(This post #1 of 3 about getting kids to eat their veggies. Links to the other two are at the bottom.)
When Eli was a wee chap, he'd eat anything you put on his spoon. Then one day I gave him some farmer's market organic squash and he literally shivered before ejecting it with his tongue. Huh? Not long after, I made the pureed spinach Eli had been happily eating for months and suddenly he shoved it away. The bowl rolled on its side, toppling into Eli's lap. It was the beginning of a strained friendship between spinach and Eli for quite a while.
As babyhood gave way to toddlerhood, Eli showed a preference for carbohydrates -- the more processed the better. When it came to produce, fruit was a clear favorite over veggies. It never got to the point where Little Guy flat out refused contact with veggies, but they were often left behind on his plate and there were times when he would have liked to have them completely out of his view. Suddenly I realized how and why that downward spiral happens.... If you consistently give in to tot whims, chances are the next time you turn around your child will ONLY eat from the Four Tot Food Groups -- mac n' cheese/pasta, bread/crackers, fried, and hot dogs.
I've long enjoyed reading about nutrition and I know veggies matter. If we go without one of the macronutrients (protein, fats, carbohydrates) for very long, our bodies don't have the building blocks we need for various processes and we get sick. A lack of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) takes a little longer to show up, but eventually the human body succumbs to rickets, beriberi, scurvy, etc. Now research is showing that trace nutrients (phytochemicals such as lycopene) in fruits and vegetables are vital in fighting off damage from free radicals in the body. We need those antioxidants to help fight off cancer and other diseases.
Eli's body needs the macro, micro, and trace nutrients now when his body is growing and developing so quickly, yet I also want to make sure he develops a habit and taste for healthy food for a lifetime. There is some evidence that our tastes are largely developed in our early years, that it takes a lot of effort to later expand preferences. Since I still have so much influence over Eli (including picking a Waldorf-inspired preschool that only serves healthy foods), it feels important to me to hold the line and be careful while my child is still small. Yes, occasional treats. Yes, a casual rather combative attitude towards junk food. But at this age it is still relatively easy to steer Eli towards healthy fare.
Our pediatrician recommended How to Get Your Child to Eat But Not Too Much by Ellyn Satter. It's been a huge help for making sure meal times are pleasant and low-pressure. Basically, it is my job to make healthy food available and Eli's job to decide when and how much to eat. He doesn't have to clean his plate. We do campaign for Eli to taste everything, yet we try not to push too hard. If we nudge a little and then leave him alone, he'll usually try a bite a few minutes after we suggest it. If he doesn't like something, he doesn't have to eat it, but it has to stay on his plate. Sometimes he fusses, wanting a food completely gone, yet later he'll forget and eat some. Also, if something appears on his plate enough times, he'll often forget it is weird or unattractive and start liking it.
I have to admit sometimes I hold my breath hoping Eli isn't going to reject a new dish when that's the main course, but I never play "short order cook" and bring out something else. This policy (from Satter's book and my pediatrician) made for a few crazy meals early on. I cook a lot of one-dish meals full of beans, whole grains, and veggies and there were times Eli fussed, trying to pick out flecks or chunks of this and that. We ignored it. (Sometimes while gritting our teeth.) Eventually, he just gave up and ate. Eli doesn't always eat as much of the veggies or mixed dishes as I'd like, but we're at the point where there's no veggie or dish he completely refuses. He's also getting a lot of veggies in "stealth forms." I can be very sneaky when I need to be. (More on that later.)
Every kid is different. Some parents produce veggie loving kids with very little effort while other parents can try every trick in the book with no luck. I thought I'd share some of the tricks/tactics that helped us and I'd love to hear more from other mamas and papas! I know kids go through lots of food trends and tics across childhood, so I'd love to put more ideas in my "Veggie-Lovin' Mama Toolkit"!
This blog entry is getting a little long, so I'll just start with one idea and do a companion blog entry or two in a few days.
Idea #1: Making Friends with the Color Green:
For a little while, Eli started balking at green foods. Perhaps his taste buds for bitter finally developed and he recognized this taste in many green foods. At any rate, I went looking for "happy green foods" and, at the advice of my nanny (who has a degree in nutrition!), made sure Eli had something green on his plate at each meal. If nothing else, I sprinkled parsley flakes onto his food! I am happy to say that it worked and Eli no longer seems to reject foods because of color.
"Happy Green Foods" -- Veggie Booty (all natural corn puffs flavored with vegetable powder), kale chips, Trader Joe's Roasted Seaweed Snack, guacamole, Snap Pea Crisps (dried, flavored pea pods), kiwi, white grapes, freeze dried green beans, spinach pasta, split pea soup, pesto sauce (although that has a strong flavor), and spinach tortillas.
The photo above is of Eli rejecting spinach in July of 2010. A year later, here he is scarfing down scrambled eggs liberally laced with spinach. Woo hoo!
Click here to see post #2 of 3 about tots and veggies.
Click here to see post #3 of 3.
Comments