So, picking up from where we left off…
What’s a desperate, healthy mama to do when faced with a child who turns up her nose at everything even vaguely resembling a vegetable?
I knew I had to step up my game.
First, I scoured the internet for the answer, but all the ideas I came across were things I had already tried and had fallen flat.
I consulted our doctor (Dr. Koe) to make sure she wasn’t stunting her growth or otherwise coming to any harm because of her refusal to eat pretty much anything other than noodles. Although petite, she is just fine.
I made a list of all the things that she WOULD eat, and either bought or made the best possible versions (think organic, clean ingredients, from scratch whenever I could).
And then, I started plotting.
My kitchen became not only my playground, but my laboratory. For example, the vibrantly colored flower shaped treats in the photo above are homemade vitamin gummies made with whole, organic ingredients and grass-fed beef gelatin.
I wasn’t a mad scientist, no goggles or bubbling beakers (unless you count the bone broth simmering on the stove).
I was, and am, a determined mom on a mission, desperate to get nutrition into the little people I love most.
I’m certain I’m not the only parent who has had to tackle picky eaters head on, and I’m equally certain that there are other families out there who face even harder challenges (auto-immune disease, life-threatening food allergies, large families and small budgets, etcetera). While I’m no means an expert, nor am I a health professional (and you should always consult your doctor before implementing any diet changes), I am a mother who has always prioritized the health of my family. I have lots of hard-won experience in the trenches, so to speak. I hope that some things I’ve learned can benefit other families and make meal time easier for busy caregivers.
While this may not work for everyone, I’ll share the steps I take to get actual FOOD into her here.
First, I took the list I made of the things she will eat, especially those highest in nutritional value, and used that as a starting point.
She loves eggs, mozzarella cheese, yogurt, most fresh fruit (aside from the three mentioned above), bread, pasta, steel cut oatmeal with dried fruit, and surprisingly, probiotic drinks like coconut water kefir and homemade herbal tea.
I try to base meals around those elements as often as is nutritionally sound (I have myself and two other children, neither of whom are picky eaters, to consider).
I make homemade tortillas and blend spinach or butternut squash into the dough, and make burritos with eggs and cheese. Below is a photo of a caprese salad with fresh mozzarella and homegrown herbs and Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes. It was a hit with the picky and not-so-picky eaters alike!
I make homemade Greek yogurt. It is really simple to do, and doesn’t require any fancy equipment other than a Crock Pot. I use organic milk and serve it for breakfast with a drizzle of honey and fruit from our garden.
Another frequent breakfast for us is organic steel-cut oats cooked in whole milk topped with a little coconut sugar (it has a lower glycemic index than regular cane sugar) and some raisins or other dried fruit. I make homemade sourdough bread from organic grains (much higher in nutritional value than processed white bread) and serve it for snacks with nut butter and apple slices.
Because we don’t drink soda and I also try to limit sugary drinks and juices, I serve each meal with either filtered water or homemade coconut water kefir or herbal tea. Many gentle, kid-friendly herbs like chamomile, nettle, lemon balm, oat straw, hibiscus, and rose hips are extremely high in vitamins and minerals and delicious.
And, because a family of four can’t thrive on yogurt, burritos, oatmeal, and nut butter sandwiches alone, I also had to look for other options to fill out our menu.
Next, I considered the less than healthy foods she likes to eat and began looking for, or in several cases, created, healthy alternatives.
She loves all the typical Kid Food: pizza, mac ‘n cheese, pop tarts, anything carb-based or snack-y.
I replaced refined white flour with better options (grain-free when I could), hid veggies every-which-where, and found better alternatives to highly sweetened recipes- using, instead, small amounts of honey, maple syrup, dates, or coconut sugar (my children are sensitive to several keto-friendly sugar replacements). I tried to make sure each meal she eats has enough protein, healthy fat, and nutritionally dense ingredients to sustain and nurture her (and our whole family).
My focus was on the quality of ingredients I could get her to eat, not quantity.
Meet me back here for the next episode to find out what other tricks I had up my sleeve!
