Food Theory

"Before I was married I had six theories about bringing up children.  Now I have six children and no theories. " - John Wilmot

One of my mommy friends was complaining this morning that her one year old keeps refusing to eat.  I sympathized with her; we have been there, we are there.  It is especially distressing at this age where Maeve runs around all day, burns lots of calories, and keeps getting taller.  She's getting skinny and I don't like skinny, it reminds me of when she was so little and not gaining any weight.

We have a couple of coping mechanisms to get the child to eat, which hardly ever involve just offering her cookies, popsicles, or pudding.  Maybe just once a week when her teeth get really bad.

Lately I've been making sweet breads with veggies and fruits in them - I can smell my banana bread baking as we speak.  If she won't eat her veggies plain, I'll hide 'em.  But I don't work as hard as Jessica Seinfeld, but I do give her apple carrot juice (watered down), and I mix fruit/veg purees into her oatmeal in the morning. 

Also, I just keep fifteen kinds of Maeve-food on hand at all times.  If she doesn't like french-cut green beans today, she might like them again tomorrow.  The current favorites are pasta, zucchini bread, olives, hot dogs, and cheerios, but who knows what she'll be eating in a week?

I have learned to be patient.  Sometimes she's being picky, sometimes she wants me to know she's the boss of her dinner, sometimes her teeth hurt so darn bad that popsicles are all that will keep her from screaming.  And just like sleep, hunger always wins.  She will eat when she's hungry and when she can find something that sounds good.

Blueberry applesauce, olives,  and dino-tortillas with Sun Butter.  Not too shabby!

Pasta snack!