this is all so helpful! when my kids were littler, and I'd find myself stressed out about what they were eating/not eating, I'd remind myself that my best friend ate nothing but honey nut cheerios for a year when she was a kid, and she turned out to be a smart, kind, engaged person who eats all kinds of foods as a grownup!
Yes, perhaps what we need are testimonials from adults who were once children who were cautious eaters (my hand is raised). Somehow most of the time we all manage to continue to grow.
I was just complaining to my husband how all the official public health advice or advice from doctors/dentists etc is so woefully detached from reality. It can feel really demoralizing when you're doing your best and they're like "oh, you're feeding your toddler too much fruit. Try green vegetables." I HAVE TRIED OKAY?
With my older two, I tried all of the standard advice and it just created very stressful eating experiences for everyone. Nothing went like the advice I was reading. And yet somehow they continued to grow. As a kid I only ate beige foods and I now eat vegetables every day, so I hold onto that too.
Besides the fact that the “green vegetables” advice is really just diet culture. Kids can absolutely get the vitamins and fiber vegetables provide from fruit!!!! And more pressure =/= more green veggies eaten.
Yes, there was so much freedom in accepting that fruits are going to provide my children with valuable nutrients and so I am going to support them in eating them if that's what they will eat.
I always keep bread in the freezer and the fridge always has sliced cheese and ketchup. My mom’s toaster oven grilled cheese (see post) is an easy dinner! If that doesn’t work, there’s always microwave oats and an eggs. lol
Thanks for the mention Kathryn. My kids are a nightmare with food and I have sort of accepted that I am too, although I’m not sure if it’s having an affect or if I’m good at hiding it but let’s just say most nights I cook three different meals for 4 people. 😫 i’m looking forward to one going to primary school in which I believe he will be given hot food but time will only tell if he actually eats it or not! 😫😂
Next week I am writing about radical acceptance, pairs well with feeding kids. We were on vacation last week and my children basically lived off of cereal, popsicles and pizza. And a lot of gummy bears. I am definitely cooking more than one meal and that took a long time to recognize that it's going to be okay, they keep growing.
These links are so helpful, thank you. My son ate a strawberry + yoghurt popsicle for breakfast this morning and I was feeling a big dose of guilt about it so this has come at a perfect time! We've found the book Fussy Freda by Julia Jarman a good read (for a 3 year old) on the topic.
I think the cumulative nutrition perspective is really useful, more of a general awareness of all the foods your kids eats over a larger span of time like a week or two versus each meal. I am so glad it showed up at the right time.
Well in a twist of irony, we lost power yesterday so goldfish crackers were indeed eaten for dinner and that was nourishing! We never grow out of goldfish crackers, perhaps?
Kathryn - a great read! Thank you for the resources. My son has some dietary restrictions due to his ileostomy - he basically gets to eat the toddler dream diet - so of course I worry about how we can work in veggies, etc.
I do try and make things everyone will eat and at least put the veg on everyone’s plate.
I try and remember that we regardless of who is eating what, we are sitting down together for meal times as much as possible AND that my sister was a terrible eater as a child. She’s run Boston 7 times and just broke 3 hours. 🤣🏃🏻♀️
Boston 7 times! I am tired just thinking about it. Our oldest had a lot of food allergies to most of the basic kid foods, so we thought a lot about nutrients and getting it right which made it so stressful. Taking the big picture perspective has been so helpful around enjoying food, enjoying food with others and seeing different types of food (whether they eat them or not, they see us prepare and eat them).
Thank you for sharing one of my favorite newsletters I’ve written. We’re in Sick City over here 😩😩😩 so Goldfish is mostly likely go to be a complete meal over here. Thank goodness it’s delicious!
Feeding kids IS hard! I have one kid who happily eats a wide variety of foods and tries many new things. And one who doesn't. A lot of advice is for kids who have typical sensitivities to food or their bodily cues or who have typical needs for autonomy.
Mostly, the resource that I keep in my back pocket is that I was a very particular eater as a child, but as an adult I eat almost everything. No blue cheese, please!
I was also a very cautious eater as a kid and lived off of bread, french fries and plain chicken breasts BUT now I eat broadly. I keep that in mind, too!
Lol my philosophy has slowly morphed into: Eat whatever the heck you want and let me be! 😂
Love it.
this is all so helpful! when my kids were littler, and I'd find myself stressed out about what they were eating/not eating, I'd remind myself that my best friend ate nothing but honey nut cheerios for a year when she was a kid, and she turned out to be a smart, kind, engaged person who eats all kinds of foods as a grownup!
Yes, perhaps what we need are testimonials from adults who were once children who were cautious eaters (my hand is raised). Somehow most of the time we all manage to continue to grow.
Last night’s dinner was banana bread, bacon, and cherries. For all 4 of us 🤷🏻♀️
Sounds delicious to me!
I was in dire need of this exact list of resources this week! Thank you.
I am so glad! This has been one of my biggest stresspoints as a parent, so happy to share some helpful things.
I was just complaining to my husband how all the official public health advice or advice from doctors/dentists etc is so woefully detached from reality. It can feel really demoralizing when you're doing your best and they're like "oh, you're feeding your toddler too much fruit. Try green vegetables." I HAVE TRIED OKAY?
With my older two, I tried all of the standard advice and it just created very stressful eating experiences for everyone. Nothing went like the advice I was reading. And yet somehow they continued to grow. As a kid I only ate beige foods and I now eat vegetables every day, so I hold onto that too.
Besides the fact that the “green vegetables” advice is really just diet culture. Kids can absolutely get the vitamins and fiber vegetables provide from fruit!!!! And more pressure =/= more green veggies eaten.
Yes, there was so much freedom in accepting that fruits are going to provide my children with valuable nutrients and so I am going to support them in eating them if that's what they will eat.
I always keep bread in the freezer and the fridge always has sliced cheese and ketchup. My mom’s toaster oven grilled cheese (see post) is an easy dinner! If that doesn’t work, there’s always microwave oats and an eggs. lol
So helpful to have those go to things, take off the mental plate, so to speak.
Thanks for the mention Kathryn. My kids are a nightmare with food and I have sort of accepted that I am too, although I’m not sure if it’s having an affect or if I’m good at hiding it but let’s just say most nights I cook three different meals for 4 people. 😫 i’m looking forward to one going to primary school in which I believe he will be given hot food but time will only tell if he actually eats it or not! 😫😂
Next week I am writing about radical acceptance, pairs well with feeding kids. We were on vacation last week and my children basically lived off of cereal, popsicles and pizza. And a lot of gummy bears. I am definitely cooking more than one meal and that took a long time to recognize that it's going to be okay, they keep growing.
These links are so helpful, thank you. My son ate a strawberry + yoghurt popsicle for breakfast this morning and I was feeling a big dose of guilt about it so this has come at a perfect time! We've found the book Fussy Freda by Julia Jarman a good read (for a 3 year old) on the topic.
I think the cumulative nutrition perspective is really useful, more of a general awareness of all the foods your kids eats over a larger span of time like a week or two versus each meal. I am so glad it showed up at the right time.
Can’t wait to dig into some of these resources! The toddler food battles have risen to a new level these days. Living on milk and pouches!
I've been there... and sometimes find myself still there.
So in your opinion, when is too late to change eating habits away from a kid who only eats goldfish (not that I know from experience 🫣)?
Well in a twist of irony, we lost power yesterday so goldfish crackers were indeed eaten for dinner and that was nourishing! We never grow out of goldfish crackers, perhaps?
Kathryn - a great read! Thank you for the resources. My son has some dietary restrictions due to his ileostomy - he basically gets to eat the toddler dream diet - so of course I worry about how we can work in veggies, etc.
I do try and make things everyone will eat and at least put the veg on everyone’s plate.
I try and remember that we regardless of who is eating what, we are sitting down together for meal times as much as possible AND that my sister was a terrible eater as a child. She’s run Boston 7 times and just broke 3 hours. 🤣🏃🏻♀️
Boston 7 times! I am tired just thinking about it. Our oldest had a lot of food allergies to most of the basic kid foods, so we thought a lot about nutrients and getting it right which made it so stressful. Taking the big picture perspective has been so helpful around enjoying food, enjoying food with others and seeing different types of food (whether they eat them or not, they see us prepare and eat them).
Thank you for sharing one of my favorite newsletters I’ve written. We’re in Sick City over here 😩😩😩 so Goldfish is mostly likely go to be a complete meal over here. Thank goodness it’s delicious!
Oh my gosh, hope you feel better soon. Yes, sickness means you do whatever you can do and goldfish are great!
Feeding kids IS hard! I have one kid who happily eats a wide variety of foods and tries many new things. And one who doesn't. A lot of advice is for kids who have typical sensitivities to food or their bodily cues or who have typical needs for autonomy.
Mostly, the resource that I keep in my back pocket is that I was a very particular eater as a child, but as an adult I eat almost everything. No blue cheese, please!
And my foods touch! haha
I was also a very cautious eater as a kid and lived off of bread, french fries and plain chicken breasts BUT now I eat broadly. I keep that in mind, too!