Easy Peasy, Mac N' Cheesy

  This seems like a universal love, right?  Haven't you heard the phrase, "Every kid loves (fill in the blank)"?  Well, I'm here to say that there's no one size fits all recipe that appeals to EVERYONE.

 
 In fact, you might be surprised to find out that Ivy (this blog's co-namesake) has Selective Eating Disorder.  Specifically, Ivy and her brother have Arfid or (Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder).  So much more than just picky eating, people who suffer from Arfid have debilitating phobias surrounding food.  Each of them have different safe foods and social eating can be really challenging.  And pizza, you know the food every kid loves...the two of them are a hard no.

  For Ivy, that's where this mac and cheese comes in.  In our search for a safe food that I could make for her, we were watching an episode of The Pioneer Woman on Food Network and this recipe caught her eye.  


  Thankfully, it was a hit!  We had to make some modifications (we don't bake it or use the egg in the recipe) but it's become a food that she loves and it's always a safe choice for us to bring to holidays or gatherings when she's afraid there won't be anything she can eat.  And the bonus is that it's super yummy.  Granted, I'm pro cheese all day long, so maybe I'm biased.  It's gotten rave reviews from everyone she's shared it with though.  As she's gotten older, she's learned to make it herself and I think that's the most magical part of cooking with your kids; giving them a skill they can share.



    So friends, if you're that mom that's struggling to feed your "picky"eater, give yourself and them a little grace.  You're doing your best and you may just find out that it's a more complicated than you thought.  There are amazing resources for selective eaters (google is your best friend!), this incredible book and maybe you can find a few recipes for your family here.  :)

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