"We really want to make one thing that everybody is going to like," said Catherine McCord, author of "Weelicious."
McCord wants to stop the short order cook syndrome, where children dictate what is on their plate. McCord politely puts the blame on you.
"Unless a kid got car keys to go to the market, the goldfish and the other foods your kid is eating, you probably got for them," said McCord.
Her book is designed with the motto: one family, one meal. That can be achieved with a few simple solutions, such as changing the appearance of food.
"It's part of the fun factor if you sometimes just change the way that a food looks," said McCord.
For example, oatmeal on the go is in bars, not a bowl. Or veggie egg frittata is made in tiny muffin tins.
"This is parmesan cheese, a little bit of milk, three eggs, and then you can add any kind of vegetables you like. I've got asparagus and sun dried tomatoes," McCord said about her veggie egg frittata.
Try taco or fajita night, where kids are empowered by choosing their own extras. Obviously, when you make a meal, you can't help but use your own taste preferences. But if you don't like something, don't assume your child won't either. So from the get go, you want to provide variety.
"I don't think that sneaking is the answer to getting kids to eat foods, but incorporating them, telling them, 'Look, this is what's in it.' And then leaving it up to them," said McCord.
For instance, there are crazy combos like beet pancakes, chocolate velvet beet cupcakes and frozen pea pops. McCord says the earlier you start the better.
"Introducing babies to a diversity of flavors from day one is a really easy way to get them excited about spicy down the road," said McCord.
McCord makes a lentil veggie puree with cumin. It contains lentils, celery, carrots and kale.
"Your baby can eat it, your teenager can eat it, the grandparents can eat it," McCord said.
