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The Apple Trick: On Not Tricking Kids into Eating Well
I attribute the fact that my four year old daughter eats everything, from oysters and rabbit ragú to kale and carrot juice, to pure and simple luck. Other parents ask, especially when they see her slurp down an oyster, how we get her to eat so well. When I say it is all luck (and could change at any moment) I'm not lying.
But the truth is, I also use a few tricks.
The most important thing you can do to encourage great appetites in children is to model a good attitude toward eating. Children look to us as role models. Until the age of seven or so, their every waking moment is guided by the desire to imitate. Show them how exciting cooking and eating can be. Kids pick up on negativity, so keep it out of the kitchen. If you don't care for Brussels sprouts, don't hold them back from your children. And if you do offer them, don't wrinkle your nose and squint your eyes as they go for their inaugural bite.
I also think it's essential to make a wide variety of foods are available to kids from an early age. For me, that began at eight months, when Ursula had her first bite of solid food. And that first bite was not a spoonful of goopy manufactured rice cereal. It was a spoonful of sweet potato. Soon she was gnawing on steak with her gums. I'll never forget our pediatrician advising the "have them eat what you eat" philosophy. His example was "if you have Pad Thai, put it in the blender and that's what baby eats!" There's something to that.
Now what about the problem of: "My kid doesn't want to eat that." Or the zone I've recently entered into with a four-year-old: "No no no I don't want it, I won't eat it," which is what I heard as I chopped a butternut squash, something she usually loves. Panic set in, knowing dinner was 20 minutes away, the fridge wasn't full of other options, and I had a hungry child on the loose. But I noticed an apple in the fruit basket and employed my next two tricks. Get them involved in the cooking. and Sweeten the deal.
"Ooo, look at that beautiful red apple. You know what? I think I might to do something really crazy for dinner tonight."
Her tense "no no no" face relaxed a little and she asked me what crazy thing I was going to do.
"I'm going to put an apple in the soup." [her eyes light up] "and I could sure use some help cutting it."
When Maxwell came home that evening, she was just finishing up, licking the inside of the bowl. "Daddy, Mommy put a secret ingreeeeeeedient in the soup. Do you know what it is? I can't tell you. It's apple!"
Today is soup day at her school and each child is asked to bring a vegetable for the soup. You know what Ursula brought. As I write this, I know the children are proudly showing each other what they have in their little school-issue sacks. And my little girl isn't going hungry.
More on cooking with children from The Kitchn
• Bake Kid-Pleasing Escargot in a Mini-Muffin Tin
• On Cooking with Kids (With a Few Recommended Books)
• Weekend Meditation: The Clean Plate Club
• Jamie Oliver's TED Talk: Teach Kids About Food
• On Making Your Own Baby Food
81 Comments
My family doctor had the same philosophy about introducing foods to my children... nevertheless my children have both become extraordinarily picky eaters on their own (I will try anything that doesn't have peanuts in it, but my ex is picky)... I know from my brother that even the pickiest child (such as he was) may eventually branch out and become an adventurous eater, so i try not to worry and I don't trick them.
That was a really sweet post! I truly enjoyed it, thank you.
I have a fussy son, and a daughter who will eat anything. Same parents, same philosophy, different eaters! I also got a kick of the apple/squash combination - it happens to be one of my favourite soups!
Sara Kate's right about setting a good example - mine eat just about everything because we got them eating with us as early as possible, and by not offering any alternatives if they turned their noses up at anything. Don't worry too much about them going hungry - it won't do them any harm in the long run!
What a sweet story and what a great way to redirect a kid from focusing on not liking something to being willing to try a new food and like it.
It's all about mainstreaming... And you're so right about keeping negativity out of food talk. Kids are SO perceptive about what parents say and what they don't say.
I have to say, I practice the same philosophy as you outlined here. I cook all the time, love food...all sorts of food. I never serve my kids special meals. And yet, still, they are picky. I was also a picky kid and my parents never served me special kids. It wasn't until COLLEGE that I suddenly was willing to eat all sorts of things and now I have a very broad culinary appreciation. I decided that I will just do the same thing and eventually they will come around. But it's so frustrating to know that I'm offering all these good things and they are just horrified by its presence. I remember being grossed out by my mother's gumbo. Freaking out at artichokes. Gagging on sausage. Now, it's all good. Are my kids hungry sometimes? Yup. But they are rarely sick and are very healthy, so I figure if I get a few nutritious things in them a few times a week they'll be fine.
I meant "served me special kids MEALS." Not special kids!
My mom also just put whatever they were having for dinner in the baby food mill, and while I was still somewhat picky as a child (I'm dreading the picky-child karma I'm due for) it at least combated the kiddie-food only silliness that seems so common. Since about college-age there's almost nothing I won't eat, so keepy trying, parents of picky kids.
Good advice about exposing kids even to foods you don't like. One thing I've recently realized is there are several foods that I don't cook merely because my mom didn't like them and so I'm not familiar with how to make them--it's been fun lately experimenting with these things for myself!
Great post. I don't have kids but I really appreciated what you wrote. Esp about the influence that the parents' attitude/vibe has on the kids. Great thing to remember.
Being childless and therefore watching from the sidelines, it has kind of astonished me what my sister feeds her toddlers. They eat a ton of bland white meat, fruit, and baby carrots. Time doesn't seem to be the issue, since my sis will ultimately cook a separate, tastier, and more nutritionally balanced meal for her husband and herself.
Above all, I don't see how her girls are getting all the nutrients they need, but what do I know?
I think another important point is just because they didn't like something once, don't stop offering it to them. Just make it differently. My son was not a huge fan of roasted cauliflower, but he loves it raw. Sometimes it's the seasoning or texture they don't like, not the actual food.
Love this post and apply many of those same principles and 'techniques' as the others. What is frustrating for me is that one day she loves something as esoteric (for a 3yr old mind you!) as raw kale salad with a lemony vinaigrette and is eating it by the handful, the next day she is wrinkling her nose if it even goes NEAR her plate. Makes it tough to determine from one day to the next what she'll eat. I keep telling myself its her age and she'll grow out of it but it is maddening nonetheless.
My mother always made sure we had a very varied diet. She says it takes 10 or 12 introductions of a new food to a child before the child will learn to like it. So, she gave me peas and if I didn't like them, she gave them to me eleven more times and then I loved them. As a result my sisters and I are not picky eaters. My sister is carrying that through to my niece and it works like a charm. I'm so thankful that I'm not afraid to try all the new and wonderful foods the world has to offer. It's a great gift to give your children.
What a sweet post! Thanks for sharing!
We don't have kids but I'm all for supporting adventurous and healthy eating - in kids of all ages! :)
I'm not above lying to children to get my point across...
"Do you remember the first time you ate ice cream? No? You hated it."
But in all seriousness, I think adults and children alike need to live by the rule that you don't know you hate it unless you've tried it recently.
Thanks for the great posting! Great ideas I'll have to incorporate into our home.
We have the "No Thank You" bite rule in our house. If my (very picky, four-year old) daughter takes a bite and doesn't like it, then she may have eggs and fruits/veggies for dinner (which I have her help make).
However, more often than not, after one bite she decides she likes it. Last night she immediately started the "I don't like it!" fit she sometimes throws after finding out that salmon, green beans, and cous cous were on the menu. After one bite, she declared it was the best dinner ever and asked to take it to school for lunch!
I don't have kids, but I fully believe that I (or anyone else) can truly say they don't like something unless they've had it recently. Allergies are separate, but if you don't like it is it because you don't like the taste or that you remember how you disliked it the first time you had it.
My child ate everything, and I mean everything, until he started eating at school. Within one year of watching what his classmates ate, he started asking for gogurt, chips and one by one rejected all of his favorite meals....any tips? This started at the age of 7 and he's now 9.
You know, I was the pickiest eater in my entire class all through school (yes, even high school). I was legendary with the other parents. My poor mother tried everything, is a wonderful cook, always involved me, and is excited about new foods to this day (except caramel, which she won't touch, the weirdo). I was having none of it. I stayed that way until college, where I got bored with the cafeteria food and started branching out on my own. Many years later I am in love with food, cook all the time, teach cheese and beer pairing classes, and cannot resist buying produce I've never seen before. So for all you foodie parents who dismay at your child's insistence on living entirely on white pasta and butter (uh, not that I ever did such a thing), I am living proof that you never know.
Never assume that it's only great parenting that molds kids. They come into this world with their own preferences. I have one out of three that ate everything when young and then totally stopped. He was also my only one that refused to clean his toys, do his homework etc. With out his willingness to cooperate, it's a tough battle. It's not always about parenting skills. My other two are so easy and have the same parents, same house etc. The only difference is their personalities don't demand independce. It's easy to be a cocky parent when your child is more agreeable.
I meant 'independence',
I just give my 11 month old small bits of what we are eating. Still avoiding a few foods for potential alergy reasons, but other than that everything goes. She's great with any kind of cooked veggie or fruit I put in front of her. She can only handle some things in their raw state still (4 teeth and all). She's doing great with meats in small pieces. I really really hope she keeps this up. I love to cook and I don't think I'd handle a chicken nuggets only child very well. She's getting introduced to a wide variety of spices, flavors and textures now, so I don't have to make 2 meals every night later.
Have you read any of Ellyn Satter's work? Your approach to feeding kids sounds a lot like hers. Her philosophy is that you have the Division of Responsibility: you as the parent are responsible for putting a variety of healthful/tasty foods on the table at regular intervals, and then it's up to the child which of the foods on offer to eat at each meal in what order.
I've actually been using a lot of these ideas to help my ultra-picky-eater husband learn to be more adventurous. He's come a long way over the last couple years, which means I get better, more interesting meals and we both have less stress in our lives.
My theory is that you expose them to a lot of food, put it all in front of them and not bother fighting about it. My daughter is 7 and her tastes expand every year. She lived on chicken fingers for about 2 years. Today, she eats kale, asparagus, cauliflower and a wide range of other veggies most kids won't touch. Her favorite dinner is marinated steak!
Here's a chicken recipe my kids love: http://cookingwithjeanne.blogspot.com/2010/10/chicken-for-disney-fried-soul.html
My 3-year-old son ate roasted fennel last week from a dish he helped create. This week? Wouln't touch it. He is a great eater, though, and has loved blueberries (bluebubbas) since he was so small I had to mash them between my fingers. Loves fruits and vegetables of all kinds. I gave him a shopping basket to carry one day and he put his beloved blueberries in it.
I think the "trick" is a combination of all of these things and working with the personality of your child. Exposing them to different things is certainly key.
yes, that's exactly what happens to me. My daughter likes almost everything but when she feels cranky she will just eat it veeeeeery slowly. Sometimes we need to send her to bed after only half of her dinner. We always assume that if she is very hungry she will get up and demand some food. It has never happened!
I guess one more thing, there are actually a few things that she doesn't like in a baby food puree'd format, but likes in it's normal state. Like all the baby food meats and Earth's Best Summer Vegetable. Just in case that helps someone who's thinking their baby doesn't like some particular food.
I am laughing at this only because its reversed in my family, my mother is the one that eats like a 3 year old. She won't try anything new and eats almost no good wholesome food. I on the other hand eat almost everything, and love to try new things, and love to cook. I can't cook for her at all, its impossible, she won't eat anything, and its so frustrating! Got a solution for that?
I was the same as cranberrybobble. I wouldn't eat anything as a kid and my friends parents dreaded having me over. However, when I got to college and started cooking for myself, I learned to branch out. Today there are very few things I won't eat and my mom loves to brag to her friends about what a good eater I turned out to be!
We don't do "no thank you" bite. I think it's ridiculous. Oh, you don't want to eat that? Eat it anyway!
I second the suggestion to read Ellyn Satter. The division of responsibility makes clear that you can't force a child to eat, but you can give them good choices.
One of the other things she writes about that I found interesting and helpful was to sort of demystify food. The idea is not to turn food into a reward, or a replacement for approval.
She also talks about looking at the big picture - if my kid eats a less healthy snack today, I don't sweat it since If i look at what they eat over the course of several weeks, its just fine.
We're lucky that this didn't get thrown off too much at school - in 7th and 5th grades now, when teachers and friends give out candy as prizes, etc.
My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 12 months old (she's now 13), and the Joslin clinic recommended Satter's books when we asked about diet/food, saying that what we needed was not diabetes specific, but to help our daughter develop a healthy attitude towards food. Its helped us and her, and her brother - along with them helping cook/buy/prepare good food - to maintain a balanced attitude towards feeding and eating with our kids.
nice and thoughtful post but it's not that simple.. My now 9 year old son was exposed to a kitchen filled with fantastic foods from the very beginning..To this day, he rejects almost everything that is not cupcakes, french fries or pizza.. and no success with occupational therapy.. I could go on but hopefully I've made my point..
My kid eats everything. He goes through phases though. Especially when he was 3 to 4, he would just decide "I don't like X". Doesn't matter what "X" was. Strawberries, eggs, whatever. The key was that I didn't argue or fight it. We have the 1-2 bite rule in our house. And if he didn't eat it for dinner, he got it for breakfast. We don't ARGUE about it. We state it as a fact. And there are a few items that he truly doesn't like after trying many times. I still will put them on his plate, but he doesn't have to eat them (veggie burgers, pickles and red bell peppers). Everything else? Gotta at least try it.
I know two sets of parents who's older kids are very picky and younger kids eat everything. It could be a kid thing, but they both admit that when their older kids said "I don't want it", they didn't fight it, they started making something else for them. I don't do that, with the exception of the veggie burger.
Both my older grandchildren amazed me by eating sushi, miso soup, and just about every vegetable they were served when they were toddlers. Now the 6 year old will eat 3 things only: pizza, parmesan cheese right out of the shaker, and naked chow mein noodles. He can not be bribed into eating anything green, even when he's shown pictures of himself eating various exotica. The 14 year old - a little broader repertoire with a long list of dislikes. The 2 younger ones, 2 and 5, are still in the eating everything stage. I hope it lasts.
My son grew up eating everything (except cottage cheese - where that came from...?). I always made my own baby food in the food processor and he ate what I ate. Also, taking him out to restaurants where he could try (and like, really!) all different types of foods that maybe I did not make at home truly developed his palate at an early age. I think it's important to make eating food an adventure. He is a true foodie at 23 years old and is now turning me on to dishes that are new to me.
My daughter often had her nose close to the cutting board during dinner prep time, so we often had many of our vegetables raw - it was an adventure that way. Also, I didn't try to force "weird" things on her; but I did insist on one taste of everything she was offered. She could then say a polite "no thank you" if she were offered more. She will never embarrass herself in any culture as she now has a very broad palate.
My 2 year old is apparently a "great" eater. Or at least that's what the other parents tell me.
She eats what we eat or not if she chooses. It's not a fight. But she doesn't get hot dogs or chicken nuggets or Kraft Dinner instead of real food.
She does sometimes get these sorts of foods at daycare or if we are out at friends' houses. But we just don't buy them so it's not an option.
My basic mandate is that I don't buy anything that I'm not happy with her eating.
@ines: Peer pressure can be quite difficult to counter, but, from experience, perseverance usually pays off. Children enjoy what they are used to, so if you continue exposing them to a variety of tastes, they'll eventually acquire those tastes. This might sound unusually strict, but I never let my kids get away with refusing a meal that someone had cooked for them, even if that meal was 'junk' food at a friend's house. If they didn't like what was on offer, they knew to ask for a small portion, and at least try some of the food, but not request any special treatment. Same at home.
Flyingdragon is right. Every child is different even with the same parents, and the parents can't take the credit or the blame for everything about their kids. They make up their own minds and they may change any time.
But certainly making, serving and enjoying great food is a wonderful thing.
@pearmelon I agree about strictness and I have tactically designed my home menus so my kids learn how to eat many things and we are a from scratch, fresh, organic food kind of family. (but we enjoy our moments of decadence as long as it's natural!) And my kids know that objecting and whining isn't going to get them anywhere.
My biggest prob is lunch. It's appalling what other kids eat. My son used to eat chicken soup in the thermos, raw veggies, fruit etc as an example and now it's a struggle to find something he will eat. He won't eat sandwiches. Says the hot food tastes bad in the thermos. And the old let him get hungry he'll learn routine just doesn't work. He's quite fine not eating lunch 5 days in a row and having 5 meltdowns after school if his stomach is empty.
Feeding an 18 month old was a cakewalk. Feeding a school aged kid can be very trying.
I agree with one of the previous posters that in the long run it works--I was a horribly picky eater from baby times to high school. I now eat everything. And what's more my palate has been conditioned by years of my mediterranean mother's cooking to hate sickly sweet things, and crave veggies, olive oil, grilled fish etc.
I just need to find a way to get through the next 10 years ;-)
I never wanted to anything when I was little. I grew out of it thankfully :)
ines "It's appalling what other kids eat." What do they eat? Maybe you can have a word with his teacher, and have him sit with children who are less picky?
As a Registered Dietitian, I THIRD the suggestion to read Ellyn Satter! "child of mine" is a guide for this.
Also remember, your kids are smart. They won't let themselves starve. Making special meals for kids that hold out on new foods, teaches them that holding out is a very effective strategy.
I worked in a preschool kitchen where meals had a variety of foods. if a new food was offered like salmon, a familiar and nutritious food was also offered. The kids had to try the new food, but at least there was something at the table they could eat. It was offered initally there was no "special meal" connation attached to it.
Also, if your kid wants gogurt, make him save up allowance to buy it. You're not depriving him of yogurt if you offer the quality stuff. If he really wants the junk, he needs to make a value assessment. This trick works for checkout stand treats. A nine year old can make this value judgement in a way that works to his advantage. ;)
I too find that when my daughter (2 and a half) cooks with me, she is way more interested in eating the product. Also, she likes to stand by me and munch on veggies dipped in soy sauce as I chop, etc. A nice way for her to enjoy her veggies. I don't care if she eats them in the actual finished meal or in the preparation-- it's all the same to me...
We also live by "the serve the kids what you are eating philosophy". This has landed us an 8 year old, who in Kindergarden, the Teacher did not believe his favorite meal was Crablegs and steamed broccili (Plain-No Cheese) and one extremely picky 5 year old, who is required to participate in the "one bite rule".
Texture is everything to him and We have come a long way. He, after an extended illness, would only eat crackers, nuts and crunchy fruits. YEARS!
My patience is finally paying off.
So to All of the Moms out there with picky eaters....They will try New things, Eventually :)
Cooking for teachers and friends was also a breakthrough method for us! (No fear in thinking Mom is going to force you to eat it, if it isn't even for you, RIGHT?) If the teacher raved about the food, the kids were more likely to try it.
We make a lot of homemade chocolates for gifts and the kids LOVE sharing their creations with an audience!
Keep up the great work!
Middle-Class Martha
Beautiful post, I follow the same principles with my 2.5 year old son who considers going out to sushi to be a treat where he employs chopsticks and he also helps himself to genuinely spicy curry.
I also attribute it to having always shared our family meals with him from his first solids at 6 months. He is applauded by friends and childcare alike for his love of food.
My baby eats what I eat, and it doesn't go in the blender first (we started with full solids, baby led weaning). She does have random picky spurts, but eats so much more than most 1 year olds I know.
I also have a 9 year old that will eat very little and a 6 year old that will eat anything. I make no special meals and both help in the kitchen. The 9 year old has always been picky the six year old not. So yes, there is some nature and some nurture involved. Very sweet post.
Agreed that getting kids in the kitchen is critical. Making them part of the process not only encourages them to try new things by giving them pride in the product, but it's also precious time spent together! With that said, and being the mom of two very different kids, there are definitely those that really just need to figure things out on their own because that's how they are wired. And their desire for control trumps even the craftiest trick.
Very nice article! The only problem I have with it, is that shellfish and especially 'oysters' are very, very dangerous to young children and the elderly. I have been through several food safety classes in my 25 years of being in the restaurant business, and the risks are not worth the rewards. Please look into this. This is not spam - it is real. There are bacteria on oysters that the young and old cannot fight off due to either under developed or anemic immune systems.
Our son has food allergies, the biggest being peanuts. He is super picky. I work with our doctor on his diet and she helps us supplement with vitamins. Okay, my main point is...his younger sister is not picky at all. She tries new things all the time. Each child is different. Thanks for the ideas though, I agree the way we eat affects our kids.
@alliej We also have the "12 bite rule". My daughter has one bite of asparagus (or mushrooms, or scrambled eggs...) for 10 or 12 meals, then we acknowledge that she doesn't like it for now, and she doesn't have to try it anymore. After a few months, we start again with trying it. Now that my kids are 17 and 13, they sometimes prompt me to give them a hated food, in case they now like it. They see they're changing taste buds as a sign that they are growing up (and they're right!).
@ines You sound like an awesome parent. If sandwiches don't work, try leftovers from dinner (like spaghetti!). If the thermos tastes funny, keep trying with different containers. If you are discouraged, make a shopping list with your child just for lunch items, and explain how to plan for healthy foods as well as treats. They like seeing things in their lunch that "they" picked out.
Finally, I ask my kids to pack all their trash back into the lunchbox, so I can see what was eaten and what got panned. My mother slept in and never made my lunches, so I enjoy making lunch for my kids, with their input and help.
I refrained from commenting on this post until now (flyingdragon put it the best -- and the self-congratulatory boasting on this board is too much for me), but your comment -- "Also remember, your kids are smart. They won't let themselves starve" made me so upset that I have to speak up, because you are very, very wrong.
I used to believe that any mammal would not let itself starve, so when a friend adopted a cat from the SPCA and it didn't eat, that is what I told her. Guess what happened? The cat died. If cats don't eat for 2 or 3 days, they develop potentially fatal problems with their livers.
But still, I didn't think it possible my children could intentionally starve themselves when food was on offer. But hey, guess what? My second child did.
My son did not want to be weaned, not at 7 months, not at 8 months... At this point the pediatrician was telling us to really insist that he be exposed to food. So we did insist. Guess what? He hated it. He spit almost everything out, but even the things he "loved", he only ate a bite or two of. He went from being "small" to being at the 3rd percentile on the WHO growth charts. At 16 months, after being dehydrated from gastroenteritis, he was hospitalized, and we found out he was anemic. He had no appetite due to the anemia, and had literally starved himself. No amount of that stupid "holding out strategy" had worked on him; on the contrary, it made him violently opposed to foods. (after forcing him to try banana, he would not eat it for me again until he was 18 months old -- banana! He hated banana for 10 months!)
He *still* has a terrible appetite, is *still* small (although he has shot up to the 10th percentile), and is *still* very, very picky. (and is addicted to dairy; the boy could easily use his own cow...). No want of trying on our part -- the 2-bite rule (which does pay modest dividends, exposing him to foods that he finds he actually likes on occasion), cooking and baking together (he has a harder time rejecting food he has prepared, but he *still* does!), peer pressure (he has catered hot lunches at school) and so on has fundamentally changed anything.
We've exposed our kids to great food, to unusual food... at school, they get 3 course meals that most adults would find sophisticated -- last week, as their weekly fish dish, they had pasta with mussels. (this is Europe, afterall!). But children emerge from the womb with fully-formed personalities, and as a parent, you cannot re-mold them to your desire. Our firstborn was the same adventurous eater that Ursula is now, but at 7, she no longer likes spicy foods, foods with challenging textures (like those mussels), and has gone "off" many foods she previously loved. She too is very, very, VERY stubborn.
So don't pat yourselves on the back for a wonderful parenting job with respect to food just yet; consider yourselves lucky that your child is open to what you are offering.
And PLEASE do not advise people to use the "holding out strategy" like we were -- it is potentially dangerous, and somewhat misguided.
I don't have much faith in dietitians after our experience with them.
I agree with everything in this post (expect feeding a young child oysters). My kids are not picky and I also attribute this to mostly luck and a little parenting- i.e. feeding them whatever we are eating and never making them a separate, kid-approved food. But, I also recognize that they might change. I've known kids that eat raw onions and goat cheese at age 3 but refuse anything but PB&J at age 7.
I just wanted to add a tip- if your kids are young enough, lie to them! The one food my 3.5 year old daughter has decided she hates is kale. The other day I was chopping some up for a pasta dish and she came in, asking is that kale? I told her it was not because "I know you don't like kale- these are leaves from the ookily-bookily tree." She happily declared that she loved leaves from the ookily-bookily tree and ate up her dinner.
Sweet post, thanks!
A great book on this topic is Too Many Cooks by Emily Franklin - loved it!
I think sometimes kids are picky eaters at dinner because they're not hungry. My daughter is a great eater but I've noticed she is often less adventurous at dinner time because she's not hungry or she's tired.
Is the picky eating thing an American thing? As an immigrant child I ate what was placed in front of me or I didn't eat at all. No accommodations were made. My friends overseas treat their children the same way and their children eat foods that most American adults wouldn't look at.
I fully believe in eliminating the negativity. Working in the food industry, I have seen many occasions where a child asked to try something and the parent replied, "oh really? I don't think you'd like that" and the child's attitude instantly changed. And then they wonder why their kids are hard to feed.
@leadingedge: You have a point. Like you, I grew up eating whatever was put in front of me. Children weren't consulted, although there was frequent talk about food, its preparation and the deliciousness of various dishes. We kids just looked forward to mealtimes, and were HUNGRY when we sat down to eat. If we chose not to eat, we would remain hungry until the next meal. I have tried to bring my own kids up similarly.
Growing up I was the one who ate anything, smoked oysters were one of my favourites. And my brother refused to eat anything but chicken nuggets and fries. I had my 9th birthday party at a sushi restaurant.
I like to blame my parents for my high grocery bills. Now that I'm older my mom is getting me into wines and cheese I can't afford.
Black truffle cheese is not cheap. Thanks Mom.
Growing up with a picky younger sister made me vow never to cater to my kids. She ran my mom ragged because she would eat one thing for weeks on end. For every meal...
My 8-year old has been trained to eat whatever is served at meals. If you don't like it, take less of it BUT you're eating it. Otherwise, you can skip this meal because this is all that's available. Maybe it seems incredibly hard-hearted but she's very game to try new foods.
We are also lucky with a good eater (and yes, it's luck--I was picky until adulthood). One thing to remember is that children's vocabularies for their preferences aren't that sophisticated. I don't mean their words, I mean how they understand expressing themselves. Mine, like yours, loves butternut squash. But sometimes she gets sick of it. She'd suddenly "not like" butternut squash. I eventually figured out that she couldn't distinguish between "not in the mood for squash tonight" and "don't like squash, permanently." Her sudden food refusals don't faze me anymore. Yes, tastes change, but it seems mostly that she can get tired of a texture or taste sooner than the grownups do.
Great post. A little creativity is always helpful with kids and food, even for good eaters.
My kids (3, now all adult) all approached the table differently as kids; some were like Hoover vacs and some had perpetually up-turned noses. They were all born to the same foodie adventuring parents and were exposed at early ages to a wide variety of tastes and textures. It's my thought that, just like with so much of our human experience, we all are on unique development trajectories. Here's what I did:
No special meals for the kids. We all ate the same meal every time one was served. My pediatrician assured me that no kid ever starved him/herself and that this was fine to do.
I really wanted my kids to be "well-rounded eaters." I wanted them to fit in at the homes of their friends who may be serving ethnic specialties, and wanted them to enjoy travel and the unique food experiences they would have. So, they got to experience everything we experienced.
No big deals were made over food at the table. Food was simply not going to be a topic of argument. It's there... that's dinner. Eat it if you will, but that is dinner. If you don't eat it, that's OK too, but there will not be a replacement meal or snack later on. I'll happily save this plate for you for later. No drama, no scene, no pressure. (by the way, I also think this is a key to having healthy weights... NO FOOD DRAMA. Food should not be a power struggle.)
One of my guys t about age 8 went through phase of not liking onions and peppers in stuff at all. I let him know that his palate would develop, and as an adult he would appreciate and be expected to eat most foods. I offered the option of eating a few bites of the "icky parts" as they came to be known, at each meal now so he could get used to them, or if he chose he didn't have to have any bites now but would be expected at age 13 to not parse them out, but eat them. He choice was his, and by the age of 12 he'd become friends with those foods again.
The all went through phases of "not eating faces", and one still eats meat only rarely. But all in all, my goals were achieved. My adult kids are adventurous eaters and cooks, choose healthy foods habits as a way of life, and have healthy relationships with food.
Excellent post, and very level headed. (To those who find it 'self-righteous', please re-read the first paragraph in which the author states that she knows it's also the luck of the draw & could change at any moment.)
One of my sisters serves her kids whatever the grown-ups eat, and they love all veggies, salmon, all types of ethnic food, etc. She also lets them help out a lot in the kitchen.
Another of my sisters cooks a separate meal for her kids every night, and they eat mac & cheese, plain spaghetti, and little else. They have trouble finding something they like to eat at birthday parties, freak out if they see a fleck of green herb on a piece of cheese pizza, and of course, subsequently have some serious digestive issues. I hope they grow out of it!
@ek76 - very cute trick. :)
In my house, when we were kids, we always ate what was put in front on us, or we didn't eat. Problem was, meals weren't terribly "out there"... they were very German style (and still are). Lots of roasts, potatoes, rice and peas and carrots. No seafood. Ever.
Now I come home and cook using interesting [for my family] ingredients (quinoa, chayotes, spaghetti squash etc...) and most of the family turns their noses up at it. I live with four picky adults and it's driving me crazy, because I love interesting and ethnic foods and I've turned into a real fiend for seafood. Help!!!
I completely agree with you, kids should try and eat everything. They should try the foods they never tried before. Sometimes the parents are the ones who don't like some foods and then they think that kids should not try them too.
My 4 sons are all now grown. In our house we had a rule - I was not a restaurant cook! They had to eat a little of everything. Period. Even things they did not "like". Today - They are all great cooks! One does not care for cooked broccoli; one does not like peas; none of them care for eggplant BUT they will eat it at someone else's home so as to be polite. I made 99% of all we ate from scratch, too. I feel that one must decide to be a PARENT, loving yet firm, and then things will work out. Once they got to high school, the other kids would look longingly at the lamb tagine with homemade saffron rice and pita bread that I sent; or the pot roast with potatoes and salad; or the roast chicken with rice and fresh vegetables; or vegetarian items, too; that was because the other kids were eating baloney or pbj sandwiches. My sons still tell their friends what I would send for lunch! Lest one say - well, I don't have the time or money to cook like that, trust me, I watched for sales, and most of the time, sent leftovers for lunch. And packaging makes all the difference, just as presentation does on a plate, even for a 2 yr old.
My parents would go out to eat at fancy restaurants all the time when I was little. I loved watching my mom get dressed up, and she'd always bring home a little doggie bag of whatever they had for us to try. I tried it not because she asked me to, but because it made me feel fancy! As a result, I love ANY kind of seafood, but have only recently (in my mid twenties) liked cooked fruit and vegetables. The texture was appalling to me until recently, and even still I much prefer my veggies slightly crunchy. So:
A. Sometimes inadvertently making a big deal of something helps
B. Texture, not flavor, is often the biggest dealbreaker for a kid.
mschatalaine, my son is SO much like your child. He's never been hospitalized, but he WILL starve himself to keep from eating something that he finds scary. He gets ridiculously anxious at mealtimes if there isn't something that he tolerates. Our doctor told us "he won't starve" but when he was two he went for a little over two days with only water, until he was dry heaving and weak from hunger, when I decided the doctor was full of crap and gave him dry toast to nibble. There is no forcing him to eat anything, because he will work himself into a full-on panic attack. Even gentle cajoling is likely to set him into panic mode.
My younger child, on the other hand, was raised exactly the same as my son and will try absolutely anything, and likes most of the things she tries. She loves fruit and veggies and meat, especially.
Kids and their eating habits are their own. Parents can encourage good habits, and many kids can be molded, but some are just picky, no matter how much you expose them to good foods!
I have to, have to comment here.
In my 20s, I have a fantastic appetite, and rarely turn anything down. As a child, I ate only chicken, bread, and any breakfast food.
What I found out after I left home for college was that I had oral allergies to a lot of the foods my parents loved. Avocados, bananas, mangoes, (a lot of fruit, actually). All of them gave me terrible stomach pains, but I never had a serious enough "reaction" for my parents to notice. I was also lactose intolerant and had problems with stomach acid.
My parents always thought I was trying to be difficult or defiant, but in reality I was only picky because so many of the foods they gave me caused me substantial pain. Now I love to try new food, but I'm always prepared to try new things with an epi pen and stomach meds.
No one has mentioned that there is a natural cycle for a child's pickiness: children normally eat well and are open to trying new foods when they are first starting to eat. Then, around 4 or so (the age when they start to separate more and more from their mom, becoming increasingly independent), they become much pickier, often rejecting foods they once loved. As they mature, they again become open to new flavours and textures.
This cycle is normal and healthy. It is thought to be the results of a couple of phenomena: first, tastebuds become much more sensitive around age 4, sometimes over sensitive. So the cooked cauliflower your child says is "yucky" probably tastes much stronger to her than to you; a purely physiological issue, and she is not trying to be contrary or difficult. Next, the theory behind the sense of taste being heightened is that it evolved as a sort of protective mechanism: as young children began to play further and further away from their parents' cave, it helped protect them from eating lethal quantities of attractive but poisonous berries.
Just another thing to keep in mind when dealing with a child who stubbornly refuses new foods: the stubborness could be the sign of an underlying medical condition, or it could be a sign of a a normal physiological process.
I follow what my parents did with me: if it's on the table, that's what's for dinner. It may not be your favourite but it's healthy and it covers all the bases and it's what you're getting today. And if you don't eat that, you'll find yourself hungry.
If it's a new dish that we've neer tried before, we make sure there are lots of veggies around and ask that the kids try at least a few spoonfuls. If they don't like it, at least they've given it a fair shot.
Both can complain a whole lot, but both invariably say 'this is yummy' within a few moments of opening their mouths.
Yes, we likely have less picky eaters than others, but we also don't give a lot of options (that said, I'll never go to my parents' approach, which involved setting timers for my picky sibling to eat within.)
oh, and if they're not so impressed, we do tell them that when they are old enough, they are welcome to take on some of the menu planning and cooking themselves.
foodefafa, my mom did the very thing you are talking about! "Oh, I'm not giving you any to try, you won't like it." Um, could you let me decide that? Hahaha, it used to make me so mad as a kid.
Now my mom tells me I was a picky eater as a kid!
I used to think that if I was a good parent, that exposed my child to all sorts of foods, and made my own baby food right from the beginning, my child would be a non-picky eater - man was I wrong! As a baby, my son would eat pureed broccoli and cauliflower (I have pictures to prove this) and I would happily allow him to pick food off my plate. Now as a 2 1/2 year-old, the battle lines have been drawn with veggies (even fries!) being given his most vocal refusal. Why? My theory is that he inherited my father-in-law's palate. My side of the family has always eaten everything and, luckily, my husband has also adopted this lifestyle but our son would rather throw up all over himself rather than swallow a pea. So to all the parents of non-picky eaters out there: be happy you have a child with no food struggles. I'm happy mine's a good sleeper :)
Sometimes you've got to introduce something new that you know they'll love...like a honey-banana sandwich or something...just so you can pull out the old, "Remember when you didn't want to try a honey-banana sandwich?" With this thought, I once found myself nearly forcing a lollipop into my 2-yr-old's mouth. "I promise you will like it!" I'm so sure the other parents around me thought I was totally nuts.
This is a wonderful post! I attribute my non-picky palate to my Mom doing this same thing. Don't want fish for dinner? Don't eat! My husband was overweight as a kid, and admitted his Mom would let him eat pudding for breakfast as a kid. I've nannied a few children as toddlers and I noticed their parents doing the same thing- if they didn't like what was being served, they could have a hot dog or chicken nuggets. Now, unfortunately, both of those (unrelated) kids are overweight.
Hi! I know this is an old post but I just needed to contact MsChatelaine and MsBambiJo! I have an extremely picky son...he will not try anything new so he is still on formula at 21 months old. Only thing he will eat is plain rice, plain noodles, and oranges. I am going nuts and am not sure what to do. No one understands, not even the doctor.
Any tips for me??? When I try to encourage him by eating things in front of him, he gags (and sometimes vomits!)! How did you make sure you kids got all the nutrition they need?
Any help from parents with picky eaters would be appreciated!


text: Its been almost 2 years since i went on a little traveling spree. Seeing the UK and France was rad and not i want to get back at it. Have a little saved up and have zero commitments. Don't start work up again for 4 months. Really want to see the US….Just don't want to do it solo again. Want to share the experiances with someone this time. Wish i had friends willing to drop everything and live for a little, considering life moves far to quick and you're really not promised tomorrow and there is NO guaranty that you can buy yourself the freedom in the future.

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Super cold outside today. Glad the walls could shield some of the wind for this little pup. I wanted to take it home, or at least do more than say hi and wave.
It's like we have an art district, but mostly it's like 2 blocks of alley art. currently wondering not only about the artists, but also the individual who has lost their shoe.
The face of downtown Blacksburg is changing again
Sorry for the lack of updates. We're working hard - and playing hard.
The RFW Finale came and went. Here's a shot from the model fittings a couple of weeks ago.
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The Real Estate Investment Trust Portfolio II seeks maximum long-term total return, with capital appreciation as a secondary objective.
The Portfolio primarily invests in securities of companies principally engaged in the real estate industry. The Portfolio is considered "non-diversified" as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (1940 Act), which means that it can invest in a smaller number of issuers than a diversified mutual fund.
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Bob Zenouzi is the lead manager for the real estate securities and income solutions (RESIS) group at Delaware Investments, which includes the team, its process, and its institutional and retail products, which he created during his prior time with the firm. He also focuses on opportunities in Japan, Singapore, and Malaysia for the firm's global REIT product. Additionally, he serves as lead portfolio manager for the firm's Dividend Income products, which he helped to create in the 1990s. He is also a member of the firm's asset allocation committee, which is responsible for building and managing multi-asset class portfolios. He rejoined Delaware Investments in May 2006 as senior portfolio manager and head of real estate securities. In his first term with the firm, he spent seven years as an analyst and portfolio manager, leaving in 1999 to work at Chartwell Investment Partners, where from 1999 to 2006 he was a partner and senior portfolio manager on Chartwell's Small-Cap Value portfolio. He began his career with The Boston Company, where he held several positions in accounting and financial analysis. Zenouzi earned a master's degree in finance from Boston College and a bachelor's degree in finance from Babson College. He is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and the Urban Land Institute.
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Start date on the Fund: January 1997
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Damon J. Andres, who joined Delaware Investments in 1994 as an analyst, currently serves as a portfolio manager for the firm's real estate securities and income solutions (RESIS) group. He also serves as a portfolio manager for the firm's Dividend Income products. From 1991 to 1994, he performed investment-consulting services as a consulting associate with Cambridge Associates. Andres earned a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance and accounting from the University of Richmond.
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A Different Way to ReadStatus: Bookseller Picks
Learning to read critically can seem daunting. Works of theory and criticism aren't always the most inviting pieces to read. Not so with Prose's book. She uses samples from widely varying novels and stories - from Heinrich von Kleist to Isaac Babel to Flannery O'Connor to John le Carre - to illustrate how authors use sentence structure, pacing, dialogue, and other devices to develop the story and keep the reader interested. A perfect book for teachers and students looking for inspiration or for casual readers who want to try a different reading technique. You'd better clear your "To Be Read" list when you're done with this book - you'll want to read all the authors Prose references, too!
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The Legends Poll, an unofficial poll with former outstanding college football coaches doing the voting, may be ahead of the curve in its look at how college football is evolving. This year there is a four-team playoff. The legendary coaches aren't looking back. They're looking ahead and they see an eight-team playoff in the future.FULL STORY
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The Crimson Tide is off to a 3-0 start, and some of the state's top juniors took in the action over the weekend as Alabama moved to the mark. BamaMag spoke to several for the latest.FULL STORY
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Coaches Cite Eight Tiders For Saturday Play
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Comments Thread For: Andre Ward Reacts To Kelly Pavlik's Retirement
WBC Super Middleweight champion Andre Ward suffered a shoulder injury that forced a scheduled fight with him and Kelly Pavlik to be called off after originally only being postponed. In a surprising move, Pavlik announced his official retirement from boxing shortly after and ended any possibilities of him and Ward ever fighting.
Ward, who is recovering from surgery to his shoulder, was in Sherman Oaks, CA at the Chris Arreola-Bermane Stiverne press conference and was asked about his thoughts surrounding Pavliks retirement.
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Another reason I like Ward: he's classy. Doesn't say something reactive and stupid like Pavlik retired as a duck or some dumb **** like that. Ward is the man.
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Ward vs Adonis Stevenson make it happen
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Ward's a pretty cool cat.
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I dont like ward as a fighter but he seems like a good person, principled, hard working and down to earth.
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ward's right on point regarding the kelly pavlik retirement..
honestly, i dont think theres anyone in the 168-175 arena who can beat ward right now..probably has a good chance of retiring undefeated
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Wow late much? Love this site in principal but damn if these guys don't try to turn one interview into 12 posts by giving us itty bitty pieces of the interview in each new article..how long before this same interview is listed as a video post too? Come on boxing scene!! I've now seen you guys splice one interview into 6 posts...the last 8 arum posts have all been about the same damn interview, couldn't have given it to us in one post as well?
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Ward is a class act. I knew he would say good things, thats just how he is.
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text:
It's that time again folks. Another summer has come and gone, taking with it the NHL offseason months. And now, finally, we are on the doorstep of another NHL campaign. As such, it's time once again to weigh in with the official Rawhide's Thrashers Fan Blog predictions for the 2010-11 season.
As was the case last year, I had hoped to be able to gaze into a crystal ball to see if I could properly prognosticate what the coming months will hold for the residents of Thrasherville. But just like last time, my procurement request was flatly denied by the AJC.
But let your hearts not be troubled…they are once again allowing me to use the old Magic-8 Ball that has sat in the back of a storage closet since the late 1970s. I think it use to belong to Furman Bisher who then gave it to Jeff Schultz. Shultzie's then used it to help him predict the outcome of Falcons, Georgia Tech and Georgia Bulldog football games.
Anyway, I'll first review the Thrashers as they stand going into the season…then I make known my predictions for what lies ahead for Thrasherville's ice combatants.
Since I believe the best way to build a hockey team is from the pipes out, I'll begin in the goal then move forward.
One thing we don't have to worry about anymore is when we might expect "Kari-Down '10" to begin this year. The good people in Dallas can deal with that now. In his place is Chris Mason, who started 61 games last year in St. Louis and compiled a record of 30-22-8 with a 2.53 GAA, .913 SV% and 2 shutouts. Those numbers represent an "average" season for him as his career stats are 115-86-1-26 with a 2.54 GAA and .914 SV%.
In games in which he has faced 33 or more shots, Mason has compiled a very impressive record of 38-16-9 with a .250 GAA and .931 SV%. That is a very important stat to consider given the history of defensive ineptitude that we've suffered though over the years.
Ondrej Pavelec will assume backup duties behind Mason. The 23-year old Czech has been, shall we say, inconsistent in the past three years with Atlanta. In 2007-08 and 2008-09 he was called upon after Lehtonen went down and started just 16 games in those two seasons. Last year he was given the starter role when "Kari-Down '09" began long before the season started. He performed well for a while, only to fall off shortly after Thanksgiving.
Overall, Opie has been less-than-inspiring while playing to a 20-28-7 record with a 3.33 GAA and .902 SV%. He has a pair of shutouts to his credit.
But this time around will be different as he goes into the fall knowing he'll backup the dependable Mason and can grow into the role of starter over the course of the next couple of years. That, plus having a goalie coach…er, uh, excuse me…having a goalie "consultant" around might just help out a bit as well.
Speaking of consultants, let's now consult the Magic-8 Ball.
Will Chris Mason provide steady, reliable goaltending for the Thrashers this season?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"You May Rely On It"
Will Ondrej Pavelec's play be less erratic and more consistent as he backs up Mason?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"As I See It, Yes"
Do you see any "D" there? …No? Well, that's not a coincidence as there hasn't been much "D" involved with this organization over the first decade of its existence.
Last year the Thrashers allowed an average of 33.1 shots a game to their opponents, only Anaheim and Florida surrendered more. The year before that it was 32.7 SA/G, the year prior to that it was a league-worst 33.9…you get the picture.
As I've been one to say, Atlanta goalkeepers take more rubber to the face than a possum on GA-20.
But this summer Rick Dudley has set out to change that. He's brought in not only a new head coach in Craig Ramsay, but also an entirely new coaching staff. Their first job is to teach the players on the roster to play solid, responsible, respectable hockey in the defensive zone. You know…everything the Thrashers have not been for too long.
Toby Enstrom, Ron Hainsey and Zach Bogosian remain from the start of last season, and Johnny Oduya returns after being traded for last winter. But joining them will be Brent Sopel and Dustin Byfuglien fresh off their successful Stanley Cup run of last spring. Freddy Meyer or Boris Valabik will round out the seven-man defensive unit, but given their playing time in preseason…I would think Meyer gets the nod there.
Byfuglien's transition back to defense has been much discussed and debated for the last several weeks. But he seems at home there and I have to say I'm far less concerned about it now after seeing him play during preseason. His presence there should help to make this blueline better.
Overall team defense is what new head coach Craig Ramsay will be looking to instill in these Thrashers, however, and that means getting the forwards to play their parts on our end of the ice. This too is something Thrashervillians are unfamiliar seeing in these parts of late.
Last year the Thrashers' penalty kill unit played well for the bulk of the season, though it struggled somewhat down the stretch…finishing with an 82.2% PK efficiency, (16th in the NHL). Gone is Marty Reasoner who Atlanta relied heavily upon here, but Chris Thorburn, Rich Peverley and Evander Kane should play key roles along with the defensive penalty killers.
And given that goal scoring may be more of a premium than in years past for this team, killing off penalties at a better clip will need to happen.
Returning to the whole SA/G bug-a-boo that has plagued Thrasherville… one positive that can be taken from the 0-5-1 preseason is that the Thrashers held the opposition to fewer than 30 SA/G in five of the six games. The lone exception being the 2-1 OT loss in Carolina in which the Canes took 29 shots in regulation and 1 in 1:06 worth of overtime.
If this can continue into the regular season the Thrashers could find themselves playing beyond 82 games.
Let's again go to the Magic-8 Ball, shall we.
Will this year's Thrashers defense be better than the past several years?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Signs Point To Yes"
Can they improve on the 82.2% penalty kill efficiency from last year?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Outlook Good"
Can this defense hold opponents to under 30 SA/G for the season?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Cannot Predict Now"
I think the Magic-8 Ball would like to give a better answer to that last question, but given the team's history I'm sure it wants to see it before it believes it.
For the first time since 2001, the Thrashers go into a new season without the ability to pencil-in the 45-50 goals that come with having an Ilya Kovalchuk on in their lineup. Gone also is the concept of designing the entire game plan around that one player. In its place is a team that will rely on several 20-something and 30-something goal scorers.
Included in that number are returning players such as Nik Antropov, (24 g, 43 a last season)…Rich Peverley, (22 g, 33 a last season)…Bryan Little, (13 g, 21 a last season & 31 g, 20 assists two years ago)…Jim Slater, (11 g, 7 assists in 61 games last year)…Evander Kane, (14 g, 12 a in his rookie season)…and Nik Bergfors, (21 g, 23 assists in his rookie year between NJ and ATL).
Joining them will be former Blackhawk Andrew Ladd, who netted 21 goals and 38 assists last season as well as 3 goals and 3 assists in the playoffs. Then there's Nigel Dawes, who accounted for 14 goals and 18 assists last year for the Calgary Flames.
Also in the mix is Freddy Modin, who will provide veteran leadership… Ben Eager, who'll provide some pop on the lower lines… and first round draft pick Alex Burmistrov, who was just signed to a 3-year entry level deal.
Last season the Thrashers offense scored goals at a 2.80 per game clip. The season before that it was an impressive 3.05 G/G. This year, to be quite honest, we may be looking at an offensive production that nets something closer to 2.65 – 2.70 G/G in my estimation.
What could improve that outlook? Well, the power play could have a better showing than last year's 16.1% efficiency, (25th in the NHL). That's not an impossible scenario, though, given that opposing defenses will no longer be afforded the luxury of just waiting for the Thrashers to predictably circle the puck over for him to one-time it at the goal.
Another place the offensive could look for help is the blueline. Last year Thrashers defensemen chipped in with 32 goals. Zach Bogosian led the way with 10, but it isn't a stretch to think he's capable of 15-20. Having Byfuglien joining the rush from the back could also reap benefits. If he could muster 10 or 12 from the blueline, that would be nothing but a bonus for this team. Last year he netted 17 while playing up front for the Blackhawks.
Again, to the Magic-8 Ball…
Will this team be able to at least match last season's 2.80 G/G production?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Don't Count On It"
What about the power play, will it be better than 16.1% form last year?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Most Likely"
The contrast between this year's edition of the Atlanta Thrashers and previous ones could not be more distinct. Whereas we are used to going into a season confident the goal production would be there but worried about a porous defense…many now look at this defense as much improved but now wonder where will the goals come from.
What does your Magic-8 Ball say about the Thrashers playoff chances this year?
Total Voters: 181
As such, this Thrashers team is going to have to find a way to win 2-1, 3-2 type of games if it's to make it to the playoff promise land. Last season they led the league with 28 one-goal losses…a stat that will have to be reversed.
Mason will be solid in goal I trust, and Pavelec will improve his play with the pressure removed to be the go-to guy between the pipes.
And finally, I think the new coaching staff will provide a measure of leadership and guidance that will prepare the players better than what was the case over the last few years. This will make a difference, I believe, in those tight, low-scoring games.
All that being said, I peg this team for 88 points…say 38-32-12. They'll be in a dogfight with Tampa Bay and Carolina for second place in the Southeast Division, I believe. But I'll put on my blue-tinted glasses and pick the home team to win the title of "Best Team in the Southeast Division Not Named Washington Capitals".
I think they struggle somewhat at the beginning, but under the tutelage of Ramsay, Torchetti and Stothers, they get their act together quicker than some may think and make a hard run at postseason.
88 points was enough to qualify for the Great Hunt for Lord Stanley's Cup last spring, but normally that total leaves you on the outside looking in. The big question is then…will it be enough this season to earn the Thrashers only their second-ever playoff birth?
Again, I turn to the Magic-8 Ball.
Will the Thrashers make the playoffs this season?
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Concentrate And Ask Again"
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Reply Hazy, Try Again"
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Ask Again Later"
…shaking, shaking, shaking…
"Cannot Predict Now"
How the heck did Schultz get anything from this gadget?
October 5th, 2010
7:21 pm
I just asked the on-line Magic 8 Ball if the Thrashers would make the playoffs this year.
Answer: My sources say no.
Well, it's not the real Magic 8 Ball.
October 5th, 2010
7:30 pm
Thrashers make the playoffs? Oh, heavens no they won't.
Not with this ownership or senior "leadership"….Not a chance.
October 5th, 2010
7:35 pm
Nice blog. I predict that the Thrashers will either make the playoffs BARELY or fall just short of the last spot. Looking for a better season, but I can't expect too much…
Drop the puck.
October 5th, 2010
7:46 pm
Regarding goaltending the Opener:
dankamal Just watched Coach Ramsay on Comcast. He was very high on both goalies, but reading between the lines, my guess: Ondrej Pavelec starts Fri.
Wow! That would surprise everyone, including I expect, Ondrej Pavelec. Maybe Kamal's own magic 8 ball needed another shake or two.
October 5th, 2010
8:07 pm
A-T-L-A-N-T-A T-H-R-A-S-H-E-R-S Do you see any "D" there? …No? Well, that's not a coincidence as there hasn't been much "D" involved with this organization over the first decade of its existence.
I fell off my chair with that line. Great post again, Mr Rawhide!! I bought season tickets again (how do you pass up $999 for lower bowl?) but not sure what is going to happen here. But….can't wait for the Friday game to get this going!!!
October 5th, 2010
8:46 pm
Yahoo power rankings….thrasher #30. Ouch. Maybe some pointed this out earlier but now that there are 4 different blogs going on, I didn't have time to read them all.
October 5th, 2010
8:50 pm
I can't see it. NHL teams these days don't make the playoffs without one or two stars unless they play sterling defense. And those two words have never been used to describe the Thrashers D. While I do see the defense being better this year, I don't see it being "sterling" either (say top 10). I see more like 22nd in the league in goals allowed. Baby steps. An improvement, but not enough to compensate for the lack of goal scoring. Unfortunately, this team seems more like it was built with NEXT year in mind, not this year.
October 5th, 2010
8:56 pm
It pains me to agree with Sage but I don't have a good feeling about this team. I hope I am wrong….man-I want to be wrong.
October 5th, 2010
9:08 pm
Well written analysis, and accurate prediction "Cannot Predict Now" – I think they'll fall just short, but hoping we see live hockey here into May
October 5th, 2010
9:24 pm
I bought my season tix again this year after a 2 year hiatus (who could pass the $999 lower bowl seats?) but I'm not too thrilled with the trade that didn't happen for another top 6 forward. Something has to happen!
October 5th, 2010
9:32 pm
If Mason can play consistently then this team will be better than last season. Another improvement on last year at this time, is not having to deal with the "what will Kovy do?" garbage. we all seem to forget the soup opera that surrounded this team last year at this time. Beyond that, I have no prediction-ask me in 82 games.
Pavs stinks out loud-get a better backup
October 5th, 2010
10:13 pm
Several regulars have YET to case a vote in the Thrashers Point Total Contest. Fear not! There's still time. Precious time, that is now ticking. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. The carriage turns into a pumpkin at "puck drop" on Friday, October 8, 2010. After which time, all guesses will be IGNORED, LAUGHED AT, SCORNED, and RIDICULED for even ATTEMPTING to be entered. You can change your guess, by the way, all the way until puck drop. I'm estimating that will be sometime around 7:40-ish PM.
These posters, are currently without a guess in this contest.
Bob/Joe Friday
Brendan – I know. I'll get one in. I swear. I'm waiting on that Zajac trade. You know, the one that isn't happening.
Buzilla in CT
Get The Puck Out
Thrasher Jim
Tony C.
Yung JB from MTL
The range of guesses starts at East Point Bob, with 60-points, tied to 5th in the SE division, and 15th in the Conference, to "Mr. Willson," at 100-points, tied to 2nd in the SE Division, and 4th in the Conference. James Brown changed his 103-point pick to 93-points, 2nd in SE, and 7th in the Conference. The first tie-breaker criteria is "rank within SE Division." The SECOND tie-breaker criteria is "rank within the Eastern Conference." Several posters do have absolutely identical guesses. That was bound to happen. We'll crown multiple winners in that case, should they win. For example, "Derrick," "Spud Webb," and "Will L." all have guesses of 96-points, 2nd in SE division, and 6th in the Conference. "Diego from Lilburn" has 95-points, 2nd, and 7th in the Conference. "Flames" also has 95-points and 2nd in SE division, but he has opted for 6th in the Conference, the "2nd set of tie-breaker" criteria. There have been sixty (60) entries already in this contest.
Who can enter the contest? Answer: Anyone makes a post at this website. What do I get if I win? The UNDYING admiration of your fellow posters. Maybe something else could be tossed in?? Maybe a free beer a TJ's viewing party?? We're not committing to anything, however.
Poster "Jimbo" still has not indicated a SE division rank with his guess of 85-points and 10th in the Conference.
October 5th, 2010
10:15 pm
If no move is made to bring in a top line scorer, then this club's potential is low 80s and very short of playoffs.
October 5th, 2010
10:40 pm
Brendan, barring no trade before tomorrow's deadline, I would have to say 80 pts, 4th in the SE and 12th in the East. This is subject to change when Duds trades for Langenbrunner – the next one to wear the "C".
October 5th, 2010
10:44 pm
Ex-STH, you're entered at 80-points, 4th in SE division, and 12th in the East.
Joe Friday, I'm right there with you. My guess is going to be right where you're describing, unless a major move is made to increase goal production.
October 5th, 2010
10:52 pm
Brendan – Rawhide's guess is in his post at the top of this blog
- litz
October 5th, 2010
10:54 pm
I was all excited about Thrashers Opening Night this Friday until I found out about this weekend's Dominatrix Convention in Vinings.
DomCon, here I come.
(No pun intended)
October 5th, 2010
11:06 pm
Kane, Little, Bergfors, Antro, Pevs, Ladd, Buff, Bogo…
I'm expecting those eight guys to give us close to 180 goals.
Can the rest of the guys pot 40-50? We'll see.
One thing I fully expect is for the GA/G to come down, and if that happens, the Thrashers will be in much better shape even with a slightly lower G/G total.
October 5th, 2010
11:18 pm
Terry, that got cancelled and replaced by the "Bi-Mon Sci-Fi Con." But the good news there is … girls put out just to get OUT of that place. So, it still could turn out well.
Rawhide, you are entered at 88-points, 2nd in SE division, and NO GUESS for Conference rank.
Litz: Thanks!
October 5th, 2010
11:36 pm
Okay, I have the right to change this pick, if a move is made, but as is, I'm going with the same pick as "Polskidawg." 81-points, 4th in SE Division, and 11th in the Conference. Dwayne is thinking, "Hey, that was my pick, too." No, you had 3rd in the SE division, with 81-points and 11th in the Conference.
They way I figure conference rank, Atlanta has to finish ahead of the Panthers, Islanders, and Maple Leafs. That would make them 12th. But, I think the NY Rangers will find a way to finish below us, for 12th. So, we'll be 11th, just behind Montreal, in 10th.
Red Light, I'm going to go with Buffalo to repeat in the Northeast, edging out Boston. I do have the Bruins in the playoff field, at # 7.
All this, of course, pending changes … if trades are suddenly made in Boston and NJ, etc. In the crazy NE division, I have Buffalo, Boston, Ottawa, Montreal, then Toronto. Habs, from Conference Finalists to outside the playoffs?? Sorry, I just don't think Carey Price is the answer. They should have kept Halak. Is Auld the backup?
October 6th, 2010
12:18 am
According to C-Viv the lines that were together today are likely going to be the lines that open the season together. Is anyone else as worried by this as I am? I really hoped that all the stupid line combinations we saw in the preseason were going to stop before the regular season started but I guess that was just wishful thinking are my part. Putting Stewart on a line with Kane and Peverley? I mean seriously? Not only that but also putting Hainsey with Sopel. We all saw how well that worked when they were paired together in the preseason. I really hope that Chris was wrong and we see some changed before we play the Caps.
October 6th, 2010
12:41 am
Rawhide, I had no idea that Mason had such a stellar record vs. "Le capitales."
Wouldn't it be nifty if Mason was our "Nittymonkey" to the Caps.
October 6th, 2010
6:52 am
Pav's record against the Caps is yet another reason to send him packing to CHI town and get a real backup goaltender in here. 1-7 vs a top flight team shows that he does not have the ability to raise his game.
October 6th, 2010
7:06 am
Believing that my 2011 has to be better than my totally disastrous 2010 thus far, I am going to optimistically predict 92 points, 2nd in division and 5th in conference. I know I am probably dreaming, but that definitely beats reality – don't ya think???
October 6th, 2010
7:27 am
World Be Free said (re: Pavs)…1-7 vs a top flight team shows that he does not have the ability to raise his game.
How many of those 8 games did The Cherry Picker , a.k.a Kovalchump, stand around the O-Zone Blue Line looking to one-up Alex O (which he could NEVER accomplish)? Forget goaltending – Valabik and Kulda for Langenbrunner TODAY! Yeah, I know, NTC for Jamie, but I still hope!
October 6th, 2010
7:42 am
If Pavs is starting against the Caps, I'm warming up THE BULLHORN. Yes, Pavs the goalie who gave up a goal from the other end of the ice against the Caps last season.
Since Charmin was traded, I guess the Thrashers decided I needed someone else to yell at other than Hainsey the metrosexual.
October 6th, 2010
8:10 am
No mention of face-off percentage. That's also another way to get extra chances.
October 6th, 2010
8:23 am
Red Light….so the devils release Danius, soft as charmin, zubrus. Anyone know if that puts them under the cap??
And I'll say it now………..DONT SIGN that guy, don't be fooled by his size or skills. The guy plays like Max, a TON of talent, zero heart.
October 6th, 2010
8:23 am
Brendan – I didn't make your list of regulars, but I'm a daily follower in NC of the Thrasher blogs. I haven't posted a prediction before, but will today. Put me down for 83 points, 4th in the SE and winning the tie-breaker with the Rangers to land 10th in the division. Looking at that, it looks a LOT like last year, with a minor improvement in that we finish ahead of the Ranjerks. I hope that we all lose to Mr Willson, though! Go Thrashers!
October 6th, 2010
8:26 am
I wonder if players will complaint, in the next CBA, that their over-inflated contracted cause them to be stashed in the minors or "loaned" overseas?
Brendan… dragging this over from the last blog.
You'd have to think so… Huet, Redden, White, Souray… all these guys are still capable of playing in the NHL. Their salaries made them problems for their teams. I don't think White was even a problem. The Rangers needed to cut $3.1 million and cutting him made the most sense… you can't cut Drury, Dubinsky or Anisimov. Christensen isn't making enough money to free up space. It had to be White.
October 6th, 2010
8:34 am
Why would we sign a true #1 goalie, and then not start him in the first game (also a home game)? Am I missing something?
October 6th, 2010
8:41 am
Rawhide… not sure I trust that 8-ball. Did you give it any baseline testing, like…
Will Kovalchuk ever wear a Thrasher jersey again?
Will Stefan be an elite Center?
Does Sage of Bluesland like Don Waddell?
October 6th, 2010
8:57 am
I'm going 32-39-11 for a total of 75 points…. Sorry guys, just don't see a good first year with this group. Hope I'm wrong.
October 6th, 2010
8:58 am
five hole… the only sense I can make of it is by schedule.
Pavalec has more experience with playing against WSH and TB. Next week, we have a West Coast road trip that Mason will be better suited for.
October 6th, 2010
8:59 am
Ah for 4th in the division and 14th in the East. I've changed from my original projection.
October 6th, 2010
9:06 am
Who can explain why Valabik was chosen over Kulda? Kulda has nothing to prove in the AHL; Wasn't he +30 something last season down there? We saw Valabik play one exhibition game and was that a nice game played… Bring Kulda back here…
October 6th, 2010
9:07 am
Budder-a goalie's job is to stop the puck on a regular basis. The job of an NHL goaltender is one of the harst, if not the hardest position to play in all of team sports. You are either up for the task of not and Pavs has yet to show he's the man. Kovy wasn't here the last 2 mos of the season and Pavs was no better. He was beat out by a 36-year old
career backup last season.
Clarke MacArthur and Tim Kennedy are the poster boys for why you don't ask for too much from your employer. Calculate your true worth and ask for the money fairly. I know, I know it's pro sports. Think they would both do it different next time?
October 6th, 2010
9:21 am
frenchy… several reasons.
1) Valabik would have to pass waivers. Kulda does not.
2) Kulda would not be a starter… he'd be a healthy scratch most games.
3) Kulda is better off getting a lot of minutes in Chicago and continue developing than sitting in a press box watching.
October 6th, 2010
9:40 am
Brendan – My predictions
80 points – 4th in SE division, 13th in conference
GaVaHokie – I am pretty sure that Valabik does not have to pass through waivers because he does not have enough games played in the NHL based on his age at signing.
October 6th, 2010
9:57 am
J-man… that's already been confirmed. Valabik and Meyer would BOTH have to clear waivers. Viv even mentioned it in his article yesterday.
Under "Roster news"
October 6th, 2010
10:28 am
Opie was the beneficiary of a terrible d and no support from the forwards in the defensive zone – that cannot be argued. But his inability to get square to the shooter and his terrible rebound control also led to led to many second chance goals. Pavalec is the king of knocking rebounds straight into the slot and giving opponents easy chances for rebound shots against an out of position goalie.
October 6th, 2010
10:35 am
The defensive pairings were:
Holy crap, those are the lines and pairings that coach is going with? I may have to revisit my thought process, low 80s may be a pipedream. Modin and Dawes on the top line, are you kiddin' me?
October 6th, 2010
10:36 am
I like Bill's line predictions.
I would like to enter contest with 102 pts. 2nd in division and 4th in conference. I'm usually dissappointed every year, so I am going to aim high with the hope of the same dissappointing results so they hopefully still make playoffs.
October 6th, 2010
10:40 am
Buff is supposed to be on 790 the zone in studio tommorrow morning. Do you think any of those guys even knows what kind of questions to ask him? They hardly ever talk about hockey. The only sports talk guy down here that has any sort of hockey insight or interest is Kincaid. pretty sad.
October 6th, 2010
10:58 am
Kane and Mason on air this morning was kind of funny. The hosts didn't know much about hockey…one of them didn't even know about Kane's KO. In general I would like interviewers to be knowledgeable about hockey but, in this case it was nice to hear Kane and Mason answer questions not related to hockey (like about the women in ATL).
October 6th, 2010
11:03 am
Brendan, please put me down for 85 points, 3rd in division and 10th in the conference.
Please coach Ramsay, don't start Pavelec Friday. We have to get off to a good start.
October 6th, 2010
11:05 am
Jeff – they'll probably ask him what it feels like to be black in a white man's game. Actually, I'll give 790 credit as they seem to include Thrashers' news nuggets in their hourly updates, but I haven't heard much of anything coming out of our flagship station. But then again, I usually have to change over to Neal Boortz in the morning because they start talking about college football for the 27th consecutive minute. They really are useless. Aren't they supposed to be able to converse about all sports?


text:
When I see all of these pictures of these beautiful women with this beautiful makeup… I think to myself… I see so many of these pins, it shouldn't be that hard!
So, I try it… And it looks disgusting.
But, that's because I didn't know the basics of how to apply makeup to my eyes. This picture is such a good guide for how to apply color to your eyes. It makes things seem way easier when you break your eyes up into sections!
Have this picture handy when applying shadow loves! Good luck.