“Give a child a meal; you have fed him for today.  Teach a child to choose real food and you have nourished him for a lifetime.”   As a children’s nutrition advocate, this has been my mantra — as a mom, it has been my promise.  I didn’t always subscribe to this philosophy.  Not out of defiance or because I didn’t know better…I just didn’t “know” better.  I always thought of processed food as a treat or a way to simplify life.  To crack open a box of macaroni,  pour in some cheese powder AND provide a dinner I knew my kids would eat?  Done.  Though I never considered it a health food,  I simply didn’t realize all the damage it was doing…until I saw the damage reflected in my children.

Kids have different sensitivities.  Some are sensitive to lotions and sunscreens.  Others have definable food allergies such as wheat or peanuts.  But fortunately for us, one of my children gave us all the gift of being sensitive to chemicals in food.  Yes a gift.  He opened our eyes to the harmful effects of processed food early on.  Unfortunately, I didn’t learn to appreciate the value of Real Food until I was well into my thirties…they began to learn it before they turned five.  A true gift.

Transitioning from processed food to Real Food isn’t always easy with kids.  How do we go from putting bright orange cheese curls in our child’s lunch to kale chips?  Take a deep sigh of relief — we don’t have to.  I am a proponent of gentle change.  A champion of teaching our kids to love Real Food, not forcing them.  One of the key ways to encourage children to learn to enjoy Real Food is by getting them involved in the kitchen.  When they are empowered to have a hand in making their food, fresh suddenly becomes fun.  Out of the Box Food’s recipe for Kid-Approved Caprese Bruschetta does just that.  Depending on the age of our children, they can participate in the making of this dish in various ways.  Older children can help cut the tomatoes and basil,  younger children can drizzle olive oil and rub garlic on grilled bread and everyone can join in the fun of assembling these delicious bite-sized Real Food meals.

Serves: 4-6

Special Equipment: grill pan or gas grill

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (preferably assorted colors)
• 12-14 basil leaves, finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp good quality olive oil
• 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/8-1/4 tsp sea salt
• 22 slices baguette, 1/4″ thick
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 22 slices fresh mozzarella, 1/8″ thick
• Good quality olive oil for drizzling

Directions:

1. Prepare all ingredients as stated above.
2. Heat grill pan over medium heat (or heat gas grill)
3. In a medium bowl, toss chopped tomatoes with sliced basil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt.  Set aside.
4. Grill baguette slices until lightly toasted.
5. While baguette slices are still warm, rub one side of each slice with half a garlic clove.
6. Drizzle baguette slices with olive oil.
7. Top each baguette slice with a slice of fresh mozzarella, then top with a spoonful of tomato mixture.
8. Serve.