Ask a Food Blogger: Ode to the Divided Plate

by Valorie Delp | More from this Blogger

25 Jan 2008 08:04 AM

Question: I am curious to ask you, what do you consider a necessity to have that helps you feed your family?

I'm sure that this question was referring to what kitchen gadgets I consider a necessity but honestly, I consider anything that I have space for a necessity. The more versatile, good quality cookware that you have, the more you can do in the kitchen. However, since the question technically asks what do I consider a necessity to feed my family, my answer is simple: the divided plate. This is the best tool that I've found to get healthy food into my family.

Divided Plate 'o Veggies and Dip

Target sells very nifty divided plates with covers. So every morning, I fix two or three plates with fruits, vegetables, and dip in them. Sometimes, I include some hard cheese in the offering. But the point is, the divided plate can stay covered in the fridge and then the kids know when they want a snack, to go see what's in the divided plate. Granted, you can just fix a tray of fruits, veggies and dips but the divided plate somehow makes vegetables cool and this way too, the dip doesn't run all over the place. It probably doesn't matter to you--but trust me, your kids care.

The best thing about this system by the way is that the plate is fair game for grazing at any time. If the kids spoil their dinner on fruits and vegetables (which by the way, has never happened in 8 or so years of kids eating solid foods), then I really can't complain.

Divided Plates Teach Good Eating Habits

You really should eat mostly fruits and vegetables with protein and whole grains mixed in. Looking at your divided plate, it's easy to give kids a visual reminder of how much fruits and veggies they should eat. On top of that, if you serve something that isn't the choice du jour for little palettes, sticking it in the smallest division can often lead to at least an attempt at digesting the not-so-favorite food.

So there you have it, the one thing that I can't live without and consider absolutely essential to feeding my family: the divided plate!

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Creating the Perfect Dip Table

Learn more about Valorie Delp

Hello everybody! My name is Valorie and I am one busy lady! When I'm not writing or editing for families, I am busy trying to get my brood of 5 in line.

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