Help for my 3yr old son---what can I feed him that's healthy AND he likes?

[waldorfknitmama]

We are having a hard time in our family with regards to nutrition for our son.

Someback ground: Our family is mosty (almost always) vegetarian with some sugar addiction thrown in there for fun My husband and I are are on the THIN side----meaning my husband (who is 6'4 and 160lbs, and me 5'6 120lbs can eat WHATEVER we want no problem----never had problem with gaining weight) and are are on the way thin side. My family and my dh's fam have some bigger people on both sides and we think perhaps our son is a little bit more like them than us. He's perfect not overweight or anything at all--- just build more stalky (or like dr. sears would say--- more like an apple). We try to provide healthy meals (that are vegetarian) and healthy snacks. He leans toward anything sweet over salty and it's really hard to get him to eat and kind of carbs.

Here's my dilema: My son given his choice would LOVE to eat chicken, beef, seafood (fish, shrimp), cheese, turkey, anykind of meat really (obviously all organic) and survive on all that. He hates carbs--- bread no, pasta no, crackers no. It's hard for me to cook meat for him (which I do try to do when I can) he won't eat our vegtarian foods at all.

I'm just at a loss as what to feed him--- should I start cooking a mea at every meal like most traditional families? And what should I make foe a snack? Perhaps he needs the protien??? What superfoods can I provide? What types of oils and fats should he be eating? I also don't want to be giving him high fat foods all day because unlike my dh and myself I think he may store more of it than not. He's active but not as active as I like (we don't go outside much in the winter becuase I also have a baby who hates the winter)

Ifeel so dumb that I don't know what to provide for my boy! Please help: suggestions, recipes, links, please help a clueless mama!

TIA!!!

[Brigio]

I think you're son is actually picking the right foods... I defiantly would not want to make him eat carbs over meat. I've done the vegn/vegetarian thing and was not satisfied. I try and follow a more traditional foods diets- it make soooo much sense to me and I have never been healthier (Dd Who is 2 has yet to be sick this year and we live up north) . I would not be concerned at all- especially about the fat. Saturated fat (from quality meat, butter, raw milk, coconut oil) is actually very good for us- and defiantly children. They need the fat and cholesterol- fat does not make us fat.

http://www.westonaprice.org/Children-s-Health/

[Holiztic]

Oh boy would I LOVE for my toddler to not want bread or pasta! DS loves meat and veggies and I am thrilled for that. Last week he ate (and loved): sardines, oysters, salmon, chicken, beef, pork, eggs, asparagus, tomatoes, artichokes, broccoli, green beans etc., etc. But give him bread/pasta/sweets and he'll eat it all day--he gets 1 slice of bread with breakfast and that's it, other than pasta a few times a month.

What I am trying to say is that I don't see bread and pasta to be something to try to get your kid to eat--its empty (or somewhat empty) calories with a sugar hit. You mention sugar addiction, which is highly correlated to a vegetarian diet--I was a carb fiend as a veg*n. Be thrilled your son's body is wise enough to avoid that fate!

But having been a veg*n for years, I can understand your concern about preparing meat. You can get canned salmon that's pretty nutritious and no-nitrate salami and other meats that take no prep/cooking (just watch the salt!), but I'd recommend just diving in--it won't be hard forever! Oh, and does he eat eggs? That would be ideal (pastured and fresh from the farm, ideally!)

And I wholeheartedly second Brigio in saying that little ones need saturated fat (esp from pastured animals). I mean NEED. Like Water, Air, Shelter, Fat. I've also got a tank of a healthy 2 yo raised on a traditional foods diet.

[gardenmommy]

I think he is telling you what he needs. He may not handle the carbs very well. Not to say that you should totally change the diet you and your DH prefer, but perhaps modify it to adjust to your DS's needs. Instead of having meat for every meal, maybe just have it two or three times per week, or use it as a side dish (like some people use veggies as a side). It might be easier for you if you can find a way to cook meat once to be used for multiple meals (like grilling a steak for salad, pocket sandwiches, etc.). Soups are easy to make with meat, too, and plenty of broth. And I THIRD the need for plenty of saturated fat for children. It is super important, so it may be that he is craving that more than the protein in the meat.

[Alyantavid]

Yep, he's telling you what he needs. And don't hold back on the fat, kids need fat. They need healthy fats, but they definitely do need it.

I'd probably cook up some kind of meat and reuse it all week, as the pp have said.

[waldorfknitmama]

Gotchya! Thanx so much for the suggestions!

[be11ydancer]

Serve him the meats that he's asking for but also keep offering up fresh fruits and veggies. I have a picky 3 year old and have to be more stubborn than she is in serving these things because eventually, they'll come around to trying it and hopefully liking it. For example, she doesn't like apples just plain. I found that if I core the apple (with that long, tube shaped coring tool) and then slice it cross-wise into thin donut shapes (with the peel still on), she devours it. He might like that, and for protein, it can be spread with peanut butter. Also, she recently started eating salads (finally!) but only with ranch dressing. The solution is to buy a wholesome ranch dressing (no msg!) because I would rather she eat her greens with ranch than not at all. My picky kids have also been devouring clementines lately, but they don't like oranges. What about vanilla yogurt, celery with peanut butter, cheese cubes?

So my point is, just try different varieties of things and when you find something he likes, stick with it!