SF Kids Are Such Foodies!

Growing up in San Francisco, I never realized just what great food options we have -- until we had kids. I used to blindly eat just about anything. Now, I examine every single ingredient listed on packages and search near and far for the most organic, natural, unprocessed foods I can find that will be consumed by our kids.

I'll bake a cake or cookies and substitute soy butter.
I'll try vegan recipes and add veggies into all meals (to add a little color).
(chocolate chip cookies with soy butter)

At the market, I'll squeeze every piece of fruit to find the perfect one for them! In restaurants, I've
become Sally Albright (When Harry Met Sally) with my picky request as to how to present the kids' food. I believe kids will eat what they're served -- if it looks appetizing to them.

(fruit trio)

So now, I get requests and feedback from a 4 year old for his lunch.

• "Can I have the pasta with the cheese that looks like paper." (shaved Parmesan cheese, not the grated kind)
• "I liked the sandwich but next time, I don't want the leaves." (leaved=lettuce)
• "This hot dog doesn't taste good" (It truly didn't taste good either. I took a bite and could tell it was a generic dog, not a kosher all-beef like what we buy in our home.)
• And my favorite at a restaurant..."this isn't what I ordered..." (he was right too. It wasn't what we ordered him!)

Growing up in the Bay Area, my kid has become such a young foodie!
So, when it comes to packing my kids' lunch every day -- a chore I love to do!! -- I tend to be a little OCD about it. It has to taste good, it has to meet our cultural standards (my kids are Chinese/Korean San Franciscans), the food has to look pretty...and now...it has to pass the young foodie standard!
And, because I'm the cheapest person I know, it's gotta be affordable.

(mini bagel and hard boiled egg and my very popular all-beef hot dog musubi)

I often post pictures of my kids lunch on my Facebook page. My friends enjoyed them so much, I thought it's time I started blogging about it because, my oldest is only in preschool and that leaves 13 more years of lunches to pack every day!

Enjoy!