This was a video done by a YouTuber that I watch. I wanted to do a video response to her but I don't really like being in front of the camera. So, I thought instead that I'd write a blog post about it. If Amanda Mysonandi chooses, she can come read my responses here! First I'll straight up answer her questions and then I'll go off on my tangent...
I have a five year daughter and a twenty month old son. They have not ever been picky eaters. My five year old loves to get into battle of the wills sometimes but the majority of the time she eats just fine but slooooowly.
1. What is your meal and snack schedule?
I don't have a super strict schedule but I do try to stick to general time frames. Breakfast is whenever we wake up. On school days, I feed Miranda before I even wake Elliott up. Elliott will sometimes have a granola bar or a piece of fruit right away after he wakes up but he usually waits until we're back from dropping Miranda off to have a real breakfast. Lunch is when Miranda gets home from school since she's in half-day kindergarten. Then he usually takes a nap after that. My husband cooks dinner most of the time and it's usually on the table around 5:30 - 6:00. He cooks one meal and the kids have the choice to eat it or not. I don't stress if they don't eat it all. The only rule I have is that they must finish all of their vegetables to earn a dessert. Most nights they don't earn dessert but they do eat some of their vegetables. Dessert is usually very small and is the last food they're offered (if earned) unless it's a special movie night or something like that.
2. How much of your day is spent preparing food for your child?
Very little. Breakfast usually consists of eggs or cereal with fruit or something along those lines. Lunch is most likely a sandwich and baby carrots or broccoli or leftovers from a previous dinner. Dinner varies a lot. It always consist of a protein source, veggies and a carb.
3. Where do you find new recipes?
I don't usually. Occasionally if I stumble upon something I'll give it a try.
I don't usually. Occasionally if I stumble upon something I'll give it a try.
4. Does your child have any diet restrictions?
None.
None.
5. What is your child's favorite food or snack?
My son loves bananas and kielbasa is his favorite dinner food. My daughter loves cantaloupe, strawberries, and mac and cheese with broccoli mixed in is her favorite meal.
My son loves bananas and kielbasa is his favorite dinner food. My daughter loves cantaloupe, strawberries, and mac and cheese with broccoli mixed in is her favorite meal.
6. What food are you surprised that your child loves?
Miranda *loves* clams, shrimp and really any seafood you put in front of her. Elliott is a big meat eater which shocks me only because I could not eat any meat when I was pregnant with him.
Miranda *loves* clams, shrimp and really any seafood you put in front of her. Elliott is a big meat eater which shocks me only because I could not eat any meat when I was pregnant with him.
7. What is a typical toddler friendly food that your child won't eat?
I can't really think of one...
I can't really think of one...
8. What kind of milk does your toddler drink? Whole, 2%, Almond..
We recently switched Elliott to our regular 1% mixed with vanilla almond milk. It used to be whole mixed with almond or coconut milk. I was honestly just sick of buying three different kinds of milk.
We recently switched Elliott to our regular 1% mixed with vanilla almond milk. It used to be whole mixed with almond or coconut milk. I was honestly just sick of buying three different kinds of milk.
9. Does your toddler use kid dishes or adult dishes?
Kid dishes small plastic plates, bowls and cups from Ikea. Elliott uses sippy cups because otherwise he'll spill. He also uses toddler friendly forks and spoons. Miranda uses an Ikea cup and adult forks and spoons.
Kid dishes small plastic plates, bowls and cups from Ikea. Elliott uses sippy cups because otherwise he'll spill. He also uses toddler friendly forks and spoons. Miranda uses an Ikea cup and adult forks and spoons.
10.If you could give advice to yourself 6 months ago, what would it be?
Keep it up!
Okay, now here's for my tangent.
Honestly, I think the secret to getting your kid to eat is to not worry about what your kids are eating. I don't like to offer purees, I'd rather do a more baby led weaning approach. I've always been of the mind that you make a well balanced meal and offer it to them. Let them eat what they will and don't stress about what they don't. My pediatrician always said it's not about a balanced day as it is a week. I don't offer them crap food at every meal (occasional treats are allowed) and so they learn that either they eat what I give them or they'll go hungry. If they desire a snack in between meals I make sure it's also a healthy option. Carrot sticks or broccoli, a fruit. Something along those lines. My kids know that food isn't a battle ground with me so they don't try to fight it.
Good luck to all those with picky eaters.
I'll play. Too lazy to do it on my blog though and no way on a video.
ReplyDelete1. We eat breakfast when they say they are hungry. The boys tend to snack through the morning, Eloise does as well when she is home, when she isn't she has 1 snack at preschool. We have lunch between 11 and noon most of the time, Eloise has lunch at 12:15 at school since she stays for lunch and that is when the non-lunch kids leave. We have snacks in the afternoon, generally Sully eats all afternoon after he wakes up, and the other two have 1 or 2 snacks depending on how hungry they are. Then dinner around 6 or 7. After dinner they will sometimes have anther snack or desert before bed, probably 2 to 3 times a week.
2. Preparing food? erm next to no time. Dan does dinner. I may spend 15 minutes or so making lunch. Breakfast takes less then 5 minutes, unless they have eggs. Snacks are normally grab and go. Under an hour a day I'd say.
3. We subscribe to a meal planning service for dinners, Fresh20. We use the vegetarian plans and really like them. That gives us 5 new meals a week. Dan or I will also occasionally browse all recipes. In general I stick to what the kids like though especially for lunch.
4. Eloise can't have much milk, she has an intolerance to it. The other two no restrictions. Dan can't have any meat but Fish, which affects dinners.
5. Favorite Snacks, hmm. Desmond fruit, strawberries, cut grapes, sliced apples, mango, cheese sandwiches (piece of square cut cheddar between 2 crackers). Eloise, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, olives, cut pears, plums, carrots and bananas are probably her favorites. Sully, food; the kid is always eating, he does love Cheerios, cheese sticks, fruit and veggies (grapes, bananas, strawberries, apples, pears, cauliflower, carrots, olives, sugar snap peas, corn, etc) and Kashi breakfast bars.
6. Really not surprised by anything my kids like. I am happy that Desmond is starting to eat more foods, but none of their food likes really surprise me.
7. Desmond won't eat chicken nuggets until after he came home from the hospital in July, when Eloise told him 5 year olds eat Chicken Nuggets. I am not really sure what is considered toddler food though, our kids have always eaten what we do.
8. Desmond Skim or Whole, Eloise Coconut or Almond, Sully mainly Whole, but occasionally Skim.
9. They all use plastic plates, then again most of the time so do Dan and I. Desmond drinks from a regular plastic cup, Eloise drinks from a cup at dinner and when she has lunch at home and a sippy when wandering the house, Sully drinks from a sippy most of the time, he'll use a regular cup at dinner when he turns 2. Desmond uses regular silverware, Eloise and Sully still use kid silverware.
10. Nothing really.
Now for my tangent.
I agree that not worrying about what they eat is the best way to go. I also believe that some kids are just picky. I have 3 kids, 1 extremely picky though he is getting a bit better at almost 6. 2 extremely not picky. They have all always been fed the same way starting with baby led weaning. They have all always been offered the same options. One is just picky. I figure that I won't eat food I don't like, so other then insisting on a try of new food that they haven't had before I just don't worry about how much or little they are eating. Well except after Desmond came home from the hospital, but once he was back at pre-injury weight I stopped being concerned.
Thank you both for answering the questions! I love hearing what other moms have to say about food. Milo currently isn't that picky with flavors, just textures. We are working on it though. Thanks again! :)
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