So I said I would write about kid stuff... my little veggie baby is asleep and so I thought I'd take advantage. Here is a great article on nutrition for kids. And here's a whole list of articles, most of which I have yet to read but plan to soon. Currently, we have a chart on our fridge of the food groups and vitamin/mineral needs that our almost 18 month old needs. He doesn't always get them all down and some days is pickier than others. However, we're still nursing and so I rely on that as my backup. (Here is an article on the nutrition of nursing past the first year)
Although he eats more veggies than the av-er-age bear, he still often turns up his nose at green things. He loves green smoothies and so I pack mine with lots of fun things to get down him. Other things that have worked well for us are:
hummus with pretzel sticks/carrot sticks
fruit (especially banana and grapes at the moment)
black and pinto beans, especially if they have a bit of salt on them
avocado
bread, any kind (gets that from both sides)
penne or rotini pasta with tomato sauce
raisins, dried cranberries
pumpkin seeds toasted with soy sauce, sunflower seeds
peanut/almond butter whole wheat cookies
and the man LOVES Indian food, especially those quick and easy Tasty Bite potato/chickpea packages. I need to figure out a way to replicate that sauce to make it at home. I think the Indian food thing is residual from pregnancy...!
So those are my ideas. Anyone have more (plant based whole foods) toddler friendly snack/meal ideas to share?
2 comments:
I will comment because LJ loves her veggies! She loves steamed broccoli just plain, maybe she can rub off on X! She likes carrots very lightly steamed too- I find she eats more when they are a little soft. She really likes roasted red peppers, because you can peel off the skin and that makes them easy to eat. She likes spinach on everything- pizzas, mixed into a casserole, etc. She really likes eating soups because she thinks she is a "big girl"- this time of year I can get chard to put in and she likes that a lot. She loves when I make tacos and will load hers up with avocado, lettuce, and tomato. I don't use packaged taco seasoning because of MSG and other nasty stuff, so I season our organic meat or fish (you could use veggie crumbles)with onion, crushed garlic, cumin, a little salt, and chili powder. We have a local source for organic corn tortillas and tortilla chips who uses no trans fats or preservatives.
I will have to try that easy indian food stuff- can I get it at Whole Foods? She likes Amy's Kitchen Palaak Paneer.
As for people being concerned about how you feed your child, I say as long as you are working with a nutritionist or his doctor to be absolutely sure he has everything he needs, then what's the big deal? As long as when he gets older you let him make his own food choices (as far as vegan, veg, or meat) he'll be fine. You know my relatives who were forced to be vegetarian very strictly- and you see the obesity, bulimia, etc that they struggle with as adults. I know you aren't as strict as that though! He will be healthier than 99% of kids out there probably, just like LJ since any meat she has is organic/grass fed, etc. and we do whole organic foods.
I hope the veggie love rubs off on him. We'll have to get them together sometime soon!
I get the Indian food from Costco actually, though I think you can buy it at any grocery store.
He likes soups but can't be trusted to feed himself (though he wants to!)... usually he dumps it all on the floor if I don't watch close enough!! We did do rice pancakes this morning and frozen blueberries--I forgot to add that to our list! Lentils also go in pretty easily.
Miss you lady!
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