Beet Lollipop. Ratatouille Tarte with Goat Cheese. Baked Goat’s Brie with Kumquat Chutney. Would you eat these items? Do you think a kid would want to eat these items? Disney thinks they will. More importantly, Disney wants to encourage kids to try new foods at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival by making them look fun and taste great. The program is called TRYit and is part of the Magic of Healthy Living initiative.
I rarely got the chance to try anything really exotic when I was growing up; I mostly ate American and Mexican food. But in high school we had international food fairs and I learned that I loved to try new foods. I hope this Disney program is a success and expands outside of the festival. A great way to connect with other cultures is through food.
It’s great that Disney is trying to get kids to eat new foods, but this program will only work if parents like to try new foods, too. What was your reaction to the foods I listed at the start of this post? Were you interested or grossed out? Kids will eat what they see adults eat and this openness starts at home. Why not follow Disney’s example and eat new foods in your house? There are tons of online recipes or you could go out to a new restaurant.
If I was going to make an exotic recommendation that appeals to kids, I’d recommend food from the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Flat breads are fun to eat and there are lots of great dipping sauces that can be tried. What child does not like kabobs? Kabobs are a great way to try something new. All food is fun when it’s on a stick. So TRYit when you visit the Disney parks and TRYit at your own home. Happiness squared.
Goofy Trivia: Have you ever met PUSH? This fun, talking, robotic trashcan was introduced to Tomorrowland on February 18, 1995. In honor of his birthday Disney is selling an IPhone 5 cover that looks like PUSH. I would laugh every time I picked up my phone.