Guest post by Big Apple Curry member Bridgett who lives in Connecticut, is the mother of one adorable toddler, and president of an energy consulting company

I have a 2 year old little boy named Phineas, who like most toddlers, is a picky eater. He doesn’t like cheese unless it’s melted. No cold cuts under any circumstances. An apple or pear is acceptable only if it’s off the core or pureed, but not sliced. He loves meatballs, but not any other form of meat. It keeps life interesting.

But, contrary to what you would expect, Phineas loves almost all Indian food, including spicy dishes. We discovered this when he was almost a year old and just starting to eat “real” food. My husband and I went out for an Indian buffet lunch at a local restaurant.  Thinking that Phineas would only snack on the naan, I only got a plate of food for myself. Phineas proceeded to devour half my plate, including the curried calamari and a host of vegetables that he would never otherwise touch!

Phineas happily eating in his high chair…most toddlers are picky eaters, so when they do eat something they really like, it’s adorably messy!

Since then, Indian spices have become a go-to in our household. I use the Indian spice ‘garam masala’ in soups and sauces that Phineas might otherwise not eat. As soon as he smells those spices in the dish, he’s happy to try whatever is on the stove.

Leading spice brands like McCormick offer Indian spices like garam masala (blend of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, and black peppercorn).

We’ve also tried a few of the frozen Indian items. Amy’s ‘faux samosa’ is one of his favorites (and a favorite of mine because it heats up in the microwave in 2 minutes — a blessing for any working mom!).

Phineas likes Amy’s ‘samosa wrap’ with organic potatoes, peas, and tofu

We’re not sure where his love for Indian food comes from. I ate a lot of spicy food when I was pregnant, but mainly Vietnamese — I must have consumed at least a bottle of Sriracha hot sauce during those 40 weeks! Phineas must have taken a fancy to the spiciness of my diet during pregnancy, because he also likes other spicy cuisines — Chinese Sichuan and Tex-Mex. But Indian food remains the current champion in our kitchen.