So I'm sure many of you have seen these lovely, adorable, creative, anxiety-ridden, lunches on Pinterest...
Yeah...nothing like the feeling of inadequacy...
At least Moshe convinced me to buy this sandwich cutter...
Will that cut it?
No pun intended...
Back to the inadequacy part..
When Moshe began eating, well, rather when the pediatrician told me that I should begin feeding him adult food in bite sizes my initial reaction was, What?!? I have to feed him???
And then I panicked!
Besides mashed bananas and mashed peas, what do you feed a baby/young child?
So I purchased some kid friendly cook books...
Did some perusing, some planning...freaking out...The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers, and Children by Bridget Wardley and Judy More
Baby and Toddler Healthy Eating Planner by Amanda Grant
What I love about these two books, is that they not only provide me with kid friendly, most importantly healthy recipes, but give me information about nutrition. They both list vitamins and nutrients, recommended amounts by age, a guideline for stages-such as when to introduce finger foods, what food should be given and avoided at certain ages, what to introduce when the weaning process begins (speaking of weaning...yeah, we'll leave that for another discussion.), and meal plan suggestions.
The BIG book breaks up the recipes by type: first tastes, meals with soft lumps, finger foods, and then for ages 1-2 and 3-4 if provides breakfasts, lunches, dinners, side dishes, soups, desserts, drinks, snacks and party food. There is a key provided for each recipe, indicating if it's vegetarian, gluten free, wheat free, dairy free, contains eggs, contains peanuts, and is a source of iron, calcium, and/or omega-3s.
The Baby and Toddler book provides a key for a few more nutrients such as protein, zinc and vitamin C. This books focuses on ages up to 3 years. What I love about this book is that it has fresh options (aka you don't have to run out to a job at 7am mommy) or quick bites (aka-more my speed.) And, what's super awesome is this book provides storage information and how long it's good for, along with a freezable lunch and dinner section.
Here's the thing though-both of these books are awesome, I've enjoyed creating homemade, tasty, healthy meals for my boys, but it's not geared toward family eating. The recipes are given in small proportions, and let's be honest-I'm not all inclined to eat some of these things. I did come across an awesome Weight Watcher friendly jello recipe from one of these books though.
I don't have time to be a short order cook. And the best, practical, advice I was given as a new parent by my pediatrician is that the kids should eat what you eat. Now, obviously that doesn't mean your child's sippy cup should be filled with diet coke if that's what you're drinking at the dinner table- but I won't judge you if you do that, because hey, my kids have had diet coke. The point, is that regardless of how you eat, or the choices you make, you try your best to make it work for everyone. I've learned very quickly that it's not worth it to go through the hassle of with holding from your kids while you indulge. That's why we no longer bring pop into the house-because it's easier for me to give it up in the house, than fight them at dinner.
So when I came across this cook book, the yummy mommy kitchen, I knew I had to add it to my repertoire. Just look at it!
How delish does this look? These are healthy, low-fuss recipes for what ever you need! Soups, appetizers, desserts, breakfasts, meat, non-meat, sea food-there's even a party menu, along with regular meal plans, including your shopping list!
It's doesn't get easier than that!
These pages are filled with gorgeous pictures on every page.
Both of my kids are old enough now that they don't require specialty menus and I can't wait to fill my weekly menu with these scrumptious recipes!
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