This is what my kids ate for lunch today!!!

This mama is so proud of her children! I have to say I am pretty impressed with them because they will eat most things served to them, or at the very least try them. It's really pretty cool by US standards. When you compare my children to how children eat here in Greece or Europe for that matter, they are eating normally, they are eating what is expected of them, what is served to them! But I still feel pretty proud!

 

When I came to Greece 2 years ago I brought with me, no joke, probably about 1 suitcase full of food just for the kids: snack bars, gold fish, other snack packs, mac n cheese boxes, gummy packages, etc etc etc. Yes I was crazy but I had no idea how my then 3 and 5 year olds were going to adapt to the difference in food.....well surprisingly enough they barely ate the things I purchased and my children never asked for those junky snacks. They ate whole, real foods, fresh from the Laiki (farmer's market), Bakery shop, meat shop, cheese shop, etc. 

 

For this trip, I decided to cut my children cold turkey from all their respective snacks. In our household at home in California we eat almost all clean, fresh, homemade with the occasional meal out and the occasional frozen meal from Trader Joes prepared. I decided I wanted my children to start eating even healthier by eliminating from their diets all the healthy processed snack food (organic bars, cheddar bunnies, fruit sticks, etc). What better way to cut them off then to come to Greece where all that stuff does NOT exist (and not bring it with me). They have not once since our plane took off from LAX asked for a single thing familiar to them from the states. They have eaten nothing but fresh fruit, veggies, fresh baked bread items, fresh greek yogurt, etc. They don't miss the stuff when it is not around and I feel so much better letting them just eat out of the refrigerator because everything in it is real food! So my plan is to return to the states and not return to those items. It is more work for me in prepping snacks and lunches, but I would prefer healthier children!!!

 

Anyways, many of my friends in California are always amazed at what I tell them my children eat when we come to Greece (and many of these items we also eat in California). So today we went to this little Taverna in the beach town of Nea Peramos. It was my first time. Tomorrow we are going to my absolute favorite fish taverna Isalos (I'll post pictures of Isalos tomorrow). But anyways, this is what my children ate for lunch/dinner. We eat a light breakfast, small packed snack at the beach, and we eat only one big meal here at around 2-3pm and in the evening I give my children a small snack (tonight was greek yogurt and fruit). Our lunch/dinner was good. Can't wait to tell you what we eat tomorrow at our favorite place. Enjoy the pictures of the foods we ate. Of course I forgot to take actual pictures, but I found the exact foods on pinterest! Tomorrow I'll take real pictures!!

 

Zouzoukakia

Giant size meatball in a tomato based sauce

 

 

Kalamari

(Fresh from the sea one block away from the Taverna, and the owner isn't shy about telling you it's fresh, the pieces are giant compared to the tiny, frozen calamari of the states......hopefully tomorrow we'll order the whole squid and I can show you that!) My kids love it with lemon.

 

 

Garides

Shrimp - Fresh & Whole .....Theo likes to poke the eyes with his fork

Mama lovingly takes off the shell & head & legs and they eat them up. They are usually pan cooked with olive oil, garlic and a whole lot of lemon.

 

 

Grilled Potatoes with Lemon and Parsley

 

 

Panzaria

Beet Salad with Garlic and Parsley soaked in red wine vinegar

 

 

Horiatiki Salata

Greek Salad - cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, Greek olives, Greek Oregano, Parsley and a huge chunk of feta cheese, tossed with red wine vinegar (and no lettuce - tastes incredible)

The kids eat different pieces of the salad (Niko: olives, feta cheese, cucumber; Ana: tomato, cucumber)

 

 

 

Kolokythakia Tiganita

Fried Zucchini.....the best find of our 1st trip with the kids, they eat them like chips and really good restaurants slice them super thin and they crisp up super yummy. I've done it at home and a Mandolin is necessary and patience and perfectly heated olive oil. But worth every second of effort!

 

 

Elies

Greek Olives...........a whole bowl just for Niko, he's not particular,

if it's round and called a Greek olive, he'll eat it!!

 

 

 

Marides

These little fish (kind of like Sardines) is a delicious meal made from the smallest catch

of fish, lightly floured and seasoned and deep fried. The Greeks AND MY CHILDREN will

eat them whole, they are so small, you don't have any problem with the bones. My kids eat them

head to tail. They are adventurous......sadly this Mama can't do it, but I will eat all other fish

whole (and will take the time to remove bones, etc)

 

 

 

 

The taverna looked like this...........it was darling inside, just like a little

house with a nice covered patio

 

Kali Orexi

Boun Appetito