Feeding Kids

I think about food all the time. And not about eating it - About cooking it. Despite my current sugar problem (I’m working on it!) I’ve always been interested in eating healthy. I wasn’t great at it, but I have always been interested in trying new things & making good choices. My mom (who is currently going all RAW) is a very good nutrition role model for me.

Then I found out our son had some food allergies. This presented a whole new set of challenges when preparing food. And a whole new set of challenges to get him the nutrients he needs, since there are tons of proteins/calcium lacking in his diet. So now I work extra hard to think about what he needs to eat.

I have several personal philosophies about feeding my children, although not uniquely my ideas. Here they are:
1) Try Something New – We try new foods & recipes all the time.
2) Keep Trying - It takes 10 exposures before a new food is accepted, right? Ethan is rarely a plate cleaner, but I keep trying. Surely one day he’ll pick up that carrot and actually eat it!
3) Offer about 5 things on their plate at mealtime (at least 2 of which you know they’ll eat). – This way he probably won’t go to bed hungry, but I’m not afraid to put food on a plate that he likely won’t eat. You just never know when a toddler might change his mind.
4) Don’t let your personal opinions affect your child – Never in a million years did I think Ethan would eat a straight up tomato. I never even thought about offering it. But one day, he grabbed a cherry tomato, bit into it & never looked back. Also, my son loves tofu. Go figure.
5) Don't Force It - I try not to make a bit deal forcing Ethan to eat his food. But I always encourage just a bite of a new food. If he chooses not to eat dinner at all, he knows that’s it until breakfast.

Over the next few days, I'm going to post a few of my favorite food resources. How do you make sure your kids eat wholesome meals? Feel free to chime in if you have other thoughts on feeding kids!