Confessions of a Paediatric Dietitian and mum of 2 young children!

Serving our yummy banana bread (recipe on website) with some sweet strawberries :)

Confessions of a Paediatric Dietitian and mum of 2 young children (and hubby and 2 dogs!)

1.       Feeding kids can be exhausting!

2.       My kids don’t yet eat many “adult style meals” – I know that their taste buds will eventually get there but it might take years!

3.       They prefer mostly raw vegetables (vs cooked) and this is fine

4.       They usually prefer foods separate on the plate and this is normal

5.       They certainly fuss over some meals I cook them and I do my best to not engage

6.       They love chocolate (who doesn’t!) and chips (like their daddy!)

7.       They don’t always eat perfectly (but who does!)

8.       My kids lunch boxes don’t vary much but do contain colour and the kids are happy which means I’m happy!

9.       My kids do now eat a variety of colour and plant foods which is amazing, but I have to confess that it is a journey to get to this point…. and this is normal.

What happens in our house?

1.       We eat meals together whenever possible – I eat with the kids at every dinner time – this often means hubby has to eat alone when he gets home from work.

2.       I always add plant foods (eg fruit or veg) into every meal time or snack

3.       We sometimes bribe with food (who doesn’t!), but we try not to as much as possible – especially with dessert.

4.       We do eat yummy sweets and label them as “sometimes foods” (not bad food)

5.       I’m mindful to never comment on a person’s appearance or use the word fat/skinny -we discuss people living in larger/bigger bodies vs smaller bodies

6.       For my daughter I really try to role model “loving my body” and having a positive relationship with my body.

 My hopes….

  • I want my children to grow up having a healthy relationship with food and be mindful eaters.

  • I want them to understand that food nourishes their body and affects every part of them

  • I want them to be proud of their bodies and love their bodies for giving them the ability to jump on the trampoline and live life to the fullest every day.

  • I want them to be environmentally conscious and understand how to eat to nurture our planet.

We are often we are all facing the same challenges feeding kids - just in different households. I hope this post has made you feel a little better about how your children eat and also given you some tips for the future!  

Karina xx

 

karina savage