The Broccoli Fiasco

I was feeling confident about Henry’s vegetable eating skills after our experience with sweet potatoes, cucumber and carrots, so I cooked up another classic baby veggie: broccoli. These are reputed to be easy for little hands since broccoli has a built-in handle. But Henry had other ideas.

Henry and the great broccoli fiaso

I put two pieces of steamed broccoli on his tray and Henry knew just what to do. He had no difficulty picking up the first spear and munching away. Little bits of broccoli florets started breaking off in his mouth, then oozing down his chin and onto his clothes. Of course I forgot to put a bib on him, but I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference.

Henry munches on his disintegrating broccoli

Henry picked up the second broccoli spear by its top and started squishing it in his hands. The broccoli began disintegrating as he smeared it all over his tray and face. There was broccoli everywhere. It got in his hair, ears, noise, knees and anywhere else he could reach. We actually took him outside to clean him off, and then went straight to bath time.

Who knew broccoli could be this exciting?

Next time, I will just give him the broccoli stalks. Or maybe we’ll eat outside next to the garden hose.