How Do I Get My Kids to Eat Passover Foods?

Question:

My children are finicky eaters and don’t like the Passover meals I prepare for them. Any suggestions?

Answer:

Passover can be challenging, but there are ways and means to make it lots of fun as well! Here are a few suggestions I’ll share with you, from mother to mother.

Focus on the positive. If your children complain that they miss their regular food, empathize but don’t let them dwell on it. Instead, shift the focus of the conversation, telling them that this is an adventure that will last only eight days, an adventure of reliving what our great-great-grandparents did so many years ago. Make it exciting for them!

Involve them in the preparations and processes. My children had a blast helping me clean the refrigerator ... they and can’t wait to set the table for the seder.

If you have a kosher-for-Passover oven, you can make lots of potato fries, which I’m sure they’ll enjoy. You can also make shnitzel (fried chicken cutlets dipped in egg and/or potato starch), roasted chicken, meat patties, potato latkes or kugel—all foods that children usually like.

For desserts, get lots of bananas and fresh nuts. Cut the bananas in half, then have the kids roll them in the nuts, stick a popsicle stick in them and then freeze. You can also process different fruits as you would a fruit shake and then put in ice molds, or popsicle sticks or plastic cups.

For more ideas, check out our Passover Recipes section.

A kosher and joyous Passover,

Chani Benjaminson,
Chabad.org

By Chani Benjaminson

Chani Benjaminson is co-director of Chabad of the South Coast, coordinator of Chabad’s Ask the Rabbi and Feedback departments, and is a member of the editorial staff of Chabad.org.

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5 Comments

Lisa Providence, RI March 5, 2015

Passover Foods I was a fussy eater myself, and I can tell you it's mainly taste buds - sometimes, they change, sometimes they don't. I was told to taste everything and if I didn't like it, I didn't have to eat it.

Did you try that approach with your children? There must be something they DO like! Reply

Naveh_adonai Ft collins, Co April 11, 2012

Gentle people as harsh as people are being, as much as some people like to blame the parent, it is hard to create a positive atmosphere when there is a lot of complaints coming out with everything you make. Instead of getting upset, fighting with your kids, or disciplining them for complaining our not eating; Make it fun & make it a learning experience! Sit down together & make a menu, give them choices of meal ideas, purchase a passover kid friendly recipe book or look online together, let them pick their lunches while you choose the dinners, let them help you make the meals &e offer desserts 4 good behaviors or no complaints.... Always try to divert the negative into a positive, make it exciting & something to look forward to! My kids & I did our passover spring cleaning & had a costume party the first night, great time 2 get out a brides made dress you will never again wear, thats what I did & I was a princess... Anyway, make it a blast & let there be a good reward at each hurdle they overcome! Reply

abby Mill Creek, WA April 21, 2011

Matzah Pizza arrange matzah on a (koshered) pizza pan, have kids put ketchup and top with shredded mozzarella and vegetables, stick in oven on 350° until cheese is melted.

how do i get him to eat kosher? easy! i stop baking for a week! Reply

Susan Levitsky April 9, 2011

Finicky eating is parents' fault Kids now, rule the roost when it comes to eating because parents allow their children to dictate what they want to eat. Kids wouldn't be demanding chicken nuggets everyday if their parents didn't serve them in the first place.
In our home, we ate the grownup food that was served and it seemed normal for us. We were allowed one item to dislike. Mine was canned green peas. Luckily frozen peas ended that problem.
At Passover we ate the appropriate food because that is what Mom served. If we asked for ice cream or other chometz, the answer was, "no, we don't eat that during Passover."
Parents need to start long before the holiday to make children aware that one type of meal is served at each meal and that is what they will eat. Substitutions are not an option. They will learn to eat and love a wide variety of foods. When Passover arrives they will be more willing to join in the observance because this is how their family and other Jewish people celebrate the holiday. Reply

Sarah W Bloomfield, MI/USA via baischabad.com March 27, 2009

Or take my grandmother's attitude: "No child ever let itself starve." She made food. The children had three options:
Eat
Go hungry
Make their own, and clean up.

This does assume that the child is old enough to be safe in the kitchen.

BTW grandma was a wonderful cook.

I think some of what is going on is the children are pushing your buttons. The problem not the complaints, it is how they are expressed. Let the children compalin (once) but they can not whine. Respond as best you can. Then insist that the topic is ended.

Also check your own attitude. Don't focus about what you cannot have. Emphasize what you can eat. Slowly they will 'catch' on.

And unless there are other problems involved, a week of eating some not so healthy foods won't do permanent harm. You might let up on some of the ordinary rules for Passover. Reply

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