Hello Everyone! I hope you have had an awesome week! The last two weeks have totally flown by me! Easter weekend we had family visiting, this week I have been getting all of my readmission forms and stuff together so that I can go back to nursing school and finish my degree in the fall...not to mention that we are frantically planning our baby boy's 3rd birthday! =) I have been working on some special things for that, and I will be taking pictures and posting instructions with everything that I make!
This week's post is for the mama who spends half day trying to plan snacks and trying to figure out how to sneak extra veggies into their kids diet. I'm almost sure that I have the pickiest child in the world. Okay, we're talking she will search through a taco that I have intentionally ordered without lettuce to make sure that their isn't a sliver hidden in there. And let me tell ya, If there is one in there and it ends up in her mouth... she'll bring it to my attention. You would not believe the small amounts of a distasteful food that my child can find. To the point, that one night I jokingly asked, "Kyrie.. what's the deal? Is it going to choke you?!" Her response..."It might, ya never know."
How do you remedy that? Well, you get creative. Let's start with the snacks.. let me tell you what I do. I keep a Tupperware container regularly stocked, and I have a snack drawer that's replenished twice a week. The first thing that you have to do, is decide on what you think is suitable for your children to have as a snack! When we started this, we pulled out just about all of the junk food and soda in the house. We have one small box of cookies that have individual packages, and are only for special occasions. Other than that... They are stuck with what my husband and I have decided is okay for them to eat.
Now, I'm all for teaching portion control and independence. Which is why I buy everything in bulk and divide it up into toddler/child sized portions. I also don't think that my 5 year old needs me to go to the fridge and get her a juice box and a cheese stick, when she is perfectly capable of opening the door and getting it herself. That is why I chose a container, and a drawer to put things in. I chose a drawer that is kid height, and away from anything dangerous, and a Tupperware container to keep in the fridge as the "safe box". Meaning anything in the safe box, they don't have to ask to take. I was afraid that they would blow through everything in one or two days..but there's something cool about being able to go get a snack without having to ask mom first. Our box usually lasts about a week, but sometimes I like to add little changes in there midweek, to break up the monotony.
In my safe box, I usually keep sliced apples, gogurts, string cheese, grapes, carrots.. stuff like that. Sometimes for my change, I'll cut up the cheese sticks, throw them in with a bag and add some mini turkey pepperoni.. just something to change it up a it. I also keep small 8 ounce water bottles, and juice boxes right next to them. Every once in a while, I can find small individual jugs of chocolate milk... and we really like those!
For our drawer, I keep gold fish and wheat ritz crackers, packaged in snack sized bags (hence the snack, not sand which bags!) granola bars, small tubs of peanut butter.. snack sized bags of cheerios, the stuff that doesn't have to go in the fridge. Let's face it... You just can't have apple slices without peanut butter on them, I'm pretty sure it's written somewhere.
Set rules, and explain it to them. If they break the rules...take it away. I only had to take our box away once, before they were begging me to bring it back. It hasn't happened since then. This system makes it possible to control what they snack on, but still gives them some sense of control because they have a few choices. If you give them options, they will choose from what they are given. This way there is no fighting at snack time, because you have already won the battle!
Meals, what do you feed a picky eater for dinner? What can I make that everyone will eat, that wont cause me to pull out all of my hair?!?! I've been there. First of all, there are tons and tons of recipes online for picky eaters. First things first, you have to take the "bad" out of food. If you serve your child something that you don't like...odds are, they aren't going to eat it. Especially if you follow the refusal to eat it with "Ugh, I hate asparagus!" If you don't like to eat something, but your going to try to poke it down your kids...it's best to keep that secret yourself. The message you are sending them..."Holy cow, this is gross!" Silence really is golden sometimes.
Also, when you introduce a new food...be encouraging. Encourage them for trying it, and if they decide that they don't like whatever it is this time...Don't force it. We have a two bite rule in our house. You have to take two bites of something, and actually taste it. If you don't like it, then you have to tell me exactly why you don't like it. Sometimes, just figuring out why they don't like it can make a difference. "Well, Jenny had them in her lunchbox, and she said that they were yucky, and so I don't like it either?" Which is usually followed up with, "Did you do two bites? If you didn't even try it, then how do you know you don't like it?"
Also, if you refuse to serve them the foods that they didn't like the first time, then you are setting them up. Studies show that after being served a food 6 or 7 times and being made try it, most children will at least eat it. It may not be their favorite, but they will eat it. Kids develop at a totally different rate. Give them time and be patient, but don't give up. Always be encouraging and offer praise for something new. Rome wasn't built in a day, and I highly doubt you haven't found something that as a kid you wouldn't touch...but you do now.
Substitution and creativity can create a world of options. Think about what foods look similar.. for example, if your kid eats mashed potatoes. Steamed cauliflower mashed up, can be mixed in the potatoes, or substituted all together. I have skipped the potatoes, and loaded the cauliflower up with garlic and threw in a little cheese.. they never knew the difference. Neither did my husband for that matter! Spaghetti sauce is one of my favorite places to be creative. Most of the time I use ground turkey, just because I don't like greasy foods. One of my most favorite ways to make spaghetti is with a tomato, basil, and spaghetti squash sauce. Quarter the squash, clean it, bake it in the oven at 350 until it's soft. Throw one of those quarters (or two) in the blender with your sauce..mix until smooth.. and then finish it like you always do. I've also been known to make my own mac n cheese with squash. Same baking concept, just when I add in my cheese, I also add in the squash. Butternut works well with mac n cheese, it makes it a bit orange, but that's about the only difference!
There are a ton of different options.. baked sweet potato french fries, instead of regular fries. You can do this! Start reading labels on boxes. Certain pastas are made with veggies instead of wheat, kick out your vanilla ice cream and make a frozen yogurt banana split, or sundae. I've been known to steam carrots, throw them in the food processor, and sneak them into meatloaf. If you can think it, you can try it. Don't be afraid to experiment. The worst that happens, is you know not to make that combination next time. Just be brave, and step out of your comfort zone. Remember, that first impressions are everything. Be sure that the impression that you are making is positive, because picky eaters are born when we project our prejudices.
Patience is the key, and I believe that I read once in the bible that patience comes through great trials and endeavors. Parenting is a life long road trip without a map. It is what you make of it. Please take time out of your week to stop, and look at the awesome gift God has blessed you with. Marvel in the splendor, and generosity of our awesome King. And most importantly, remember to thank Him for the little hand prints on your coffee table and television. =) Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day..and no kid is perfect. Things take time!
Blessings and Love as your weekend begins!
xoxoxox!
Audrie
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