I was sitting in the pediatricians office last week waiting forever with nothing to read but a parenting magazine and I actually read a pretty interesting article. I was surprised because I actually don't like those kinds of magazines.
But anyhow I found this one that I thought was genius. It was an article about toddlers who are picky or stubborn eaters. There was one suggestion the article gave that I loved. It was that if you have such a kid (like I do!) don't fret, first of all. But it was saying that most kids like breakfast food. Most kids like lunch food because Daddy (or Mommy in some cases) is at work and you eat things like chicken nuggets or mac n cheese for lunch then the big fight comes at dinner. When you make roast and veggies or some other dinner food. But that is when the threatening comes "eat your broccoli or no desert"
Well anyways it was saying that the grumpiest time of the day for toddlers is usually around dinner time. I thought this was just my kids but I guess its pretty normal. Too early for bed, but worn out from the day. It said to save the foods like mac n' cheese and french fries for dinner because they aren't the best during that time of the day and feed them their veggies or other foods they won't usually eat during lunch. They are usually happier and more willing to try new things during this time of the day. Plus you don't want to fight with your kids every night about food because then they have this negative association with whatever it is you are trying to get them to eat. I have been trying this with Hugo since then and it is actually working quite nicely. He can have ramen or an eggo for dinner, but during lunch I will try and sneak in different things like veggies, some lunch meat or even a glass of water (yes he is that picky that he wont usually eat that stuff). But tonight he actually ate what we were eating for dinner. Its not that weird it was spaghetti but usually he wont eat that stuff.
So that's my ramble for the day. What are your tricks for picky eaters, I could use all the help I can get. This seems to be working for now but who knows how long it will last and I don't want to be making eggos for dinner forever :)
2 comments:
Have you ever heard of muffin tin meals? You put different veggies, chips, pretzels or anything else you can dip into some of the spots and in the other spots you put the dip, like ranch dressing, guacamole, hummus, whatever. You can even have a spot for a dessert like m&m's. Google it. I hear it's a pretty good way to get kids to eat veggies because it's like a game.
yeah I have seen Charmaines muffin tin idea it looks like fun! I bet it would work.
Also, google "deceptively delicious" it is a cook book with ideas to sneak veggies into foods they like.
For example cook some yellow squash and mash it up real finely then sneak it into mac and cheese. Or remember when Mommy made mash potatoes out of cauliflower, it is much healthier, I made them once and Brian Sr did not know it was cauliflower not potatoes. yummy. Good luck!
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