Meal Time - Page 2

[peggy]

Could you eat later when she's asleep?
At my house dinner is a zoo. My 10 month old does all the things you are describing, my 4 yr.old wants her share of attention and my teenagers argue over who's turn it is to clean up. My DH and I have decided peaceful meals are something to look forward to like retirement LOL! We have to find our quiet moments in bits and pieces.

peggy

[Elismama]

What helped us was to eat earlier. Eli (18mos) does so much better if we eat by 5:30 that I set that as a goal. On the nights we eat later he completely breaks down.

I don't know if this will help you- but it helped us.

[mamababe]

Are you giving her lots of snacks before dinner? If so try and cut down on them so she is nice and hungry.

[Erin Pavlina]

We feed Emily dinner at around 6pm. Then hubby and I eat dinner peacefully at 8pm after she goes down. It's not ideal, but we need the time to catch up and just be at peace.

[NaturalMamma]

Your scenario sounds like our house!

I haven't eaten a meal in peace since our little miracle came into the world. First was the endless screaming from colic, or she was at my breast on the Boppy and DH was cutting my food and feeding me. When she started solids at 7 mos, I spent a lot of time preparing fresh food for her. Now she's doing the antics you describe. When she gets feisty, she'll stare at me w/a grin while dropping food on the floor. We aren't able to keep her in a high chair at a restaurant--we get a booth. But, after just a couple of minutes, she's doing the side-step routine and is standing on my lap stealing my food. I have indigestion too. People are often surprised that I'm less than my pre-pg weight, but this little toddler is the world's fastest weight-loss program, LOL! If DD is getting hungry, I'll give her part of her dinner or BF her until we eat together when DH gets home at 5:30 or 6pm. Sorry, no real advice, just empathy.

Cindi

[Trentonsmom]

We are not the traditional sit at the table family - we sit around the loung and just enjoy our food - Trenton will most nights come to either me or his daddy and try what we're eating - to make sure we're not eating chocolate or anything.... LOL It works for us, I don't try to keep him in one place - if he wants to walk around and eat - so be it.
We never have the luxury of eating in a resturant anyway - so there is nothing to practice for. Trenton does well at family's house where he has to sit at the table. But when he's ready to get up - I don't fight him - just let him go.
Its not worth the stress.........
Good luck
Chelly
DS - Trenton 8/19/99

[feather]

I've gone back and forth between insisting that dd SIT and be a good girl during meals and just letting it go. Because she WON'T sit anyway, so I just give up so that I can quickly shovel in my food. I should weigh 90 pounds at this point! I even try sitting at her little table and eat my meal with her. That isn't good enough either! She wants to be on my lap sabotaging my meal or standing on a chair at the table(which was fine until she fell off and literally knocked herself unconscious for 10 seconds)
It is a constant problem having dinner in peace because she does EXACTLY what you describe - EXACTLY. God, it is so annoying.........I don't know what to tell you! lol I just wanted to tell you that your child is not the only one! Thanx for making ME feel more normal!
I think the solution is to just let them wander....unfortunately our furniture may end up wearing most of their meals though :
JR

[Bay's Mamma]

Wow, my heart goes out to you. When my dd was that age, we had no hard and fast rules on dining. However, we did have a philosophy about meals and food that we continue today. First, mealtime, is supposed to be enjoyable for everyone. If a child associates meals with frustration, prodding, and tension, they will be more likely to have issues with food later in life. We try to show her that regular, healthy meals are a priority to us. We try not to associate food and celebration. This is a tough one, but very important. Instead of cake and ice cream for Birthdays, we do a family outing of her choice like the zoo! We try to keep meals associated with good health and energy and not with reward or celebration. When she was younger (she's now four), I did not insist on her eating at "regular" meal times. Instead, if she was hungry, she ate. If she wasn't, we did not pressure her. Now that she's older we do have more regimented snack and meal times. We have a couple of rules at the dinner table like, no toys at the table and no singing at the table. Trust me, the singing thing was a must. My dd belts out songs like and opera singer!!! One more "rule" we have. You must "try" everything on your plate. If you don't care for it, that's okay. But, you must try it. It works great when we are trying out a new food. We kind of make it an adventure. I learned that one from my sister who has four children and it works great for her too! Dollface's ma - your dd is still very young and if you feed her before you do and let her play nearby, her interest will peak and she'll want to be with you. It sounds like she already has an interest. The "playing" with your food is actually very good for her to become associated with foods in general. You're doing a great job!

Much love and light.

[lee's mama]

what does your toddler love to eat?

I'm looking for more variety for my 13 mo ds's diet. He loves to eat chunks of avocado, banana, or sweet potato, frozen blueberries, yogurt, arrowroot cookies and peas. That's it! He will almost only eat things he can feed himself. What does your toddler love to eat?

[gret the great]

Plain tofu, grape tomatoes (cut in half), pears, toast with applebutter, asparagus, cheddar cheese, orange slices, kidney beans, scrambled eggs...

These are some of the recent favorites!

[scribblerkate]

DS (16 mos) has in the past month or two really started to eat solids in earnest. He also loves many of the foods gret mentioned, including especially scrambled eggs and tofu in its many forms (careful, soy can be allergenic for babes). He is particular about cheese, but loves co-jack. He also loves toast; we get a wheat bread specially created by our co-op for babes and kids who might otherwise not like whole grain bread.

Other big hits: grains in their many forms (barley, bulgur, rice, millet, etc) and pasta (much to my chagrin), beans (whites and blacks esp), lentils, and greens. Regular oatmeal is also a fave. I make ours with a little vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and sometimes cardamom. Mine gets topped with buttermilk and honey or brown sugar, but he's happy with it plain. We've expanded to include rolled rye and barley.

He's really digging grapefruit and orange pieces these days.

Once your babe has been on solids for a while, I encourage letting them try bits of whatever you're having, assuming it isn't on the list of foods to be avoided by toddlers, like raw honey. And, reintroduce periodically because they're prone to changing their minds.

[Sahara]

DS has been really picky lately. He just turned a year old, and loves most of the same things you mentioned. He also enjoys spinach mixed with rice or cheese, plain rice in little piles on the table, shredded cheese (he just discovered this Saturday), grapes peeled and quartered, any type of pasta - I buy the whole grain kind so at least he gets something from it! Sometimes he really gets into yogurt, I get those little organic ones from the health food store.
I feel like I'm lacking creativity when it comes to his food. I haven't tried beans very often. Do you just serve them plain?

[scribblerkate]

Regarding beans . . . we are veggie (well, I am and DH mostly is at home by default) so we eat a lot of beans in our evening meal dishes. So, much of the time the beans are not plain but come from the meal we're having. Same with the grains.

I know that DH tried some salad beans (red and kidney and pinto, I think) from a can for a snack, and DS basically rejected them. I think the first and most thing is that the beans need to be warm, not room temp. Also, I have found that he really does prefer the black and white beans, especially navy beans, which have a nice but mild flavor. I am not sure off the top of my head what you could add to the beans for a little bit of flavor that would be really easy. Let me think on it a bit.

[Alexander]

sausages, strawberries strawberries strawberries, cake, strawberries strawberries strawberries, egg and tomato sandwiches, strawberries strawberries, apple slices, strawberries strawberries strawberries, soup, strawberries strawberries strawberries, tuna, strawberries strawberries strawberries, rice balls with things in them, strawberries strawberries strawberries.

Hope this helps.

strawberries strawberries strawberries

a

[Seawen]

Strawberries are great (but buy them organic they are one of the most heavily sprayed crops often 27 different pesticide/herbicides).

My dd loves cottage cheese, avocado, sweet potato, yogurt, and waffles w/ applesauce.

I'm glad to see all the above ideas. She hasn't been interested in the new foods I offer but you've all give me some great ideas.

[scribblerkate]

Since your DS is only 13 mos, you might want to try the strawberries very slowly, or even wait another couple of months. Strawberries are one of those highly allergenic foods that babes shouldn't try until a certain age (I think one year???).

Gosh I can't wait 'til summer so DS can try the strawberries! I love 'em more than anything, but DH is allergic so I never have anyone to share them with.

[saige]

My kids-all fruit,and all junk food.:

[saige]

PS-That's what they like,not what we feed them BTW.

[Sara Mama]

Re: what does your toddler love to eat?

Originally posted by lee's mama
I'm looking for more variety for my 13 mo ds's diet. He loves to eat chunks of avocado, banana, or sweet potato, frozen blueberries, yogurt, arrowroot cookies and peas. That's it! He will almost only eat things he can feed himself. What does your toddler love to eat?

My son and I are vegetarians, and my husband is by default. We don't try to make sure he gets a good mix every day, but instead take a "week perspective" -- someting I read in Sears & Sears. So I make sure over the course of a week he gets a proper variety.

I also buy exclusively organic foods -- a challenge due to the expense, but I shop frequently so nothing ever goes to waste in the fridge -- thank goodness for lots of co-ops in St. Paul.

We also don't have any junk food around. We figure if it's not there he won't beg for it... So at the store he goes nuts when he sees a pear! I have to buy one before we shop or at least some chewy bread! Occasionally we do have ginger snap cookies and some ice cream, but we only serve them once in a while. Instead, a treat is fruit.

My 18 month old loves...

* Finger Bananas - he hold them and peel them himself (more or less)

* Vegie / Minestrone / Vegie Barley Soup - a miracle food as he eats all the vegies in it. Plus we give him shredded cheese and oyster crackers to mix in.

* Really good Pizza - ie we go to a pizza shop that uses fresh vegies (probably not organic though... ) And we order a spinach mushroom pizza in advance, so when we show up it's ready.

* Fruit - pears and apples, crushed pineapple

* Brown Cow Organic Full Fat Plain Yogurt - even though it's not sweet Seamus loves it. It's the creamiest brand around. Everything under the sun gets dipped in it.

* Waffles with stuff to dip them into -- fruit spread or covered with defrosted frozen strawberries and their "juice" for dipping

* Any kind of pasta -- again red sauce if you use a high quality one or make your own is a great source of vegies & vitamins etc.

* As for beans - if they are mixed in with stuff like soup etc.

* Cheese, cheese, and more cheese

* Risotto with lots of cheese and vegies mixed in

* Polenta with sauce

* Bread

* Amy's Mac & Cheese with Broccoli (just add it to the pasta water when the pasta is almost done to blanch it)

I hope this gives you some ideas. I'd love to hear what others do.

[crowbaby]

my dd is 16 1/2 months and everyday it changes. Right now "Nana" is the only thing I can count on her eating. Everything else is a crap shoot from day to day. She mostly will eat pasta and sausages if she can get them, although I really try to limit the sausages. She will also eat Edemame. (If you don't know they are edible soybeans in the pod. You can cook them fast and they are delicious. Its a great way to get her protein in when she isn't eating meat.)

She really just likes to play with food. Sacking is her biggest thing. Veggie booty, Veggie sticks, sesme oat sticks, and pretzels not made with hydrogenated oils are godsends for snacking.

Keep them coming. I would really like to see more ideas, especially for a girl who won't eat cheese, cottage cheese, or yogurt...

Karen