By Emily Carver, Recent Arizona State University Nutrition Student
Every parent tends to ask the same question, “what should I feed my kids?” It’s a daunting question and one that gets asked repeatedly as they continue to grow. With each year they get older, their tastes change, their opinions get stronger, and the options for nutritious foods become overwhelming to choose from.
Which is why I thought it would be a good idea to talk with three moms who have children from 8 months to 20 years old, to see what struggles they’ve encountered, how they strive to give their kids nutritious foods, and tips for other moms who may be in similar situations.
Name: Summer LaRee
Kids: James, 9yrs, Alexander, 4yrs
1) What’s a typical food day look for your kids?
Typical day equals – Breakfast: Z Bars by Cliff, apple sauce, plain whole milk yogurt with maple syrup and berries.
Lunch: chicken nuggets, or peanut butter and jelly, or mac n cheese, or meat/fruit/veggie tray. Also, chicken, buffalo, or beef. A vegetable side like broccoli.
I typically don’t do a lot of bread around here, and rarely have cereal in the house – that’s a big treat. They’re not consistent snackers, but snacks include applesauce, string cheese, plain, whole milk yogurt.
2) What are some struggles you’ve had with getting your kids to eat nutritious foods?
My firstborn is a “texture” person. Taste is not first on his list, texture is. It’s difficult to get him to try new things and refuses to eat things he likes if the texture is off. The younger doesn’t have texture issues but is my stubborn one. He (both my boys LOVE any kind of protein bar), will refuse to eat all day and will literally starve himself, too.
3) Are any foods off limits?
No soda. Candy/sweets in moderation.
but really, we don’t outlaw anything. We can’t 100% control what they are fed when not with us, so we try to have a little flexibility.
4) How do you give yourself grace on days that didn’t go as “nutritionally great” as you hoped?
Every day as a parent is a day of grace. You quickly realize YOU are not in control of yourself, let alone these little people you’re in charge of. You do your best and keep charging ahead. Otherwise, you go postal.
5) What are some ways, if any, you slip in nutritious foods without them knowing?
First, you have to ‘slip in foods’ from the get go- or you won’t get away with it later. My youngest loves Nutella. Not good for you, but, I buy the ‘healthy’ versions then I mix in a little chocolate flavored fermented cod liver oil and make him a sandwich with Nutella and peanut butter on it. It’s the only way I get cod liver oil in a 4-year-old, but it’s worth it. Mac n cheese is a good one to mix stuff in and spaghetti, veggies in the sauce is just normal for my kids.
6) Any suggestions for other moms who might be facing similar struggles?
The suggestion is – be very intentional about how you introduce foods/wean them. That makes a huge impact on the first 5 years of how they eat or don’t! I did a terrible job with both kids and I regret it. I have a friend who does it GREAT and it’s so simple!
Also, never make your kids something ‘else’ for dinner. They get what they get. I don’t force my kids to eat, but they are welcome to leave the table hungry, with a promise that the only ‘snack’ they can get after is the food they left behind! Put your foot down.
Name: Meghan Reed
Kids: Finna, 8 months and Angus, 4yrs
1) What’s a typical food day look for your kids?
Finna is easy because she mainly breastfeeds. She is starting to explore foods a little, and I offer them to her when I eat. We do baby-led solids (so no purees or “baby foods”). She usually sucks on some dried figs or mangoes at lunch and then mashes around spaghetti squash or avocado slices at dinner. What I give her depends on what I’m eating – I don’t make anything special just for her. So, she’ll have soup, strips of meat, smoothies, etc. She doesn’t swallow much though, it’s mainly just play.
Angus still breastfeeds as well. He nurses around four times a day, and I’m guessing it totals around 16oz or so. I also don’t make anything special for him, he’s offered whatever my husband and I are eating. I cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner from scratch each day and we don’t purchase any processed foods. I ferment our own almond yogurt, kimchi, pickles, etc. and make a large batch of bone broth each week. So, Angus’ diet is fairly nutrient dense. He usually has a scrambled egg for breakfast, some dried fruit or applesauce or almond butter as a mid-morning snack, and then he usually skips lunch and then has a smoothie (with frozen fruit, spinach, and almond yogurt in it) as an afternoon snack, and then dinner varies a lot. He likes all sorts of soups and stews, and his favorite is spaghetti squash with tomato sauce and ground beef. If he doesn’t like what I’ve served, I usually offer him a chopped avocado or some fruit. If he’s hungry, he’ll eat those, and if he’s not that hungry, then I don’t stress if he doesn’t eat anything. He nurses before he goes to bed, so I know he’s getting a nutrient-dense “meal” one way or another.
2) What are some struggles you’ve had with getting your kids to eat nutritious foods?
As long as, there are only healthy options in the house, then it’s not a struggle. No matter what he chooses, it’s good. During the holidays when the family brings stuff over, or we travel, he gets offered snacky junk (like chips, pretzels, etc.) and then he fills up on those and refuses better foods. Also, when he’s not happy with what I’ve made, he’ll sometimes refuse to try it and ask to nurse instead. I’ve made a rule that he can only nurse if he’s at least eaten a few bites of food first.
3) Are any foods off limits?
Yep. No processed sugars, at all! And, no packaged foods unless they are something I could easily replicate at home (I’m fine with packages of applesauce or dried fruits, but no fake health foods like “gluten-free pretzels” that have 20+ ingredients). I occasionally buy stuff like that as a treat, but it’s maybe once a month at most.
4) How do you give yourself grace on days that didn’t go as “nutritionally great” as you hoped?
Breastfeeding is always my back up. Even if they ate crap that day, I know they at least got a lot of really great human milk.
5) What are some ways, if any, you slip in nutritious foods without them knowing?
I can add all sorts of leafy greens to smoothies and mask the flavor with fruits. I don’t hide this from Angus though, he thinks greens are supposed to be in there. I also freeze our smoothies in popsicle molds, so he gets those as a treat.
6) Any suggestions for other moms who might be facing similar struggles?
I think full-term/biologically normal duration breastfeeding is really important. It ensures they get the nutrients and calories that they need even on days where they don’t eat well. And, then you don’t have to rely on other options. Also, not purchasing snack foods that you wouldn’t want your kid filling up on. Snacks are basically meals for kids, so if you wouldn’t be cool with your child eating chips as a dinner, then don’t offer it as a snack. It’s easiest if those foods are never introduced, then there’s no battle to be had.
Name: Michelle
Kids: ages – 20, 17, 15, 11
1) What’s a typical food day look for your kids?
Breakfast: burritos with eggs, cheese, and a meat. Cup of water or whole milk.
Lunch: Older kids eat out during the school year. I pack a lunch for the youngest – ham & cheese sandwich on buttermilk bread, orange slices, squeezable Greek yogurt or apple sauce.
Dinner always varies depending on who cooks, but it’s almost always something like adobo, sour soup, chicken curry, albondigas, enchiladas, etc.
2) What are some struggles you’ve had with getting your kids to eat nutritious foods?
I don’t have too many struggles now that my kids are older. Our rule is to try something once before they are allowed to say that they don’t like it. When they were younger though, eating veggies was hard because of texture. They HATED (and still do) mushy veggies! I learned that I needed to roast things like broccoli instead so that it retained its crunch, and that made all the difference.
3) Are any foods off limits?
We don’t buy soda, fruit juice, or any processed junk food like Pop Tarts, sugary cereals, Top Ramen, Twinkies, etc.
4) How do you give yourself grace on days that didn’t go as “nutritionally great” as you hoped?
I just tell myself that we’ll do better tomorrow–but, I’m not one who gets down on herself for not cooking the “perfect meal.”
5) What are some ways, if any, you slip in nutritious foods without them knowing?
Spinach in fruit smoothies! If you use a great blender, they’ll never know because they won’t be able to see it. Invest in a good blender!
6) Any suggestions for other moms who might be facing similar struggles?
Give yourself and your kids, grace. The foods they hate now could be the very food that they love in a few years. Kids palettes change as they grow and mature, so don’t be discouraged!
After having the pleasure of interviewing Summer, Michelle, and Meghan, it’s safe to say that parenting is a very personal thing. What may work for one, might not work for another. It’s important to remember that the nutrition choices you, as the parent, make for your children, are the right choices, and to be confident in your decisions.
If you’re in the thick of texture issues or boycotting certain foods, I hope these moms helped give ideas and reassurances in knowing you’ll make it through with grace and perseverance.