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Dipping Into Dips

So many parents talk about loading kids' plates with a plethora of condiments to supposedly complement the food they're trying to feed their kids. (Although sometimes, they'll admit they're actually trying to hide the meal from the kids in hopes that that chicken cloaked in ranch dressing will somehow get eaten).

On my own kids' plates, I used to totally go for dispensing ketchup, a little mayo, some Dijon mustard, or a bit of salad dressing here or there. But our daughter ChiChi LaRue has truly enlightened me. Although she'll totally dabble in all of those aforementioned condiments, we've discovered a line-up of literally scores of new possibilities that work wonders as accompaniments to meats, fruits, and vegetables. You may be familiar with many of these that I  list below, but several may come as a surprise. For instance, I recently found a bottle of Green Goddess salad dressing in the aisle of a superstore supermarket. Green Goddess became particularly popular at dinner parties in the 1970s, but it actually was invented in San Francisco in the 1920s as an ode to William Archer's hit play, "The Green Goddess." It's taste is best described (to us, anyway) as herby-sour creamy. And a little dab suits ChiChi fine -- on steamed vegetables, roasted chicken, and sliced turkey, for starters.

Sometimes, I do feel like I'm cheating if I "deprive" youngsters of a new taste I'm trying to introduce them to. But lately I've also realized that if the condiment complements the meat or vegetable, the kids seem more likely to give their new dinner plate occupant a try.

I really encourage you to think outside the ketchup-mayo-mustard box, and look at the condiment aisles at your local grocery stores to see the bottles and bottles of possibilities for your kids that work wonders as mealtime accompaniments. Obviously, you'll want to stay away from accompaniments that are too spicy. And, even if you're comfortable with their doling out the sauce they want, you'll want to limit the amount so that it doesn't become super-doused in the condiment they've taken a liking to. Finally, really think about what they'll like:  if you're not super-crazy about raspberry vinaigarette on your burger, they probably won't be too keen on it either, but it might be delicious for them to dip their cantaloupe chunks into.

So, with these few simple guidelines, consider these possibilities for dipping away. And know that a bottled sauce or marinade may strike your particular fancy so, if it does, give it a whirl. You might want to do a trial test on your own taste buds first before introducing your kids to it. Just keep in mind that you might have discovered an accompaniment that -- when judiciously paired with a new entree or side dish recipe you're trying to get them excited about -- will do just the trick!

--Teriyaki Sauce
--Hoisin Sauce
--Duck Sauce
--Sweet Chili Sauce
--Low-sodium Soy Sauce
--Honey Mustard Sauce
--Barbecue Sauces -- These now come in a wealth of varieties, so check out new recipes that might be tempting to your (or your kids') palettes
--Salad Dressings -- Aside from the standards of Blue Cheese, Ranch, and Thousand Island, consider "different" and "newfangled" varieties, such as Caesar, Parmesan and Artichoke
--Pesto Sauce
--Miso Dressing
--Poppyseed Dressing
--Taco Sauce
--Tomato Salsa
--Mango Salsa
--Salsa Verde
--Vinaigrettes, such as Balsamic, but also fruit-based ones, too
--Fruit Chutneys

Have fun, and happy dipping!