed reasonable by the publisher. Da Capo Publishing reserves the right to refuse
I see a lot of hope in the young people who participated in this summer’s Good Citizen Challenge. We shined a spotlight on a few of them on page 18. The energy they brought to the Vermont Statehouse in September fuels my faith in the future. Bundle up, stay warm, and we’ll see you in the
year!
CATHY RESMER
RENEE GREENLEE
BY RACHEL HELLMAN AND CATHY RESMER
Book Bliss
Inklings Children’s Books in Waitsfield caters to young readers
Inklings Children’s Books in Waitsfield
may be the only bookstore in the state catering solely to kids and teens, and it’s definitely the only one run by a guy whose last gig was writing true-crime TV.
During his screenwriting career, Inklings owner Brian Wray wrote for “Cold Case Files” and “Vanity Fair Confidential” and worked on a film for the Walt Disney Studios. That project ended up on the cutting room floor, but it inspired him to begin writing children’s books. He’s the author of five, with a sixth — The Book Bus — coming out next year.
During the pandemic, Wray relocated his family from Brooklyn to Waitsfield, where he opened Inklings just over a year ago. It offers a wide range of books, as well as afterschool art and reading programs for all ages.
“My hope was that this would be as much a community space as a children’s bookstore,” Wray said.
He seems to have attained his goal. Located in the Mad River Green Shops, Inklings has a warm, whimsical vibe. Lights shaped like clouds and fish float overhead, creating the effect of being simultaneously underwater and under a tree. In the back of the bookstore, a large, tree-shaped column is surrounded by a grassy green rug and tree stump-shaped pillows: the perfect spot to cozy up and read.
Biz Kids
Young
Entrepreneurs’
Fair coming to Burlington’s Generator
If you have a young crafter at home, encourage them to apply for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair this spring, a collaboration between Davis Studio, Kids VT/Seven Days and Generator, a community makerspace in Burlington.
One side of the store has a curated collection of children’s books for sale. Older titles, such as Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey, sit beside newer titles such as Islandborn by Junot Diaz.
“I feel like we’re living in a golden age of children’s literature,” Wray said. “I want to make sure there’s something for everyone.”
Directly across from the book section of the store is a small studio with kid-size easels and art supplies. Having noticed a shortage of indoor activities for kids in the ski-centric Mad River Valley, Wray added the art studio to draw in parents looking for activities for their kids on bad-weather days.
and, importantly, parents and caregivers should be advisers only.
Students in grades 3 through 12 are welcome to apply; a panel of representatives from each organization will review the entries and select exhibitors with an eye toward both variety and professionalism.
The fair will take place at Generator on Saturday, March 22, and will be filled with youthful vendors selling a wide range of products. The only rules: No food or beverage items, no products that are indecent or illegal,
Burlington ninth grader Iris Erickson encourages other young people to give it a try. She sews and crochets items including clothes, stuffed animals and knickknacks and sells them annually during Burlington’s South End Art Hop. She sets up her display at her dad’s shop, Champlain Metals, and calls herself “the Maker Queen.”
Iris made almost $300 at this year’s Art Hop. “Bags were one of my big selling points this year,” she said.
that Wray will likely hold two weekly options this winter. He also plans to start a Spanish-language music class and a dinnerwith-the-author series for middle schoolers.
Wray said he’s been amazed by the support he’s seen so far for the bookstore. He reports that his first year was profitable, and most of the programs he held over the summer filled up. But what motivates him most, he said, is hearing from a neighbor who found unexpected joy at Inklings.
I feel like we’re living in a golden age of children’s literature.
BRIAN WRAY
Wray also offers book clubs for picture book and middle-grade readers and story time on Tuesdays and Saturdays. One of the most popular programs at Inklings is an artist book club, which runs for six weeks at a cost of $45 per week. At each meeting, participants read a children’s book about a popular artist — which they get to keep — and then work on an art project inspired by that artist.
On a recent Thursday in October, eight children gathered around the reading tree to hear Wray read Louise Bourgeois Made Giant Spiders and Wasn’t Sorry by Fausto Gilberti. Afterward, they made their own spider sculptures out of pipe cleaners.
The art book club has been so popular
She gave away 15 percent of her earnings to 350.org and kept the rest, putting it in savings or in her wallet — to pay for more supplies.
“I think it’s really fun,” she said. “You can take everything into your own hands.” Plus, she added, it’s satisfying to see people respond to your work.
Iris has a few tips for would-be sellers: If you’re displaying things on a table, use a tablecloth that’s not too busy, or it will draw attention away from your wares.
Also: Set up your pieces so that they catch shoppers’ eyes. For example, if you have stuffed animals, don’t lay them flat on the table. Put blocks behind them to tilt them upward so that shoppers can make eye contact. And use hangers so that items are in potential customers’ line of sight, she explained.
Applications for the Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair open on November 13 and close January 13. There’s a $20
He’s actively working to create those experiences. For example, Wray hid a “golden ticket” in Waitsfield’s Joslin Memorial Library and offered whoever found it the chance to decide on the art project that kids would create at Inklings’ first anniversary party on October 12. The lucky winner was Wilder Rothman, age 8, who also chose the color of the balloons in the store that day. The art project? Tiny mouse sculptures. Decked out in red and yellow balloons for its anniversary party, the store overflowed with visitors.
R.H.
Rachel Hellman covers Vermont’s small towns for Seven Days. She is a corps member of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. Find out more at reportforamerica.org.
Iris Erickson
Iris Erickson’s creations at Burlington’s South End Art Hop
Brian Wray reading to children at Inklings Children’s Books in Waitsfield
YOUTH TALENT SHOW FOR VERMONT’S
Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m. HIGHER GROUND BALLROOM, SOUTH BURLINGTON
Come see these rising stars wow the crowd with their talents:
• Aiden Sherpa (11) of South Burlington
• Mira Biggs (11) of Underhill
• Jaya Heitkamp (10) of Jericho
• Caroline Clayton (12) of Colchester
• Norah Canavan (12) of Colchester
• Addyson Long (11) of Colchester
• Evan Benoit (16) of Montpelier
• Myla Larmond (11) of South Burlington
• Piper Hall (15) of East Hardwick
• Calise Valiska (11) of Jeffersonville/Cambridge
• Adim Benoit (12) of Montpelier
• Violet Lambert (12) of Monkton
• Eva Lambert (8) of Monkton
• Addison Minor (15) of Westford
• Claire Blais (12) of Colchester
• Emerson Leeuw (11) of Colchester
• Alyce Ayer (11) of Bolton Valley
• Georgia Kunkel (14) of Vergennes
• Robin Hart (13) of Jericho
• Alaia “AJ” Rolfe (11) of Jericho/Richmond
• Eva Terrant (13) of South Burlington
• Stella Forward (10) of Burlington
• Eli Bart (14) of Shelburne
• Jack Blazewicz (13) of Shelburne
• Frank D’Amore (13) of Shelburne
• omas Schramm (14) of Shelburne
• Charlotte Clark (14) of Lincoln
• Lily Ryersbach (15) of Starksboro
Winter Sun Safety
The
Snow
Exposing
Exposing
Save the Dates
Winter fun for the whole family
NOVEMBER 21-JANUARY 5
BY CAROLYN FOX & ANGELA SIMPSON
Twinkle, Twinkle
WINTER LIGHTS at Shelburne Museum outshines even the starriest night.
The stunning, music-enhanced illumination of the grounds and historic buildings invites families to stroll past sparkling sea creatures at the steamboat Ticonderoga, whimsical circus figures under a glowing big top, bioluminescent butterflies in Bostwick Garden and other lustrous landmarks.
Select dates from Thursday, November 21, through Thursday, January 5, various evening times, at Shelburne Museum. $10-20; free for children under 3. $65 per car on special drive-around nights. Sensory-friendly dates on Monday, December 9 and 16. Info, 985-3346, shelburnemuseum.org.
DECEMBER 31
In With the New
An age-appropriate bedtime won’t stop kids from marking the turn of the calendar at Montshire Museum of Science’s NEW YEAR’S AT NOON celebration. Clad in fancy finery or pajama-party attire, children 12 and under enjoy themed activity stations
and count down to 2025 every hour on the hour until the clock strikes 12 — noon, that is.
Tuesday, December 31, 9:30 a.m.-noon, at Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich. $11-15; free for children under 2; member discount. Info, 649-2200, montshire.org.
DECEMBER 8
Chill Factor
Before Disney’s Frozen, there was Hans Christian Andersen’s THE SNOW QUEEN. Ukraine’s Grand Kyiv Ballet translates the wintry wonderment from page to stage — watch in awe as forest fairies, mischievous trolls, a funny snowman and other characters dance through this frosty tale of true love, friendship and wicked spells. Sunday, December 8, 7 p.m., at Flynn Main Stage in Burlington. $48.75-69.75. Info, 863-5966, flynnvt.org.
STARTING JANUARY
1
Winter Wonderland
Where can you play in the snow and view masterful artworks at the same time? At Greensboro’s OPEN AIR GALLERY SKI & SNOWSHOE TRAIL, a self-guided sculptural stroll — or slide — featuring regional art in a stunning natural setting. Choose from various paths suited to all ages and abilities, and look for more interactive experiences for kiddos this year.
Open daily starting Wednesday, January 1, dawn to dusk, at Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro. Free; donations accepted. Info, 533-2000, highlandartsvt.org.
FEBRUARY 2
Reel to Real
The Vermont Youth Orchestra goes to the movies for its “SCREEN TIME” concert. Talented performers play Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf as a live score to the same-named 2006 Oscar-winning animated short film. The program also includes the first movement of Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor, played by Essex High School senior Hailey Messier, and Koji Kondo’s end theme to the Star Fox 64 video game.
Sunday, February 2, 3 p.m., at Essex Cinemas & T-Rex Theater. $20-23. Info, 655-5030, vyo.org.
FEBRUARY 14-16
Glacial Gala
North Hero’s frozen City Bay is the coolest place to be during GREAT ICE!, a midwinter party for all ages. Festivalgoers embrace the cold with dogsled rides, an across-the-lake trek, lighted nighttime ice skating, bonfires, ice games and snow-building competitions. Someone be sure to invite Jack Frost so that the weekend is appropriately chilly!
Friday, February 14, 4-8:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 15, 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, February 16, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at City Bay and nearby locations in North Hero. All events are free except for dogsled rides, $15. Info, 372-1795, greaticevt.org.
MARCH 1
Step Right Up
The celebrated GRAND SHANGHAI CIRCUS combines awe-inspiring acrobatics, colorful costumes and spellbinding sets in a spectacle full of jaw-dropping thrills. A flurry of daring acts — including bicycle tricks, chair stacking, pole climbing, plate spinning and roller skating — delivers an enchanted evening that leaves all ages breathless.
Saturday, March 1, 7 p.m., at Paramount Theatre in Rutland. $30-40. Info, 775-0903, paramountvt.org.
The Snow Queen
New Year's at Noon at Montshire Museum of Science
Readers help pay for the production of our award-winning weekly newspaper. Thousands have made one-time or recurring donations to sustain Seven Days. Their support — along with advertisers’ — allows us to keep delivering breaking news and thoughtful long-form journalism to Vermonters.
Support local journalism — make a contribution today!
If you like what we do and can a ord to help pay for it, please become a Seven Days Super Reader. Your donation will help to keep our community informed and connected.
Join the Super Readers at sevendaysvt.com/super-readers.
Or send a note (and a check) to: Seven Days c/o Super Readers PO Box 1164 Burlington, VT 05402 Contact Gillian English at 865-1020, ext. 115 or superreaders@sevendaysvt.com.
Seven Days on the press in Mirabel, Québec
ASTRID HEDBOR
Butternut Squash Risotto
Sometimes your kids surprise you. At 18, my son has never before shown a desire to learn to cook. We tried when he was younger, but he just wasn’t interested.
He likes to eat, though. Quite picky as a child, he has come around to eating (nearly) everything. So much so that I’ve used food as an incentive to get him to try other things he’s resisted. For example, I recently bribed him with dinner out at an Indian restaurant to get him to drive in tra c — yup, I’m teaching him to drive.
And then, out of the blue, he said, “Man, I love food. I wish I knew how to cook.”
Now I’m teaching him to cook, too. I guess it makes sense — he’s always done things on his own timeline.
It’s actually lovely teaching an older kid how to cook. We’ve been meal planning and grocery shopping together, and he’s also learning how to budget for groceries and how to cook a ordably when he’s on his own.
That’s how it has come to pass
that my kiddo — who a month ago had to be reminded how to turn on the stovetop and use a can opener — learned to make risotto.
We got the idea to make it from the receptionist at his dentist’s o ce. After a wisdom tooth extraction, he needed softer foods for a couple of weeks and was sick of yogurt, applesauce, pudding and puréed soups.
Risotto is a very versatile northern Italian dish that isn’t complicated to make; it just takes time to stir. And stir. And stir.
An ideal task for a cooking apprentice!
Italian cheese such as Parmesan, Romano or Asiago. Besides those basics, the variations are endless.
It’s the first dish I taught my son to cook.
It’s made with short- or mediumgrain rice cooked in broth until it has a luscious, creamy consistency. Arborio rice is most commonly used in risotto, but you could also try medium-grain carnaroli rice, or even grains such as barley or farro. Risotto calls for onions or shallots (I used both), broth or stock, and good
INGREDIENTS
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 shallot, diced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
We chose a butternut squash version with crispy pancetta. The recipe calls for a little wine in the beginning of the cooking process to deglaze the pan after the toasting of the grains and cooking of the aromatics, but you can substitute a smaller amount of apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or even orange juice for the wine, according to a chef friend of mine. While the traditional recipes call for constant stirring, you don’t have to stand over the pot — just stir every minute or so. The most important tip is to warm up the broth so that the risotto doesn’t change temperature as you add liquid.
The result is worth the e ort. My son loved making this recipe and is already planning on whipping it up again to show o his skills to his girlfriend. K
• 1 cup dry white wine, or 2 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or orange juice
• 1/2 cup cubed pancetta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh sage leaves for garnish (fry lightly in a tiny amount of oil, then drain), optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Warm broth in a saucepan.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
3. Sauté shallot, onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is translucent.
4. Add squash and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add in rice and minced sage, stirring until the rice is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
6. Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to loosen anything that is stuck.
7. Add in 1/2 cup warmed broth, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, 1/2 cup at a time, until the broth is used up and the rice is tender and creamy. (This step should take 25 to 40 minutes, depending on your pan and your stovetop heat. Patience is key.)
8. While the rice is cooking, crisp the pancetta in a separate small pan, then drain on a paper towel.
9. Once the rice is creamy, stir in the pancetta.
10. Finish with butter, stirring until melted.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12. Garnish with fried sage leaves, if desired.
Cold but Cozy Collages
Davis Community School students imagine animals enjoying winter
BY CATHY RESMER
The temperature falls and darkness sets in during Vermont’s winter months, but this time of year is also filled with seasonal fun. Students at Davis Community School in South Burlington recently tackled an art project: creating a mixed-media portrait of woodland creatures enjoying winter.
Teachers at the independent school for grades K through 6 led their pupils through an exploration of the practice of anthropomorphizing, or attributing human characteristics and activities to animals, said teacher Teresa Davis. “This is something students come across repeatedly in the books they read and in popular TV programs,” she said. “Students viewed several images by the Mexican illustrator, graphic designer and tattoo artist Indi Maverick, who is known for her drawings of animals wearing fancy sweaters and jackets.”
Students drew faces, bodies and other details in pen on old dictionary pages and music sheets. They added colorful clothing with scrapbook papers or watercolor paints. The mixed-media materials were then glued to their backgrounds, Davis said.
Background drawings of Vermont’s trees, snowflakes, mountains and even cozy kitchens were added with white
gel pens. K
“Bear Playing Basketball” by Malcolm Davis, age 6
“Hedgehog Playing Hockey” by Alex Williams, age 9
“Chipmunk Making Tea” by Naïma Carvalho Sandoval, age 10
“Raccoon Doing Snowboarding Tricks” by Parker Bookwalter, age 9
“Fox” by Jimi Ritvo Stuffle, age 6
“Fox” by Vera McHenry, age 6
“Bunny” by Clio Chatham Lanza, age 4
From top: “Fox” by Kilian Hurd, age 5; “Bunny” by Chloe Barges, age 6
CIVIC SPIRIT
Vermont students learned about and helped their communities through the Good Citizen Challenge
What does it mean to be a Good Citizen? We asked kids who participated in this summer’s Good Citizen Challenge to share their interpretations of the term.
Gilbert Whitman of Poultney said it well: “I think being a good citizen means staying on top of what is happening in your community, getting involved and helping people if you can.” The 13-year-old’s wise words sum up the mission of the Good Citizen Challenge, the nonpartisan youth civics initiative organized by Seven Days and Kids VT
THE 2024 GOOD CITIZEN CHALLENGE, BY THE NUMBERS
• 1,315: Activities completed
• 11: Times Cathy and/or Ben appeared live on the 6 a.m. newscast on Channel 3 to raffle off prizes
Find all of the Challenge activities, as well as the 2024 Hall of Fame, at goodcitizenvt.com.
• 5: Public events where Seven Days staff tabled
• 3: Times we tabled in the rain
This summer’s Challenge invited kids
to take part in 25 di erent activities, such as picking up trash in a public place, reading the local news, taking a test to spot AI-generated images and designing a new “I Voted” sticker. We launched the Challenge in June with the goal of logging 1,000 completed activities from kids all over the state. Thanks to young people like Gilbert, we crushed it — Vermont kids completed 1,315 activities this summer. A total of 250 K-8 students participated. Some did one activity; others did more. Eight Distinguished Citizens completed all 25! We celebrated all of these Good Citizens at a reception at the Vermont Statehouse on September 19, where we
honored our prize winners and randomly chose the recipient of the grand prize trip to Washington, D.C. — Felix Weissberger of Winooski. Thank you to everyone who participated — including the indispensable adult helpers and team leaders, and Seven Days intern Ben Conway, a Middlebury College student who spent the summer promoting the Challenge. And kudos to all of our partners and underwriters who made these transformative experiences possible. We can’t wait to do it again next year!
CATHY RESMER
• $5k+: Amount donated to various Vermont charities through kids in the Challenge
• 1: Vermont “I Voted” stickers featured in a voting sticker quiz in the New York Times: — congrats, Kezia Warfisch of Wolcott!
• 73: Percent of Challenge participants who said they learned something new about the place where they live
• 68: Percent of Challenge participants who said they’d be more likely to go to a community event in the future
• 41: Percent of participants who said the Challenge made them more likely to follow local news
• 29: Percent who said the Challenge made them more likely to run for office someday
Jane Lindholm of Vermont Public and Cathy Resmer of Seven Days with the 2024 Distinguished Citizens: Issabelle Paulson, Susannah Rye, Jacob Rye, Sam Sanborn, Heikki Milles, Vivi Milles, Willa Saunders and Hazel Saunders
Sticker by Kezia Warfisch of Wolcott
Sticker by Willa Saunders of Burlington
Sticker by Lyle Johnson of Burlington
Grade
GILBERT WHITMAN, POULTNEY
Grade CHANGER
KIDS JUST FOR
Coloring Contest!
Three winners will each receive a $30 gift card to a local bookstore. Send Kids VT your work of art by February 15. Be sure to include the info at right with your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 5 and younger, (2) ages 6-8 and (3) ages 9-12. Winners will be named in the Spring Issue of Kids VT. Email your high-resolution scans to art@kidsvt.com with “Coloring Contest” in the subject line, or mail a copy to Kids VT, P.O. Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05401.
KIDS JUST FOR
COLORING CONTEST WINNERS
“It’s Raining Down in the Storm”
Neala, 5, MONTPELIER 5 & under
6 to 8
Wow, Nora and Willa, the coloring contest judges from Seven Days heard your Katy Perry bear “Roar!” We were all bear-y impressed with the various activities these bruins engaged in, from deejaying a party to trick-or-treating to lifting weights to painting a masterpiece. Picking the winners was almost as tough as voting in the November 5 election, which was actually the day we judged this contest, too. Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to all who entered!
HONORABLE MENTIONS
“WELCOME TO THE STATE PARK” Edith Ingalls-Fairweather, 12, Waterville
“DJ BEAR”
Meadow Williams, 9, East Montpelier
Winners receive a collection of art supplies.
“‘Roar’ Katy Perry” Nora and Willow Pfeil, 9 and 10,, RICHMOND 9 to 12
“A BEARY GOOD DAY”
Charlie Holland, 7, Essex
“COLORFUL BEAR”
Tavi Steiner, 3, Wooster, Ohio
“LUCKY RAINBOW BEAR”
Edith, 8, Burlington
“MOUSE A COOKIE”
Clara Green, 4, East Montpelier
“A LITTLE HALLOWEEN!”
Jelina B. Quittner, 10, Burlington
“ICY CLIMB” Forest, 10, Cabot
“THE NIGHT STAR” Riley Greer, 8, Johnson
“BACK TO SCHOOL VIBES” Ula Spotzler, 9, Burlington
Come to Camp Abnaki for the best summer ever!
Technology-free fun on a beautiful campus
• Overnight + day camps on Lake Champlain in North Hero
• Campers learn skills, build confidence, and make friends
• Archery, sailing, ropes course, campfires, much more
• New for 2025: specialized camps for teens!
Registration open now! campabnaki.org/2025camp
Toddler Tastes
As a food writer and first-time mom, I had grand plans of fostering my son’s adventurous eating from the start. One of his earliest foods, at 6 months old, was Misery Loves Co.’s chicken liver pâté.
If he tagged along to a restaurant, I fed him whatever I was eating. I silently cheered as he devoured every bit of duck confit off the top of my tot waffle at Adventure Dinner’s Paris Olympics pop-up in Shelburne this summer, even though I didn’t get any myself. At Frankie’s in Burlington, he went so ham on the pommes purée — with his hands — that we had to order a second bowl (and borrow a towel to clean the banquette afterward). He ate beets, sardines, tropical fruits and kidney beans.
Emphasis on ate. Toddlerhood is a whole different ball game. At 16 months old, my sweet, exuberant son would prefer to subsist on freshly fallen leaves and bathwater. And maybe cheese, thank goodness. As more of his calories have shifted to solid food, my adventurous eater’s tastes have turned beige. Now, his three meals and two snacks a day have narrowed into a predictable roster of things he won’t throw on the floor. I’m still trying, but if “food before 1 is just for fun,” as they say, food after 1 is for dashing Mom’s hopes.
The transition from infant to toddler showed up first in my son’s lunch box. I’d been sending cute little meals to his infant childcare classroom, with a couple tufts of roasted broccoli or chunks of sweet potato for him to gnaw on, packed in a small two-compartment Tupperware container. When he moved up to the toddler room this summer, he got a bento box. Two compartments turned to five, and his appetite increased accordingly.
He also started eating the schoolprovided snack. Every day, I’d hear a bit about what he liked (kiwi, cheddar bunnies) and what he didn’t (when his cereal touches milk). His sign language exploded, thanks to a love of blueberries (more!) and snack time in general (eat!).
Those communication skills — and a recent mastery of nodding and shaking his head — have made it clear that he not only has food preferences but also has figured out how to express them, sometimes strongly. No yogurt. Absolutely not. Ditto for pancakes, his teacher said, even when they contained chocolate chips.
worked, but it took so long that I’ve yet to repeat it.
Still, every night, we put a bit of what we’re eating on his dinner plate. Usually, it ends up in the Catchy — an easyto-clean contraption that sits under his high chair’s footrest and catches whatever he drops before it hits the floor. I bought it after seeing the most successfully targeted Instagram ad I’ve ever been served.
The more popular part of my typical meal offering tends to be the cheese — usually Cabot Creamery’s rustic-cut cheddar — which he stuffs in his mouth while donning an appropriately cheesy grin.
As molars and germ season have rolled in, his appetite has become even more limited. I’ve succumbed to puffs and the dreaded applesauce pouches, which he sucks down faster than I used to slurp Jell-O shots in college. In an attempt to hide some vegetables on a particularly picky day, I stuffed individual peas into mac and cheese noodles; the over-the-top effort actually
I find myself dreaming of his duck confit days or thinking of all the recipes I wanted to make from the River Cottage Baby & Toddler Cookbook, which sits optimistically beside my stove. It’s too hard to watch him chuck something after I spent an afternoon cooking it just for him. But, like everything kid-related — as far as I can tell 16 months in — his tastes keep changing. Month by month, week by week, day by day and even minute by minute, if the kiwi is all of a sudden too squishy, or if he remembers that he really, really loves Bolognese.
We recently spent a weekend in southern Vermont with friends from college: eight adults and five kids between the ages of 2 months and 6.5 years. The meal planning looked a lot different from reunion weekends in our twenties, when we’d spend all day in the kitchen together cooking elaborate dishes. Now we had taco night, a simple breakfast, spaghetti and meatballs.
One friend texted to the group, “Does anyone’s kid have food allergies?”
“We’re a maybe on strawberries,” another messaged back.
“No allergies here, but what he’ll actually eat is TBD,” I wrote.
“Saaaaaaame,” came the reply. We all immediately hearted it. K
