Starting early~

If you read my post about feeding toddlers vegetables, you know that one of the steps we took to develop a love of food, was to start early. And by that I mean, start EVERYTHING early.

I don't really believe the old ideas about what children do and do not like when it comes to food. I think they are capable of loving spicy food, different foods, and healthy foods more than anything.

When we introduced solids to our daughters, we made everything ourselves. It is easy and actually not very time-consuming. I made food purees and finger foods from the food I cooked for us, cutting down on extra prep and cooking.

Example- if I steamed brocolli for us, I would cook some extra and leave it in a bit longer. I would then puree it with a bit of the cooking water and cool it. We would freeze it in food cubes using an ice cube tray and defrost as needed. When they were ready for more complexity, we would blend some of the food cubes.

Making Food Cubes

steam or prepare vegetables, legumes, or meat

puree with some liquid until smooth

portion into ice cube trays (and small glass or plastic containers when baby has a bigger appetite)

freeze

defrost when needed

Early on we introduced meat, beans, grains, and all kinds of veggies and fruits. The sweeter foods are definitely easier. But I was careful that not every meal was based on something that contains a lot of natural sugar, such as fruit or a veg like carrots or a baby cereal.

Once our babies were good with soft pieces of food and finger foods, it made it so much easier. I would make small, soft pieces of the food I prepared for us. I would create little plates of different foods for them to try and play and eat.

To introduce spicy and pungent foods, we simply let them try things like curries and pasta sauces. I think that children are like adults, sometimes they have what I call "food moods" and sometimes they simply don't like something.

I know that texture is a big reason for children not liking food. So if you have tried something and they didn't like it, maybe try changing its texture by preparing it differently.

However, I really try not to force the issue. I don't like eggplant. Never have, never will. And it is a texture thing, so I understand if there is something they just don't like. It's okay.

Some great first foods:
Any kind of vegetable
Vegetable blends
Fruits
Cooked legumes (chickpeas are very popular here!)
Tomato based pasta sauces (add beef you grind yourself or ground mushrooms to make it beefy)
Dairy such as real yoghurt or cheese
Whole grains, cooked like oatmeal
Nut butters
Eggs
Good quality meat and fish
Curries and pilafs
Whole grain pasta (or made with rice or another grain)
Tofu- but not the sugary flavored ones
Bread products at a minimum

We have avoided the major chokers- foods that are the major cause of food choking for children. It was suggested to me by a pediatrician to avoid the following until age 5:

popcorn
hot dogs -unless sliced lengthwise, but nutritionally should not be eaten by anyone, in my opinion
hard candies
raw carrot -especially those "baby" carrots, which you know aren't baby carrots right? They have been cored out of giant carrots and bleached.
whole grapes -unless sliced lengthwise

~next up? Feeding toddlers. It doesn't have to be a battle!

Food Love~

 

My daughters love vegetables. I often write about what they eat and so many people ask me what I do to help them love vegetables. Our approach has really been about developing a love for food- good quality food. So I could easily be writing this post about grains, fish, spicy foods, the list goes on. But it seems to be the perennial parental dinner dilemmna- how do we get our kids to eat veggies?

 

Here are some of the things we have done to inspire a love of vegetables early on~

 

1.  We started early-
We introduced our children to vegetables from the day they started solids. Seems kind of simple but I think that homemade baby food is so essential. It is easy and I could control what was in it. No added salt and only organic, good quality vegetables. As babies, our children ate whole, organic foods and quickly ate small versions of our meals.

2. No pressure-
When it comes to nutrition for little bodies, I have taken my sister's advice- think about what they are getting during the week, not every single day. I look at the nutrients, protein, etc that they are consuming weekly to ensure it is all balancing out. And keep in mind that nutritional panels, and Canada's Food Guide are for adults, not children.

3. Our children eat what we eat-
This is maybe the best lesson I have learned. My kids have learned to love what I love. I took advantage of that brief moment in time when they wanted to be just like me. We talk about the food we love, what's great about it, and where it comes from.

4. Make it fun-
I loathe "kid-friendly food/meals". Food is fun as it is! Right from the time our kids could handle finger food we simply made small, soft pieces of our meals. I also think any kind of "deception" is a ridiculous concept. That doesn't teach them to love the ingredients. It teaches them to love cookies or muffins or whatever it is. (which isn't a bad thing as long as this isn't the primary method of delivery of vegetables). I am a fan of using healthy ingredients in baking and cooking, but it isn't how I get vegetables in my children. Whole raw or cooked vegetables are great as they are. In salads, pasta, roasted dinners, whatever it is, we have taught our kids to love the actual vegetable.

5. Vegetables are not punishment-
Threats, punishments, and negative feedback have no place at the dinner table. We really work at dinner time being our positive, bonding time. We don't rush, we make conversation, we encourage the girls to eat as much as they can. Toddlers get very distracted so we often employ "how many more bites can you take?" Georgia will say whatever number comes to mind and then we let her try to do it.

6. Making the most of when they are hungry-
We have discovered that lunch is the biggest meal they will eat. This seems to be the best time to get protein in them. But every child is different and has a different metabolism. I think it is important to learn when our children are hungry. Even if that means smaller meals or snacks to make it work.

7. Our list of No's-
The following is our list of no foods for either safety or health reasons:
Popcorn, hard candy, hot dogs, "baby" carrots, whole nuts, soda or pop, chocolate milk, trans fats, artificial flavors and colors, anything hydrogenated, very minimal chocolate, fake yoghurt, non organic meat and dairy. There is more on our list to "avoid" and "limit" but this captures our general rules.

8. Teach them to cook-
Hands down, the best move I made early on was to involved my children with cooking and baking. I will write another post about all that I have learned while cooking with children, but if you haven't done this yet, start today. It is absolutely worth the time and energy.

Last night, Georgia wanted to make dinner. I was going to bake some chicken so she was in charge of the rest. (With my help) she made crudite and dip. And look at her- such pride in her work. And her and Olivia ate it all up.

If you know you want to change how your children eat, or even just improve it, I would truly recommend taking small steps. Remember, you buy and prepare the food so you are the one making the decisions. Keep it simple and remember that food is fun just the way it is.

Enjoy,
Kimberley