If you browse through the cookery books of parents with small children you’re likely to spot several titles by Annabel Karmel. She’s revered by families for her practical (and tasty) approach to feeding children, and was awarded an MBE in 2006 for her work in the field of child nutrition.
Karmel has partnered with Sani Resort in Greece to transform its family dining offering, designing child-friendly menus for every restaurant across the resort’s five hotels. This year Karmel is introducing the Little Guests Taste Adventures, focused on culinary journeys for children with a new menu. Here, she shares her insights into the importance of food on family holidays, her top tips for getting children to try new tastes abroad and how she ended up holidaying with Chris de Burgh. Plus, discover the recipe for her Sunshine Sweetcorn Fritters – one of her most popular dishes at Sani Resort.
Why is food such an important part of a family holiday?
As a parent, a little bit of the mental load is lifted with time off from thinking about and preparing endless family meals! Holidays provide an opportunity for families to relax, let loose from their busy daily routines, and experience lots of new things together. Good food should be a core part of this.
How did you develop Little Guests Taste Adventures with Sani Resort?
Sani Resort and I share the same vision – children should have the opportunity to explore a world of good food and flavour, just like grown-ups!
There are so many activities and things to do at Sani Resort, it’s important that children stay fuelled on the right foods to charge their days! Eating shouldn’t be a chore. It should be a fun, immersive experience, and my colourful, nutritious recipes are designed to add a little theatre to mealtimes across resort.
From colourful quesadillas and giant couscous salad, to crispy baked cod and yummy mini Med dishes, the menu has been created to bring families together over the table whilst on holiday.
What impact are you hoping the new range will have on families’ holidays?
Families all over the world trust in my recipes. Having been in the business of feeding children for more than 30 years, multiple generations have been raised on my delicious food. Curating the children’s menus at Sani Resort provides families with that all-important reassurance that the food is going to satisfy even the toughest of tiny food critics!
From babies, to tots and tweens, I’ve packed variety and goodness into every restaurant menu, offering a true taste adventure for Little Guests – and peace of mind for parents.
Which ages will it be perfect for? (And will adults enjoy it too?!)
My Little Guests Taste Adventures menu is ideal for toddlers and kids (and yes, I think adults might be saying "one bite for me?" on more than one occasion!) My delicious baby purees are also available on the menu at Sani Resort to satisfy even the youngest of guests.
Which new dishes should agents recommend to their family clients?
Mini diners will love my twist on fish and chips! The secret ingredient is a crunchy cornflake coating, and these are served with nutritious sweet potato chips to dip, dip, dip!
At Porto Sani, you can discover their flagship buffet with an entire area dedicated to Little Guests. They’ll love packing their plates with colourful, fun and nutritious recipes. My Chicken Meatballs with Carrot and Tomato Sauce packs in extra veggies and the Greek-inspired mini lamb koftas with pittas and minty yoghurt dip are another must-try!
Often seemingly indulgent snacks and desserts contain more healthy ingredients than you might think for something that looks and tastes so divine! My strawberry and kiwi ice lollies have just landed on the Taste Adventures menu. Made with just fresh fruit, it’s the perfect way to pack in one of their five-a-day. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love an ice-cool lolly on a sizzling day?
What are your top tips for encouraging children to try new flavours while they’re on holiday?
One of the best things about holidays is eating out and sampling the different cuisines and fresh local ingredients. In a new environment, children are often more inquisitive than we give them credit for, so give them the opportunity to pick from the menu, or head up to the buffet at Porto and fill their plate with my yummy foods. You might be surprised with what they come back with!
Most importantly, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to ensure they are clearing their plates. Thankfully, my delicious recipes should take care of that! But if they are having a day of food refusals, let them have a little of what they like and start afresh the next day!
The main thing is to make the most of these times together – and mealtimes are a great way to share in that all-important family time.
What are your favourite family activities at Sani Resort?
Sani Resort is the most incredible destination for families. And there are no end of activities to build up an appetite and feed imaginations. When I’m at Sani, it’s probably no surprise to hear that I spend a lot of time in the restaurants – sampling my food and working with the chefs to ensure we have every recipe perfected!
I also love long walks along Sani’s white sand beaches, stopping off at beautiful restaurants like Beach House at Sani Dunes. Or meandering around the Marina, deciding which beautiful spot to pick for lunch. The choice is incredible!
It’s just the most wonderful haven for families. There are 10km of forest trails to explore, and their academies are incredibly popular such as the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center. And if you’re looking for a few hours of uninterrupted sunbathing time, parents highly rate the creches. They have the most incredible facilities and caring staff – all operating to UK Ofsted standards.
Do you have any favourite family holiday memories?
One of the first hotels I worked with to develop their menus was One&Only Le Saint Geran in Mauritius. I holidayed at the resort over Christmas when my three children were little.
I created Bento boxes for kids by the pool which the children loved, and this was a breakthrough moment when I saw how popular they were. It truly instilled my view that children can be adventurous in the right setting.
On that holiday, we swam with stingrays, did underwater walking and hosted pizza-making workshops for kids. Likewise, there is just so much to do at Sani Resort to make lasting memories.
On the second day of our stay in Mauritius, Chris de Burgh moved into the beach bungalow next to ours. Every night he sang to guests after dinner and got everyone up dancing. We had an absolute hoot and became good friends!
