Finicky eaters?

In the ten plus years I have been a nanny to 11 kids ages 3 months to 11 years not once have I come across a child that was so finicky they would starve themselves. Yet I have met many parents that claim their kids would do that if they didn't feed them a steady diet of boxed mac and cheese or peanut butter and fluff. I am not saying kids can't have any of these, I'm an "all things in moderation" type, but these things should not be the mainstays of their diet.

I have worked with kids who claimed not to like things. Two little vegetarians who said they didn't like vegetables come to mind. My solution was to mandate the a child try one bite of a food before saying they don't like it. Even if they have tried it before they were still required to try it. I put out the unfamiliar food before offering familiar fillers, like said mac and cheese, as side dishes. A little acting sometimes helps the process, such as putting on a most doubtful face, rolling your eyes and stating flat out "I just know you won't like this!" then "What?! You do?!" If is really something that they absolutely dislike to the point it gives them a case of the shudders we move right along to the other things and acknowledge that they did give it a try.

It often helps to try flavoring things differently. The little vegetarians did not like very many plain veges but did like many simmered in soups or baked into meatless "meat-loaves." Many kids like spinach blended into cream sauces on past or mixed in basil pesto or they may like it more as part of a well dressed salad. Peas simmered in seasoned vege or chicken broth or in rice pilaf. Some hate raw tomatoes but love fresh salsa, or marinara sauce. Sweetened, creamy bowls of wheat, oats, polenta, or rice flavored with cinnamon and vanilla are usually pretty big hits. If one grain is highly dislike it may be the texture is too gritty or too coarse, this particularly happens with "instant" varieties. Those do not cook long enough to fully tenderize the grain and bring out their creaminess. Real food tastes better and if kids are allowed to build up a healthy appetite they will show how much they appreciate it.

A big part of making meal times enjoyable with kids is to eat with them. As soon as they can handle finger food at a high chair they should be at the table with the grown-ups of the house for at least one meal a day. It doesn't have to be dinner it just has to happen. They so often take their eating cues from what they see us doing. Are we sipping our milk and eating our delicious veges? Or are we running around we our "healthy" protein bar that looks just like candy while trying to get "important" things done? If we are getting our meals on the run or nibbling scraps at the kitchen counter we can hardly expect them to do better. Sometimes parents lead such separate lives that I'm sure their little ones are curious if adults eat at all!

Here is the way to feed kids that works for me:

1. Have regularly scheduled mealtimes and no junk food in between. If their day is very active a they need a snack offer fruit or a low sugar item such as a small portion of cheerios, but offer water first. Even in adults thirst is often confused for hunger.
2. Don't feed them in front of a TV. It will become a false hunger trigger.
3. Juices and sweets should be part of a meal not to be eaten alone. A piece of chocolate at the end of dinner has a better chance of not setting off a sugar roller coaster than that same piece eaten alone. Kids who walk around with juice filled sippy cups all day are bathing their teeth in a continual sugar stream.
4. Let water be the between meal beverage. It satisfies thirst without reeking havoc on blood sugar, won't disrupt their meal time hunger, and doesn't make things sticky when spilled :)
   
5. Let fruit, fruit smoothies, and homemade fruit pops be the predominant desserts.
6. Eat as an example of how they should eat. Enjoy the freshness and taste of your own homemade creations. If you don't think you are a good cook buy a good cookbook. The Joy of Cooking and The Moosewood Cookbook (lacto-ovo vegetarian) are two of my favorites. The first has tons of basic recipes and the second definitely is not for vegetarians only, it just has tons of great recipes.
7. When cooking from scratch just can't be done have a stock of quality ready made foods either made by you in your freezer or by a reputable supplier that does not add chemicals to their soup. My and Miss T.'s favorites for ready made food are by Amy's. We are particularly liking the spinach-feta pockets that are made with organic whole wheat. Along with a bowl of tomato bisque it is one of Miss T.'s favorite meals.
8. Don't expect that littles are going to eat a lot at each meal. For a toddler a few tablespoons of an item is plenty. Let them eat as much of the good stuff as they need at meal times. If they stop do not want more do not try to entice them to eat more. They should be learning to listen to their natural hunger/satiety cues. If they are not hungry at all don't make a big deal of it. They will be hungrier at their next meal provided sweets and snacks are not offered in between.

Fruit and Yogurt Pops

• In a blender add 1 small to medium ripe banana, 1 cup full-fat yogurt (vanilla, maple, plain, or a flavor that coordinates with the fruit you have on hand). They give the pops a creamy texture kids and adults both love.
  
• Add one cup fruit or pure fruit juice. Berries, very ripe peaches or nectarines, more banana, fully ripe mangoes, or even stewed dried fruit such as apricots work very well.
• If dry fruit was added, add about 1 cup spring or purified water and blend. It should be a pour-able smoothie consistency add additional liquid if necessary.
  
• Taste. If the fruit was under ripe it may need a teaspoon of honey (for children over 1 year only) to pick it up or the same amount of frozen white grape juice concentrate if there is any honey allergy.
• Pour into pop molds or dixie cups. With the thicker smoothie consistency you can usually add the popsicle stick right away. If it is too soft freeze slightly (1/2 hour) then add the stick.
• Serve frozen for desert :)