“My Picky Eating Children Made Me Famous”

Discover how these mothers’ lives were changed while searching for a solution to handle their picky eaters

BENTO POWER

Food art was a turning point for Michelle Lim, who was trying to encourage her daughter to eat more. “My daughter became picky when she started teething at two,” says Michelle. “Both my kids do not enjoy food. To them, eating is just for mere survival.”

She found her silver lining when she discovered photos of bento boxes posted online by Japanese mums. By including interesting shapes and colours into meals, the kids were encouraged to overcome fears of new flavours while focusing on visually captivating foods.

“Because of food art bentos, my daughter became more willing to try the ingredients introduced in her meals,” says Michelle.

Balanced Simplicity

The designs do not have to be complicated in order to be considered as food art, points out Michelle. Even simple creations like car-shaped rice or an omelette with a smiley face drawn on it is enough to catch the little ones’ attention.

“I once crafted something intricate which I thought the kids would like, but they just treated it like the other simpler artworks. It made little difference to them,” she says.

While it is easy to work with items like sausages and hams, Michelle says it is not an option to compromise nutrition for the sake of fancy decoration. Creating a balanced diet is always first and foremost on her list.

When she creates her bentos, Michelle thinks about the nutrients first before scouring the supermarket for appropriate vegetables that can be moulded into the desired shapes. Occasionally, Michelle’s kids would give her suggestions, too.