Sleep regressions, toilet training and flavourful meals are three things that strike fear in the hearts of most parents.
If you’ve ever wondered why children all over the globe seem to grow and thrive on spicy and exotic foods but you only longingly remember eating Pad Thai and vindaloo, you are not alone. Food fads, fights and phases are all too common among children.
There are a huge number of kids that express food preferences. From the kid who will only eat foods of a certain colour, to the kid who refuses to eat anything besides peanut butter sandwiches, it is amazing the things they come up with to keep parents on their toes.
In my case, I had one kid who went through a phase of only wanting sweet and starchy foods, and another kid who didn’t like mixing foods with different textures. And I’ll never forget the Emmy-worthy performances that ensued whenever I accidentally served them something with a strong flavour. Onions, garlic, ginger and cumin were all drama-worthy in our house.
What is a parent to do?
Here’s the current advice from the Dietitians of Canada distilled down to five points:
1. It is your job, as the parent, to serve healthy meals. It is their job, as the child, to choose what they are going to eat.
2. Set regular meal and snack times (three meals and two to three snacks). Only offer water between meals. This helps ensure your kids are hungry at mealtimes.
3. Eat together and make meals a family activity.
4. Don’t make special food for your child. Serve the same food to everyone. However, make sure to serve at least one food you know your child will like so they won’t go hungry (like bread, crackers or milk).
5. Let your child choose what to eat and how much to eat. If they don’t eat anything, remind them there will only be water until the next mealtime.
I have a few pieces of additional advice, based on my parenting experiences:
1. If your kid only eats dessert, stop serving dessert. That way they won’t skip meals expecting to fill up on dessert. Enjoy your treats when your kids aren’t around. Hurrah for naps!
2. Let them be free to change their food preferences as they grow up. This is all about the language you use to discuss food with your child. Don’t label them as a “picky eater.” Don’t tell them that they won’t like certain foods. Don’t talk about your kid’s food preferences with other people. Avoid turning their food preferences into a part of their personality. Remember, it’s just a phase that they will grow out of.
3. Serve flavourful foods, like curries, without the heat. Stick a bottle of hot sauce or sriracha on the table instead.
4. Involve your kids in shopping and cooking. Food always tastes best when you’ve helped to prepare it!
Still need more help? We’ve got you covered! Here is a recipe that hides the usual culprits of pickiness: vegetables, fibre and protein. It’s easy to make and kid-friendly!
Mean Green Pancakes
Vegetable packed pancakes are a favourite dinner at our house. Kids love trying out different toppings. Serve these pancakes with butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, sliced tomatoes or humus. My favourite topping is a squeeze of lemon. Alternately, omit the onion and serve your mean green pancakes with all the usual sweet toppings.
Veggies & Wet Ingredients
1 package of frozen spinach, defrosted
11⁄2 cup of milk
4 eggs
1⁄4 cup of oil
3 Tbsp of onion (optional)
Dry Ingredients
13⁄4 cup whole wheat flour
1⁄3 cup cornmeal
1⁄4 cup rolled oats
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1. Drain the water from the spinach. Place all the wet ingredients and vegetables in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and pulse to combine.
2. Heat a frying pan on medium.
3. When the pan is hot, start making pancakes with a 1⁄4 cup of batter for each pancake.
4. The pancakes will be ready to flip when they are bubbling in the middle and dry around the edges. Flip, then cook the other side for about 1 minute.
5. Serve immediately or keep warm in a low oven.
