Dumplings
I’ve been meaning to make these for ages and finally found the wrappers in the supermarket.
Super simple to make and I think a great option for many fussy eaters.
The dumplings can be steamed and then fried or just steamed or just fried.
This means we can control the texture and support our child’s taste preferences.
I steamed mine and then fried in a little oil to give them a slightly crispy outer layer. Shallow frying them would make them even crispier.
What I love about these is that they would be a good option for children who like pastry and probably also for those who are okay with a variety of bread-carb foods.
You can also make the filling as complex or as simple as you like. There are so many ways you can adjust so it’s a fit for your child.
Recipe
Rather than give a prescriptive recipe, I’ll give a list of suggestions that may be a fit for a range of different tastes. Both traditional and very non-traditional!
1. Cheese – if your child doesn’t eat meat but loves cheese there is no reason not to create a quesadilla type dumpling.
2. Chicken – plain chicken or chicken plus whatever is a fit for your child.
3. Mince – I used pork mince in mine, but beef or chicken mince would also work. I precooked the mince.
4. Fish/seafood – fish, prawns or crabmeat would work.
5. Veg – carrots, cabbage, or even chopped broccoli would work. Whatever rocks for your child.
In mine I used pork mince that I marinated in oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, lime juice and sesame oil. I then fried it with some finely diced mushrooms, celery, carrot, spring onions, coriander, and cabbage. You can find an almost identical recipe here to gauge quantities: https://theconfidenteater.com/blog/funfoodideasforfussyeaters/spring_rolls_for_fussy_eaters/pork-spring-rolls-fun-recipes-for-fussy-eaters-and-picky-eaters/
Because it is so flexible you can use chicken and carrot, for example, for a child with simple tastes, and then something more complex for the rest of the family.
Judith, MA Cantab (Cambridge University), Post Grad Dip Psychology (Massey University), is an AOTA accredited picky eating advisor and internationally certified nutritional therapist. She works with 100+ families every year resolving fussy eating and returning pleasure and joy to the meal table.
She is also mum to two boys and the author of Creating Confident Eaters and Winner Winner I Eat Dinner. Her dream is that every child is able to approach food from a place of safety and joy, not fear.
Learn more about Judith here: