There was a time when all I ate came in a box of dried tubular forms of dough. I wanted it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Slathered in red sauce, pesto, or butter, I opened my mind to other foods through the comfort and familiarity of noodles.
Meat was a definite no in those days, but simmered into a red sauce that looked just enough like my jarred Raos; eventually, I took a taste.
Whether you call it pasta or noodles (or my favored noods), this lethal combination of flour and water (and sometimes eggs) is the Trojan horse to introduce new foods to finicky eaters like my kids and younger self.
From continent to continent across the globe, all cultures have their form of comfort carb. The source of the first known nood is up for debate between the Chinese and Italians, but the Chinese have the first documented record of its existence. A reference to noodles appears in a book written during China’s East Han Dynasty, sometime between 25 and 220 AD. In 2005, archeologists published a report describing their discovery of a beautifully preserved bowl of long, thin yellow noodles overturned and buried under ten feet of sediment. Their find in northwestern China indicates that humans chose noodles to fill their bellies for 4,000 years.
In the noodle’s long history is its role in answering the age-old challenge of what to feed the kids. If you are raising a minor in your own home, chances are you have a stockpile of the good stuff stashed in every nook and cranny of your kitchen.
Noodles are beloved by even the pickiest of juvenile eaters. In a young child’s world, low on control and high on intimidating new experiences, the noodle’s soft texture and taste can be a constant in a world of chaos. For parents, it is a low-cost, low-fuss foundation for the busy family’s diet. Boil salted water, dump in a box, wait ten minutes, drain, sauce, and repeat.
While praised for its consistency in a rapidly changing world, noods come in an array of shapes and sizes: long and skinny spaghetti; wide and flat fettuccine; tubular pennes and rigatonis, cute and sassy bowties; thick and chewy udon, spooled on a fork; floating in chicken soup; baked into a kugel or manicotti; wrapped around a meat filling in ravioli, kreplach or dim sum, noodles are beloved for their versatility, comfort factor, and chameleon-like ability to take on the flavors of various sauces and ingredients.
Noodles can be boiled, steamed, stir-fried, or even deep-fried, depending on the dish and culinary tradition. A source of carbohydrates but also available in gluten-free forms made of unexpected ingredients like chickpeas, lentils, and rice, there is a noodle for everyone. The addition of vegetables and proteins makes noodle dishes balanced and nutritious.
When I introduce new foods to my young children, I always include a side of noodles on the plate. I need to assuage my anxiety and mom guilt with the knowledge that something friendly and filling sat alongside the bite of scary, gamy lamb they refused to consume. If they pass on their favorite noods, I know they are not hungry and can move on to the bath and bedtime routine. There are no substitutions.
If you want to expand your child’s palate from butter to better, below is a kid-friendly recipe that passes my picky toddler’s evolving standards of edible.
Made with uncooked greens, I like to call it noodles and a salad. Basil is my leaf of choice, but I like experimenting with kale or other herbs. Throw in some cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella for a caprese surprise. Feeling bold? Add peas or asparagus for extra greens. If you live in a nut-free household, exclude the one cup of walnuts from the mixture. While my mother considers the nut exclusion a shonda, in our increasingly nutless world, it comes together beautifully without it. Boil water and enjoy!
The Lady’s Pesto Sauce
- 2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
While the food processor is running, drop in the garlic cloves to chop. Stop the machine to scrape down the garlic.
Add the basil to the processor and chop.
Leave the machine running, adding the olive oil in a slow, steady stream from the top. If necessary, add more than the stated one cup of olive oil to create the desired consistency. Once combined, shut off the food processor to add the cheese.
Taste, adding salt and pepper until it passes your yum test.
Process briefly to fully combine and stop the machine. Remove the bowl and scrape into several plastic containers.
Reserve a portion for your boiling noodles. Freeze the rest in containers. Defrost on the counter for a no-work dinner for the future you!
, this lethal combination of flour and water (and sometimes eggs) is the Trojan horse to introduce new foods to finicky eaters like my kids and younger self. ){kind=link}