*From Loosha's Fridge* little sheets of seaweed

the unsung hero of my kid's mealtime

You know those nights when the mood shifts before the meal even starts? I can see it in Loosha's eyes—she’s tired, hungry, or both—and I just know dinner is going to suck.

Sure enough, as soon as I bring it to the table, she morphs into a sitcom kid: arms crossed, scowl firmly in place, delivering the dreaded, “I’m not eating this dinner!” Sometimes she physically melts so dramatically that her feet are on the floor and her head is on the chair while she complains about whatever I cooked.

It’s those moments that test whatever patience I have left. I’m quite certain all the parents out there have been there x 100.

Here’s what I’ve learned: these situations aren’t just about the food itself —it’s about control. For Loosha (and plenty of toddlers and kids like her), mealtime can feel overwhelming when they’re already running on empty. So, I try to step back, take a deep breath, and change the mood.

First, I calmly state the facts: “This is what we’re having for dinner tonight.” And while sticking to that boundary is important, I also bring out my secret weapon: nori sheets.

Loosha loves them. We call it “making the perfect bite,” and it’s her favorite way to take charge of her plate. I hand her a sleeve of seaweed and watch the magic happen. She’ll tear into it, wrapping up little bits of whatever is on her plate—rice, chicken, tofu, veggies, you name it—creating tiny seaweed tacos that she is pumped about.

Nori works because it’s salty, crunchy, and small enough that she can manipulate it easily. It gives Loosha a chance to play with her food—choosing what goes into each bite—and that little bit of control makes all the difference.

We just got home after a few weeks away and without the routine of school/mealtimes, and that means an overall eating reset for all of us. More cooking, more whole foods, and more seaweed.

If your next meal begins to feel like a struggle, give nori a try. Sometimes meeting kids where they are means finding creative ways to help them enjoy what’s on the table.

Happy eating,
Zoe Food Party

Crispy Tofu for Seaweed Tacos

After traveling, I’m eager to get back to cooking- even if it means using whatever miraculously survived in the fridge + pantry in order to make that happen for us. Our first dinner back on Saturday was a great example. I fired up our rice cooker and quick pickled the carrots that were still good, threw those in a bowl with crispy tofu. Loosha was exhausted and jet lagged and said “no way” until I remembered we also had some seaweed in the pantry. Crisis averted. Meal consumed.

• cut up your tofu into 1” cubes

• dry gently with a towel

• heat neutral oil in a pan while you

• toss tofu into a bowl with some cornstarch, sesame seeds, and salt
  pan fry the tofu on all sides until crispy and remove to a paper towel

• in same pan, add some soy sauce, mirin, water, sake or cooking wine, some MSG, and let it reduce and get sticky for a minute before adding the tofu back in and tossing to coat

• serve with rice, some quick pickled veggies, or whatever else you got

• oh, and a sleeve of seaweed