Getting started with food

Food is a frequent topic of discussion at our house, and it seems like we’re not the only ones. As our son is nearing six months of age, I am starting to give a lot of thought to how to introduce him to solid foods and then how to encourage him to become “a good eater.” It seems like our friends with young children are struggling with these same issues. My intention with this blog is to document our family’s experience of how we’ve chosen to feed our child and what we learn along the way.

Food goals for Henry

· A child who enjoys eating a wide variety of foods

· A child who grows up healthy and strong

· A child who appreciates where food comes from

· A family that loves cooking and eating together

It is my aim to foster in Henry a love of good food and an appreciation for cooking and eating as a family. By introducing him to a wide variety of delicious and healthy food, I am hopeful that we can prevent Henry from becoming a picky eater. Looking down the road, I want to find ways to avoid future food struggles with a toddler by encouraging Henry to participate in growing and preparing what we eat.

What to expect from this blog

· Regular updates on how and what our family eats, including Henry’s eating behavior

· Discussions about feeding babies and children

· Conversations about food, nutrition and agriculture

· Recipes for busy families

· Family- and kid-oriented cookbook reviews

Comments

The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook

UPDATE (10/2/12): Unfortunately, I did not hear back from our original winner. Congratulations to our alternate winner for "The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook" -- Robin Pfefer. UPDATE (9/29/12): I am happy to announce that Kashia Clopper is the winner of "The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook". When I was first thinking about using the Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) model for Henry, I was unsure about whether it would really work. I was excited about BLW’s claims of less stressful meals that the whole family could share together. Plus, I was all for encouraging Henry to gain new skills by learning about the shapes, textures, colors, smells and flavors of food. This sounded ideal in theory, but would it work in practice? After some fun but ineffective attempts at letting Henry feed himself, I went in search of resources to learn more about BLW. I needed to learn how to prepare meals for our family in which Henry could participate. That’s when I found “ The Baby-Led ...

Five-Spice Salmon with Zucchini Spears (Serves 2 + baby)

As I mentioned yesterday, fish can be an outstanding choice for babies. It is a very healthy option. Plus, it melts into small pieces that are easy for Henry to chew and swallow. This recipe is Henry-approved. I've heard some people are intimidated by cooking fish, but there's no reason to be anxious. Grilling fish gives it a smoky flavor. Just be sure to oil the barbecue so the fish doesn't stick to the grate. The fish is ready when it easily flakes apart with a fork. This is likely to be our last grilling recipe for a while, since the weather is cooling down for autumn. Five-spice salmon and zucchini on the grill Ingredients 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1 Tablespoon soy sauce 1 Tablespoon Chinese five-spice 1/3 cup orange or pineapple juice 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced 1 10-ounce salmon fillet 1 medium zucchini Henry enjoying a salmon dinner. Directions Whisk together the first five ingredients in a small bowl to create the ma...

Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Set a good example

This week’s Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: Set a good example. As parents, we are the first role models for Henry. He will learn from our example, so Daddy and I need to eat our fruits and vegetables too. I am not a big fan of mango, but I let Henry watch me eat it with a smile on my face. Then he wants to try some mango too. Henry is more likely to eat fruits and vegetables when he sees Mommy and Daddy eat them too. A recent study confirmed that when parents lead by example their children have a more nutritious diet. The best way to inspire healthy eating habits is to demonstrate them first-hand to your children. Another study found that when parents ate an extra serving of fruit or vegetables each day, their child ate an additional half serving. Yes, it is important to talk with kids about food. But don’t just tell your child to eat their vegetables, let them see you eating a balanced meal that includes plenty of fruits and veggies. It may not always seem like it,...

How to Feed a Henry

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