The OP's kids don't like olives and aubergines. As I kid, I ate aubergines pretty much every day when they were in season (the perk of a farmer grandad), mostly under the form of my grandmother's "parmigiana" (with very little parmigiano, I should say, but lots of raclette). On the other hand, I tried tikka masala only aged 18; the closest thing to fried chicken I ever had was a 'milanese', and chocolate was also pretty rare too.

Had I been the OP's children, I'd have eaten the pasta with glee; at the end of the day, it's a matter of taste.