Peas, spinach, Brussels sprouts and grapefruit—what do these “superfoods” have in common?
Along with myriad health benefits, these fruits and veggies are also among the most-hated foods for children across the country. Chef Robbie Jester, a Delaware chef known for success in food competitions like Pressure Cooker, Beat Bobby Flay and Chopped, is ready to face his toughest critics yet. Partnering with Nemours for a new campaign, Jester crafts tasty, kid-friendly dishes using ingredients kids typically shy away from.
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As a chef, Jester has a few tricks up his sleeve when it comes to vegetable preparation. The way we season and prepare veggies—especially when it comes to feeding kids—is paramount.
“Moderating salt, and using other seasonings around sodium,” is Jester’s first pro tip for parents feeding picky kids. “A tiny bit of salt goes a long way.”
Jester also recommends preparing an ingredient multiple ways before deciding not to cook it again. If your child had an aversion to steamed peas, try frying or roasting them before giving up on peas altogether.
“If your kid doesn’t like any vegetables and will shy away from all of them, maybe it’s time to look in the mirror,” Jester adds. “Get a cooking lesson, or buy a cookbook.”
If you’re not ready to commit to lessons or a cookbook purchase just yet, there’s another solution. Along with short clips, there are also already some Face the Taste recipes online for you to try at home.
Why Face the Taste?
“Face the Taste with Nemours is a great thing,” explains Jester. “I think that Nemours understands that a lot of the illnesses that are diet and nutrition-related aren’t going to be solved in a single generation.”
Jester has seen this firsthand, growing up in a household that often favored convenience, price and taste over health and wellness. As an adult, Jester realized he had unhealthy habits to break. Now a new parent, he hopes to help break that cycle with his daughter. Teaming up with Nemours during his own wellness journey has been a serendipitous experience for the Delaware chef.
“There’s a giant push toward awareness—to get to kids young and teach them along the way—so this can be something that’s changed over generations,” he adds.
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Nemours Children’s Health and Nemours KidsHealth® are also USDA MyPlate National Strategic Partners—the first pediatric health system nationally with this designation. The accomplishment comes from a deep understanding that what goes on inside a hospital is only a small piece of a much larger puzzle.
“Decades of research show that medical care is only 15 percent of an individual’s health and that the other 85 percent of health is attributable to social, behavioral and genetic factors,” says Allison Gertel-Rosenberg, Vice President, Chief Policy and Prevention Officer, Nemours Children’s Health. “We are proud to launch Face the Taste, which aims to address part of this 85 percent by changing behaviors around less-preferred foods that can be a nutritious option for children.”
The initiative features YouTube shorts, Instagram reels and recipes. It includes real kids trying real food and provides real, unapologetic reactions only children can offer. Check out both Chef Robbie Jester and Nemours on Instagram to follow along with the campaign. Keep up with the content, find new recipes and more online.
Related: These Drinks Around Delaware Offer a Wealth of Health Benefits
