Worried about her daughter’s eating habits, one mom turned mealtime into a fun art display.
California mom Kim Anh Chang began creating food art in April for her 2-year-old daughter, Sam. Chang told HuffPost she was concerned about Sam’s “finicky appetite” so she set out to help spark her interest in food in a healthy and creative way.
“I figured if I plate her dishes into something cute she will show more interest in eating it,” she said. “My goal is to create artful dishes to help my finicky eater share the same meals as the rest of the family. I want her to grow up getting use to eating what everyone else is eating and not have to make a separate meal just for her.”
Chang’s dishes include Lambie from “Doc McStuffins” made out of chicken and noodles and Rapunzel made out of noodles, ham and cheese. Chang told HuffPost she takes inspiration for her food art from Sam’s interests, which include teddy bears and Disney characters. The toddler also helps her mom come up with ideas.
“The Lambie one was actually her idea,” she said. “I was Googling cute characters to see what I should make next. Sam was sitting next to me and showing a lot of interest. She then grabbed the Lambie toy from her playpen and gave it to me. I immediately knew what to do and prepared dinner shortly after.”
Sam also helps her mom out in the kitchen, just like Chang helped her family as a kid.
“I grew up taking turns with my sister making dinner for the entire family (10 total) since I was 12 or 13,” she said.
Chang shares her tasty creations on Facebook and Instagram under the name Plate Art for Kids. She also shares tutorials for the dishes that feature Sam on YouTube.
Since starting her food art journey, Chang has noticed her daughter taking an interest in cooking with her.
“She absolutely loves it!” she told HuffPost. “Especially when I take out the pasta maker machine.”
The toddler’s eating habits have improved, and most importantly, the project has given the mom and daughter an opportunity to spend time together.
“Having her help me cook and showing her to do these things herself gives her a sense of accomplishment and I noticed she’s wanting to eat more and more and looks forward to the time we can spend in the kitchen together,” Chang said.
See more food creations from Chang and Sam below and check out their Facebook, YouTube and Instagram for more dishes.
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