Feeding a toddler is hard enough. When you can’t rely on delicious fatty standbys that it seems every kid loves (macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and pizza come to mind), what’s a parent to do on those desperate days?!?
Max out on dips and sauces
Sometimes all it takes is a dip that she gets to carefully place on each and every bite. Just be sure you ask where on the plate she wants it, or you might end up with a tantrum, right?!? Some key dips that we always have on hand:
Ketchup
Maple syrup and/or honey
Barbecue sauce
Asian orange sauce (great on vegies!)
Sometimes I’ll mix up some nonfat yogurt with a little honey for a sweeter dip for fruit or breakfast. Or add a little mustard to the honey and yogurt, for a honey mustard sauce. And then steal some for myself. Yum!
Eat the same thing – and set a good example yourself
Bad news: a lot of bad eating habits come from kids watching us parents.
Good news: correcting our own bad habits is good for us AND benefits our kids, LPLD or not!
Some bad habits that we’ve had to correct over the years:
- Avoiding unhealthy snacks between meals, and avoiding all snacks an hour or less before meals – if we are very hungry, choosing a piece of fruit, some air popped popcorn, or some carrot, celery, or bell pepper sticks is tough but worth it. This helps address my own emotional eating, as well!
- Sitting down to eat meals – especially when I can SEE all the dirty dishes that need to be washed, and I finished my meal 30 minutes ago, it is SO HARD to stay seated while my kids finish up; but no one likes to eat alone, and it’s a great time for your child to talk with you about whatever is on their mind
- Eating my own vegetables and showing enjoyment – if the vegetables you are eating aren’t that great, maybe you need to find a new way of preparing them, for both your sake and your kids! I’ve had luck with trying something new from my cookbooks, as well as using my friendly Google search engine to find ways to cook the vegetables I have on hand in a way that other people in the internet have enjoyed, too. I didn’t know I was overcooking my asparagus – when it’s still crisp, it’s so much more enjoyable, and then a little broth and lemon juice make it just fabulous!
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| This kid needs energy to stay active! |
What bad habits have you broken (or do you need to break, ha!) for your kids, and then benefitted from yourself, too?
low fat and no fat foods, food that is simple, does digest easier and more quickly - so you may notice that the kids get hungrier sooner and need to eat more often
ReplyDeletehigh fat content sticks with you a bit longer, so you feel more full while you body is trying to process that.
Also, I'm not sure that you need to completely change what YOU eat. They are already aware that other people eat differently. It's good for you to prepare them with some words to say to deflect other people's nosiness, or prying, and it's good to give them words to decline when someone totally doesn't "get it" and they say things like, "just try it", "just a little taste", or teasing them by calling them a "picky eater". I heard that so much, and still hear it, and it really makes me angry.
I logically understand that people are ignorant and all. But I don't have the energy all the time to explain my disease, nor do I want to have a 20 min discussion with everyone. It's exhausting.
What were/are your favorite quick things to say to deflect other people's nosiness or prying?
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