"Do you want your children to grow up and become an adult with a job and spouse but still fuss about food like a 10-year old?," asks the author who is also a TV food show host in her book "Picky Eaters and Other Meal Time Battles" (Random House India).
Vaswani, who attained her Cordon Bleu certificate in London, says that with a little thought and some smart moves in the kitchen, healthy eating habits and tastes can be instilled in children.
The chef who has set up an international cooking school in Mumbai says that her children, who are now 18 and 16 years old, have an amazing palate and know their food from right to wrong, from flavours to appeal.
"I have made it a mission to create restaurant food at home for fussy eaters. The key to making your children try new things, I realised, is to let them eat at their own pace," she says.
More From This Section
"When we were younger, we didn't have the system of home delivery. You either ate what was there or went to sleep hungry. However, in those days mothers did not have to compete with a hundred different restaurants and fast food centres that have expanded our horizon for food," says Vaswani.
The author says most children are picky eaters since they have been forced to eat fruits and vegetables by their parents. The remedy she suggests is to ensure children eat healthy without the use of force.
included the culinary experiences of her son in the kitchen.
Vaswani has included recipes of pizzas with tortillas or muffins as the bases, or burgers using good quality, lean, minced meat.
"Make chicken nuggets by marinating some chicken and coating it in breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes or rice Krispies. And how about making ice lollies from fresh fruit and pure fruit juice," she writes.
Besides innovating simple dishes at kitchen, another way to instill healthy eating habits she says is to establish a healthy food environment.
"As a bonding activity, take them to the supermarket and make them choose what is good and healthy, and cut down on the bottled and canned stuff. It's easier to inculcate good eating habits in them when they develop a sense of healthy and unhealthy food options on their own," suggests Vaswani.
Small herbs like tulsi, basil, cherry tomatoes and lemons that are easy to grow in pots makes it exciting for the kids and make them interested in eating the food that they can grow, pluck and wash themselves, recommends Vaswani.
"I recall when I was young, we had a mirchi (chilli) plant at home and a big mango tree within the building complex. Every time there were nice mirchis in my potted plant and kacchi kairi (raw mango) growing on the tree, I would sit with my aunt and learn how to make pickles for the family. I know this generation is not interested in pickles but other home-grown food stuff might catch their fancy," she says.
"For younger children, try using a sticker chart: give a sticker for trying something new or for finishing a plate of food. Reward a completed chart with a treat; this should be something small and affordable, and not unhealthy!" she says.
For slightly older children, Vaswai suggests giving them an empty jar they can fill with something like dried pasta.
"Each time they finish their meal or try something new, they get a pasta shape to put in their jar. Once the jar is full, a small present or treat can be given as a reward," she says.