Our Mimi has 3 boys too. Maybe they can help out...that would keep things simple and let them learn
at the same time. Plus I'm always amazed that kids will eat the strangest things when they've made it. I give as proof to the jury my niece Kara, who would only eat plain, ungarnished, unsauced pasta. That's it.
Then I asked her to help me make zucchini bread (flecks of green peel and all) and she did very well. She served us warm slices, telling everyone how delicious it was. Go figure.