Eating Possum Tail at Our House

That possum tail.

Yep. We eat it and fight over it every time. Come to my house any day we’re serving soup, especially when a small amount sticks to the bottom of the pan. We’re having possum soup, and that stuck-on-part is the tail.

Possum soup

Our possum soup is usually tomato soup, but any other soup or chowder will do.

Dave started this when we had foster kids who were unfamiliar with home-cooked meals. When we started eating possum, the kids became intrigued with the menu instead of being wary.

Changing the mind about foods

Whereas most kids would be turning up their noses at that extra thick piece of soup, ours are begging for some possum tail. Dave has them convinced it’s the best part. Because he likes it and claims it as his, all the kids want to have some.

It’s the same with cereal. While most kids want anything loaded with sugar, the kids visiting us eat granola or anything Dave is eating because he’s exclaiming over his awesome “man cereal.” Cranberries, almonds, raisins, and nuts slide down their palettes without a fight because they’re eating man cereal. Especially with boys who think they are already men or want to be men, the invitation to eat some man-cereal is never turned down.

When you’ve got picky eaters, maybe changing the name will bring intrigue and interest – and rave reviews, even when the soup has stuck to the bottom of the pan. It especially works when the man of the house claims it as his – and before you know it, they’ll all be clamoring for some.

It’s true that our kids will pick up our attitudes – and if a parent doesn’t like or won’t eat a vegetable, you can be sure most kids won’t want to eat it, either. It just goes to show that some of our food preferences and attitudes are mind over matter – especially when it comes to eating possum tail.