At Picky Chefs , we did not start with recipes. We started with a question. "How do you help kids feel confident in the kitchen, especially if they are picky, hesitant, or unsure?" Not confident eaters. Confident participants. The kitchen should not feel like a test. It should feel like a place where curiosity is welcome, mistakes are normal, and kids are allowed to explore food at their own pace. That belief is at the heart of everything we do. The Kitchen as a Safe Place to Try For many...

At Picky Chefs, we believe cooking should feel like an adventure — not an obligation. But many parents tell us the same thing: “My child doesn’t really want to cook.” No excitement. No initiative. No rushing to the kitchen on their own. If that sounds familiar, here’s the good news: Science says this is completely normal — and even healthy. Kids Are Naturally Curious… Until Pressure Gets Involved According to the Harvard Center on the Developing Child , children are born with intrinsic...

A Very Real Holiday Story I spent three days  planning the Christmas menu. Not casually planning — planning . Saving recipes. Debating side dishes. Convincing myself that this would be the year something magical happened. You know the thought: “It’s Christmas. Maybe they’ll surprise us.” Reader, they did not. I cooked. I roasted. I sautéed. I proudly set the table like a woman who believed in herself. My child looked at the spread and said, very calmly: “Is there bread?” There was bread. They...