The Parthenon
As an adult, you may already know how delicious Greek food can be. But to a child, a menu full of unknown items can be a bit unappealing, as many children automatically reject any food that wanders too far afield from the familiar. To help your child learn to love Greek food, try to choose items that most closely resemble their favorite at-home dishes.
Starters
Appetizers offer an easy, kid-friendly introduction to Greek food. Fussy eaters might do best when given a big bowl of Greek lemon chicken soup, if only because it doesn't look or sound weird. Fried cheese is a popular choice for the grilled cheese sandwich crowd, while hummus or tzatziki with pita crisps tends to go over well with those who favor potato chips and dip as a snack. Cheese-and-cracker types might enjoy a small plate of greek olives and feta cheese, while french fry fanatics may prefer the roasted Greek potatoes.
More adventurous young diners will get a kick out of the dolmathes (grapevine leaves which have been stuffed with rice), the baba ganoush (roasted eggplant dip), and the spanakopita (pastry with spinach and cheese in layers of buttery dough). For a large group or for kids who like most everything, order the mezza platter and let them try an assortment of house specialties.
Main Dishes
A popular main course for children is pastitsio. The dish is similar to lasagna; however, it uses long noodles, rather than flat, wide ones. The cooked noodles are combined with a tomato-based meat sauce and placed into a baking dish. Unlike American lasagna, the dish is then topped with a ladle full of creamy white sauce and, occasionally, a bit of Greek cheese. Additionally, many children seem to like tabouli -- a vegetarian dish made of bulgur wheat, cucumbers and tomatoes. Gyros are a delicious take on the ever-popular sandwich, but pita-wrapped meat can be difficult for those with small hands to manage; however, if you happen to be someplace that offers mini gyros, the smaller version is just as tasty as the original.
Desserts
For many foreign cuisines, the way to a child's heart is through their sweet tooth. Baklava is the most famous pastry in Greece. To create this sweet treat, layers of phyllo dough are filled with chopped nuts and topped with honey before being baked to a golden brown. Many Greek families have their own "secret recipe" which tends to reflect the preferences of the region, so if your child has nut allergies, but sure to check which variety is being used in that particular pastry prior to ordering. For a nut-free alternative, try a kok (pronounced "Coke") pastry puff. This Greek version of a cream puff is created by sandwiching two small cakes together with whipped cream filling and dipping the whole thing into a sugar syrup, then topping the whole thing with melted chocolate. The end result is similar to a miniature Boston cream pie.
Tags: Greek food, many children, topped with, whole thing, your child