Children and food attitudes

One of the many things I am proud of in M is her awesome relationship with food. So many people worry about toddlers and eating: are they eating enough? Too much? The right kind of things? Not enough vegetables? Not varied enough? Well, M has always loved her food and eats pretty much anything. Sure, she has things she thinks she doesn’t like (onions, peppers, spicy food) but if she doesn’t realise that’s what it is she’ll happily eat it. For example, a fairly hot vegetable curry containing onions and peppers will be eaten with relish! Until someone says “it’s a bit spicy” then all of a sudden the curry is eyed with suspicion.

In my time as a parent I have come across lots of ideas about children and eating. From speaking to friends, reading books, reading blogs, posting on forums and watching other parents. I have heard lots of different ideas on how to cultivate a healthy food relationship in your child; one who tries new food, eats a variety of flavours, isn’t fussy, eats their vegetables, doesn’t overeat or undereat, etc. etc. Some common sense stuff (let them choose the pace of weaning from the word go and let food be fun, not a battle) to some more outlandish ideas (offer a pudding alongside the main course and let the child choose if and when they want to eat it).

The one idea I have always stuck to is ‘baby-led weaning’. The idea being skipping the purees stage and going straight to finger foods. Provided the child is developmentally ready for solids (able to sit up by themselves, able to move food to their mouth themselves, able to chew and swallow without all the food being spat out) you simply give them opportunity to self-feed and let them set the pace. It is, quite honestly, much easier than making baby food and cheaper than buying jars; just give them a little bit of what you’re eating! Plus it makes sense to allow them the freedom to explore this new world of solids at their own pace. For the first 6 months of eating solid food, milk should still make up the majority of their diet, anyway.

But the principles of baby-led weaning don’t stop at 12 months. I’ve tried to let M make her own decisions about food and keep it stress-free for as long as possible. She says she doesn’t like something? Fine, just leave it on the side of your plate then. Maybe try it another day. We offer lots of different kinds of food and don’t make a big deal about eating it or not. We eat amazing home-cooked stews with fresh vetetables, and we eat processed chicken from the freezer. We eat puddings; sometimes yoghurt and fruit, sometimes ice cream. We eat snacks; popcorn, crisps, carrot sticks, raisins, cake and biscuits. We don’t have any food that is ‘grown ups only’ (in fact I try to limit the ‘grown ups only’ rule as much as possible because I think it’s unfair for there to be things M isn’t allowed to do that we are). She can try my coffee is she want to (she doesn’t like it, but she does like my tea). M helps as much as possible with making meals. I chop vegetables, and she puts them into the pan. She helps me measure, weigh and stir. She takes pride in something coming out of the oven and getting to say “I cooked that with Mummy!” even if the only thing she did was sprinkle some cheese on top before roasting.

Attachment Parenting theory says a child’s relationship with food starts way before their first taste of solids though; it starts with their very first feeds and continues with how they are breast or bottle fed from then on. Fed on demand, a child will always get food as soon as they start to be hungry, and will get just the right amount and type of milk. They won’t overeat in worry that the next meal may be a long time away. They won’t cry because they’re worked up and too hungry. Their stomach won’t stretch and begin to expect larger and larger meals as they are routinely encouraged to ‘finish the bottle’. A baby fed on demand will have a fantastic relationship with food before solids have even been introduced; keep that principle in mind for the next 6 months and beyond!

Banana Handle

Baking with Mummy

M wins at pasta!