eG Foodblog: hjshorter - Guess I'm "It" this week...

[hjshorter]

Is this the norm when it comes to pre-two year old's eating habits?  Like, they'll eat most things and then they become picky, and then it either stabilizes or branches off in a new direction?

The reason why I ask is because a close friend's son is about the same age as Emma (a little over a year old) and he's become quite picky.  He's had his first taste of sugar, so that may have something to do with it.  My friend and his wife are a bit focused, foodwise -- organic and low-fat, for the most part.  They're also foodies, which is a good thing.    (He just signed on egullet the other day as a new member, so if he reads this post, maybe he can explain what I mean by "focused".    )

Actually, Ian is my younger one. Emma just turned four and was much more adventerous even a year ago. Both are very good eaters when compared to their friends. But yes, most kids get pickier after about 2 or so, that's why it's important to expose them to as many tastes as possible before that window slams shut.

I don't feed my kids a lowfat diet because they need the fat for brain development, and it's hard for tiny tummies to eat enough lowfat food to satisfy their daily requirements. So they get milk, and cheese and meat along with their fruit and veggies. We also don't feed them much that's processed.

They are permitted to have ice cream and other sweets occasionally, not all the time, but enough so that it isn't a big deal when it happens. They aren't crazy about sweets but that's probably because they aren't forbidden around here. They also get a happy meal from time to time.

[hjshorter]

Snacked on a handful of almonds, and diet vanilla pepsi. The vanilla pepsi isn't bad, but doesn't hold a candle to diet A&W root beer. Plus it's caffeinated so I can't drink a lot.

Emma is resisting the grocery store, so tonight's menu will have to be revised.

[SethG]

How old are your kids, tejon?  Mine are 4 and 17 months.

Heather, I started to respond with amazement about your kids eating nicoise olives and Thai food, but then checked your bio and realized that I misread your post: one of your kids is four YEARS, not four MONTHS, old.

I think I might try out some gai kaprow on my Leah (19 months old), just to see how she reacts.

[hjshorter]

How old are your kids, tejon?  Mine are 4 and 17 months.

Heather, I started to respond with amazement about your kids eating nicoise olives and Thai food, but then checked your bio and realized that I misread your post: one of your kids is four YEARS, not four MONTHS, old.

I think I might try out some gai kaprow on my Leah (19 months old), just to see how she reacts.

Seth, we make it light on chilies for the kids, but both of them love it. Best to get them started on the fish sauce early.

[SobaAddict70]

Should clarify: Daniel (my friend's son) doesn't get fed low-fat food. The low-fat aspect goes to my friend, who's a diabetic, so naturally he watches what he eats. Sorry for the confusion. (Maybe he should speak up so I can stop putting my foot in my mouth.) Everything IS organic though.

Soba

[hjshorter]

Well, the grocery store never happened, so I would up running in to a small asian grocery in the shopping center where Emma ballet lessons are to pick up cilantro. Dashed home at 4:15. Scott had started prep for the tuna, so I threw together the raita. We ate the cauliflower plain, and accompanied the meal with whole wheat pita.

Snacking on a glass of skim delux milk and a petite ecolier - damn you Jason! These things are worse than crack.

[torakris]

Well, the grocery store never happened, so I would up running in to a small asian grocery in the shopping center where Emma ballet lessons are to pick up cilantro.  Dashed home at 4:15.  Scott had started prep for the tuna, so I threw together the raita.  We ate the cauliflower plain, and accompanied the meal with whole wheat pita.

Snacking on a glass of skim delux milk and a petite ecolier - damn you Jason!  These things are worse than crack.

Heather you cook like I do!

I have lots of plans for the meal, then have problems with the kids and the meal gets simpler and simpler.

I agreee with the fact that kids eating habits seem to suddenly change around their second birthday. This ahppened to all 3 of mine as well. I often think of them as picky, but then when I see what an average child their age normally eats, I guess they are not picky at all.

Glad to see the blog continuing, I was getting worried about it

[hjshorter]

Heather you cook like I do!

I have lots of plans for the meal, then have problems with the kids and the meal gets simpler and simpler.

I could have made it to the store, but a taking an unwilling kid grocery shopping is never my idea of a good time. Scott is working at home tomorrow morning, and there are no play dates or activities planned, so I should be able to shop in peace. Now if I could just get a clue about what to cook this week...

[SethG]

You guys cook like I wish I did. You have plans! I always end up shopping at the last minute for whatever I've decided at the last minute to cook. This means I run out of my office to buy groceries while I'm on my way to my daughter's day care. Then I lug groceries, stroller, and daughter home on the subway. Then I feed my daughter right after we get home, and my wife and I don't often eat dinner before 9:00.

I could use my busy work schedule as an excuse, but I did much the same thing when I was on a leave of absence with my daughter. How do you guys do it? Plan, I mean. Do you think about nutrition, a mix of foods for the week, do you rely on staples of your repertoire plus a few twists thrown in, or what?

Incidentally, I've looked back over this blog twice now to find the spots in which Heather actually eats, and they're few and far between. Heather, do you always eat so little?

[Marlene]

Heather:  Do your kids have any firm dislikes, or are things still changeable?

(I'd also be interested in food shopping experiences -- especially in families with kids, like for example yours.  But maybe that's another thread.)

Soba

I'm sure I'm gonna regret replying to this thread, but oh yes, this could be another thread indeed. Kids are infamous for this kin of stuff. My son ate everything put in front of him until he was two. He decided at the age of 12 months, he'd had enough of the pureed baby food stuff - too bad he still had no teeth with with to chew anything else. I think his first tooth came in at 13 months. A bit of a late bloomer, my lad. Then he went through the phase of insisting on the same meal three times a day for months. And just as I decided to buy - for expample- peanut butter - by the case, he'd decided he hated the stuff. No spice on anything was de rigour for a while. Now he's branched out and is enjoying things spiced - especially garlic. We asked him where he wanted to go on his next vacation and he said Texas, so he could try their hot sauces

And don't get me started about shopping with kids. Urg. My ex and I used to take turns carrying our screaming child out of the store to sit in the car because he decided that the store was the perfect place to pitch a fit.

[Marlene]

Incidentally, I've looked back over this blog twice now to find the spots in which Heather actually eats, and they're few and far between.  Heather, do you always eat so little?

When parenting small children, eating, like sleep is something of a luxury

[fifi]

Aahh... that is what is so neat about these blogs. We are getting a glimpse into someone's life as it really is. I am now remembering what it was like when my two were little. Things were a lot more complicated. Funny, I don't remember picky phases, though. We did go through a period when my daughter had this amazing craving for "chips". That could mean potato chips, Fritos, whatever. If she got her hands on a bag without my noticing, the bag would be almost empty and her lips would be white from being pickled in the salt. Then we went through the phase where she would lead a raid on the garden with her brother, 3 years younger. They would pull carrots and eat them, dirt and all. The snow peas didn't have a chance. Lettuces were fair game and they would hop around pretending to be Peter Rabbit. Uuuuh... How do you fuss at that?

[Marlene]

I They would pull carrots and eat them, dirt and all. The snow peas didn't have a chance. Lettuces were fair game and they would hop around pretending to be Peter Rabbit. Uuuuh... How do you fuss at that?

Well you can't really. No more so than when my son wanted Broccoli and cheese sauce every night for dinner for months. Daily trips to the vegetable stand..........

Edited September 16, 2003 by Marlene (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I could have made it to the store, but a taking an unwilling kid grocery shopping is never my idea of a good time.

Actually, I think I could go as far as to say that taking an unwilling child anywhere is a totally bad experience for everyone involved.

[tejon]

I could have made it to the store, but a taking an unwilling kid grocery shopping is never my idea of a good time.    Scott is working at home tomorrow morning, and there are no play dates or activities planned, so I should be able to shop in peace.  Now if I could just get a clue about what to cook this week...

This is why I menu plan - not the most spontaneous way to go, but I get all my shopping done on one day (sans children, which works best for all involved ) and have a general idea of what to pull together for dinner. Takes a lot of stress out of the week, and I end up making more involved meals than I would on the spur of the moment with two boys under 5. With small children involved, there's a lot of survival skills going on

[hjshorter]

Incidentally, I've looked back over this blog twice now to find the spots in which Heather actually eats, and they're few and far between.  Heather, do you always eat so little?

You wouldn't think so if you saw me. I'm still lugging around all of the weight I gained with Ian last year - more than usual because I was on bed rest for 1/2 my pregnancy.

My meals seem to be an afterthought, so I wind up picking at things all day. My weight loss would be more successful if I planned out all my meals - and wasn't so f*ing tired all the time. Last night's wake up calls were at 11:30 when Scott came home, 12:00 when Emma cried out, and 12:30 when Ian started crying.

[hjshorter]

Breakfast:

Hot coffee, scrambled egg with peppers and onions, mushrooms, small amount of tillamook extra-sharp cheddar. Skipped the english muffin.

Eggs were actually egg beaters. They suck.

Edited September 16, 2003 by hjshorter (log)

[hjshorter]

Skim latte while grocery shopping.

Emma has decided that she is a baby pig today, and is demanding "corn" as a snack.

[hjshorter]

Emma was talked into having a turkey sandwich instead of corn for lunch, and is currently dismantling the upstairs of our house. I had roast beef on whole wheat with tomato, and I'm brewing another small pot of coffee. Ian is taking his morning nap. Grocery shopping is done, now all I have to do is make meatballs for dinner tonight. Perhaps I'll look up Rocco's recipe.

Right now I'm listening to music and surfing the web instead of doing the dishes. You would think that since I'm home all day that my house would be cleaner, but you would be wrong.

[SobaAddict70]

When you plan meals for your family (this question is directed not only to Heather but specifically to anyone who has children), what inspires you to do so? Is there a set repertoire, or do you plan impulsively, or does it come together at the last minute? Are things seasonal, or is part of your inspiration driven by specials in the supermarket paper or coupon clippings?

Soba

[hjshorter]

We have some favorites, some stuff that's seasonal, some that we decide impulsively and have to shop for at the last minute, some dishes that we start then realize we don't have all the ingredients for...etc. Very rarely are we organized enough to notice that something is on sale.

I started a thread on menu planning a while back to get other people's methods because I'm a hopeless loser at it.

[Marlene]

When our son was younger, meals were either geared to things I knew he would eat, or I'd make two separate meals, quite often because Ry would be hungry way before we were ready to eat. He was much less willing to try new stuff then. I'd try to plan in as much fresh stuff as I knew he'd eat. For example, he always liked broccoli, so I'd make broccoli at least three times. And he was nuts for salads.

Most of my inspiration is driven by what's in my freezer, unless a specific dish is requested by my menfolk. Then I'll run around and shop if I have to. And I don't usually think about it till the morning of. My son and I have the same conversation every night before he goes to bed:

Ry: What's for supper tomorrow night

Me: I have no idea. Is there something in particular you'd like?

Ry: No, just wondering.

I never use store coupons. Mostly because I always forget them.

Now that he is more adventerous in his eating and can wait longer for a meal, mealtimes are getting more exciting in our house.

[hjshorter]

More diet vanilla Pepsi. This is much better than diet vanilla Coke.

Ian woke up and ate some diced tomato and sliced turkey. Emma was hungry again and asked for peanut butter and jelly as her second lunch. Both kids go through amazing growth spurts occasionally, and eat twice as much as usual.

Dinner is supposed to be spaghetti and meatballs but I'm not very inspired to make the meatballs. Perhaps we'll go with a nice meat sauce instead.

[Toliver]

More diet vanilla Pepsi.  This is much better than diet vanilla Coke.

Yeppers! Where Diet Vanilla Coke has a mild taste of vanilla, Diet Pepsi Vanilla seems to be more in your face, like "I got yer vanilla right here, pal." Can't decide whether I like it or Diet Pepsi Twist (lemon flavor) better.

Go with the meat sauce...whatever saves you time and it will still taste good. My mom stashes Costco pre-made meatballs in her freezer for when she's not in the meatball-making mood. Definitely not as good as homemade but they'll do.

And when is your nap?

edited to add em-PHA-sis, as Bugs Bunny would say

Edited September 16, 2003 by Toliver (log)

[hjshorter]

And when is your nap?

I don't get one. Snacked on some orange pepper slices and a piece of cheese.

A nice meat sauce with cremimi mushrooms is currently simmering away. Emma helped by dumping things in the pot and helping me stir. Now to boil some noodles and make a salad. No garlic bread, but my waistline doesn't need that anyway. There's a meeting tonight at 7 for homeschooling parents, so everyone has to be fed, bathed and in jammies before I leave.