Cause kids are fussy!
Ok, so I don't know if all children are fussy. Surely they can't all be fussy, right!? (I feel like a unfussy child is a bit like a unicorn, I want to believe they exist, I really do, but I have yet to see one). My child, bless her stubborn little heart has always been fussy. And I don't really understand why! I have always had a deep, and meaningful relationship with food. I love food and will eat almost anything and I have really tried to teach my daughter that same love. I have tried to introduce her to many different foods, cooked many different ways.
When she was younger I only got the freshest, most vibrant looking foods and cooked them all myself, I tasted each dish like a Gordon Ramsey Michelin chef. Guys, I took it seriously!!! I woke up early to cook so it would all be ready for her when she woke. I researched, Googled and asked my Mom friends for advice. I consulted my midwife and worked out a balanced, varied eating plan for her. This was a big deal for me, I wanted her to love food as much as I do. But every single meal I lovingly created for her ended up in the same place, on the floor and then in the bin.
Sigh. She broke my Mommy heart. But I persevered, I am still persevering. I am hoping to one day reach a place where she will eat most of the food I cook for her. I don't need her to love it all but at least some would be fantastic. I even resorted to pre-made meals, which I never wanted to do. But she prefers those to my yummy, home-cooked with love meals. Blood, sweat and tears aside. Give her a cheesy vienna and she is good to go!!! (Seriously.)
I feel like a unfussy child is a bit like a unicorn, I want to believe they exist, I really so, but I have yet to see one.
So my little sunshine goes to a lovely creche in the day while my husband and I go to work. The creche she goes to is amazing and they give them freshly cooked oats in the mornings for breakfast and tasty home-cooked meals for lunch. Lunches like, beef and vegetable stew, with rice, or creamy chicken pasta, or mince and mash. Hearty meals for their little tummies and busy bodies. Which is incredible for all the Moms with unicorn children...but my sunshine, outright refuses to eat this food. All. Of. It. Any. Of. It!!! *Sigh, saying a silent prayer for strength in my head*
I have heard a lot of, "If she doesn't eat it, she gets nothing" and "I am teaching her to be fussy by allowing this", from other Moms. And I get that, I really do. But we have tried the eat it or starve technique, desperately hoping she will eventually just eat it, I mean surely she won't starve herself, right....wrong! Alas, I was no match for the stubbourness and independence of a one and a half year old. She literally went on a hunger strike! For two weeks! And eventually the school said, please can you just send us food for her. They could not take it anymore, she just refused to eat the food they provided and was moody and not her usual sunshine self (cause she was h-angry, poor thing). And let me tell you, my child is no walk in the park...she is stubborn beyond belief, she demands the independence of a teenager. If she does not want to do something, you will not force her to do it. Period. You just won't, no matter how hard you try (this is a quality I both love and loath about my little angel). She is also only one and a half years old, so she is testing her independence and really testing out the word no. As a Mama this is so frustrating but I have to remind myself that this is just a stage and it will pass... eventually. Till then we will just do the best we can.
But we have tried the eat it or starve technique, desperately hoping she will eventually just eat it, I mean surely she won't starve herself, right....wrong!
Anyway so this is how we got where we are now...Mamabear making breakfast, snacks and lunches daily for my little fussy pot. Trying to include a variety of balanced meals that are fun and make her want to engage with her food. She is all for finger foods, so that helps. This allows me to pack her lots of snack-y foods that she can nibble on throughout the day. I know from experience that making these meals exciting and different everyday can be so difficult. So I though I would write this post to help other Mamabears who maybe experiencing the same mild form of torture that is lunch making. I am also posting this in a plea for any advice others can give this Mamabear. (Please. Please. Pleeeeease!)
Ok so here we go...these are a few of my fav, foods to pack in little miss fussy pants lunchbox...mainly because she actually eats them.
1. The Eggie / Breakfast Muffin Cups
Sunshine loves a good Eggie cup. Eggs are an amazing source of protein for our little ones. And the best part of these little muffins is that you can throw in as much veggies as you want! Sooooo sneaky! When I make these I jam pack them with a variety of veggies, sometimes I even add rice to help keep her tummy nice and full. And when she scoffs these down, I normally do a little victory dance, bum wiggles and fist pumps included, because I outsmarted my one and a half year old (yep, this is my life now).
Here is one of my best recipes for the Egg Muffin Cups, from the amazing Super Healthy Kids site. I love this site, there are so many incredible recipes for Moms to try, go give them a look.
2. The Good Old Faithful Sandwich
Sunshine gets a sarmie everyday in her lunch box. Always brown high fiber, low-gi bread, this keeps her nice and full for a long time and as breads go, this is probably one of the healthier ones on the shelf. I always try to keep the topping variations exciting and new, to get her used to new flavors and so the sandwich doesn't become boring.
We do the normal ones like; chicken mayo, ham mayo, egg mayo, all the "and mayos", Bovril (only in South Africa, or Vegimite around the world) and cheese and the good ol' peanut butter (sometimes with banana or a dash of honey). But a few of her other favs include cucumber and cream cheese, hummus, cheese and chutney, mushed avo and cream cheese and mushed banana and honey. And some times we will toast any one of the above to add extra variation. She loves the crunch of a toastie.
If any Mamabears out there, have any more exciting toppings to share, please, hola at a Mama. I am always looking for new variations to add to our repertoire.
3. Fruit And Veggies
I send a punnet of fruit and a punnet of veg to school with my Sunshine everyday. She likes a lot more fruit than she does veg but she does have her standard veggies that she will eat with little complaint. I try vary all of these to get her interested in some new flavors but sometimes the safe option is easier. Its also so tough because one day she will luuuurve strawberries and the very next day she will turn her nose up like I am asking her to eat shoe! So one never knows, the mind of a toddler is a very confusing place. Anyway, Sunshine's favorite fruits...today...are, blueberries, banana, watermelon and strawberries. She does sometimes dabble in apple, mango and grapes. Her favorite veggies are; cucumber, tomatoes, celery, corn or mini corn and peas.
Over the past year I have learnt to be super crafty and I sneak veggies into everything!!!! I highly recommend this to any Mamas who are struggling with kids who don't want to eat their veggies. I mean, sometimes my little angel won't even try a veggie something. She won't even taste it. So I grate or mush veggies into her pasta sauce, her eggs, her meatballs, anything I possibly can!
These yummy broccoli balls from Key Ingredient are a hit in our house. And are so simple to make. I have also added some grated carrot and courgettes just to get in some extra veggies in there. They are so yum.
I also some times make apple and peanut butter sarmies. Which is just thinly sliced apple, (that I have peeled, because, fussy child) with peanut butter in-between the apple slices (like a sandwich). Or we also include dried fruit and raisins with dried cranberries. These are always a hit, but can have hidden sugars so be careful of this...read your labels.
Another cute way to include veggies, are to slice your little ones favorite raw veg and include a dip, like hummus or avo. My sunshine loves to dip everything and anything. This is a fun way for them to nibble on some vegetables. (The dipping distracts them from the fact that they are actually eating veggies, ba ha ha *evil mommy laugh*) Try it, it works.
3. Yogurt!!!
Yogurt has always been a life saver in our household. Even at her fussiest our daughter still loved her yogurt. Yogurts can be high in protein, calcium, vitamins, and live culture, or probiotics, which can enhance the gut microbiota. These can offer protection for bones and teeth and help prevent digestive problems. Probiotics may also boost the immune system. So for us it is a no brainer for our little one. Especially with her been at creche during the day, germs are shared so easily amongst the babies and toddlers, so any means to boost the immune system are a bonus. A word of advice though, always check your yogurt labels. Some yogurt products may have high quantities of added sugar and other ingredients.
My sunshine only likes the smooth yogurt, any bits in her yogurt are seen as foreign objects and are spat out dramatically (like her life depends in it)...then the entire yogurt is classed as bad and will no longer be trusted. So we unfortunately can not add any other food source to her yogurt, but if you can fruits, nuts and soft oats can be added to yogurt to up its nutritional value. We also sometimes use the yogurt as a "dip" and serve it with sliced fruit to be dipped into the yogurt yumminess (like I said dipping is a win for us).
4. Protein...sigh
As a Mamabear I am constantly looking for the healthiest options for my little one. But with a fussy child your choices become so limited. Protein is a difficult one for us. Besides eggs, our little one will not consume freshly cooked, unprocessed proteins. She refuses to eat, shredded chicken, chicken pieces like drumsticks, even when cooked in a tasty sticky sauce. She won't eat steak, beef, pork or mutton, freshly made meat balls are an issue, even mince in a sauce does not go down well. And even if I chop it up super fine or blend it and try sneak it in her food like the veg. She knows! I have no idea how but she knows and will not eat it. So I really struggle with this. I constantly worry, is she getting enough protein!?
The tiny light at the end of the tunnel is the fact that she loves scrambled egg, eggie muffins and sometimes a good friend egg. But besides the eggie muffins the others are difficult to send to school. So that leaves me stumped again...Unfortunately and fortunately she also likes anything processed (of course she does). A health conscious mothers nightmare. But sometimes we have to choose our battles and this is one I have to compromise on. I will send either pork or chicken sausage, a Vienna or a few chicken or fish fingers. It is tough for me as I know all the rubbish that are put into these, but everything in moderation, right? Right? I am still convincing myself of this (damn you Mom guilt). We will also send rolled ham and cheese or biltong / dried sausage / salami. (Proteins are so important to children, due to the demands of growth and development, getting adequate protein is particularly important during infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Protein and its component amino acids function as hormones, enzymes, and transporters of other nutrients. Cheese, yogurt, milk and pulses are also a great form of proteins.)
5. Snacks and Treat Items
The snacks and teats part of my daughters lunchbox are always the easiest. Because even though I try to include the healthiest, least surgery options, I am a little more lenient with these, back to the balance and everything in moderation story.
Some of our favorite snacks are...
Biscuits like Marie and boudoir biscuits (just one or two max)
Popcorn
Pretzels
Oaties
I hope this helps all you working Mamas. Please if you have any advice for me I would love some fresh ideas. Happy prepping :)
"Oh you don't like apples. Sorry, I must have confused you for a child who ate 4 bloody apples yesterday!" Unknown
コメント