How to Ruin One of Henry’s Favorite Foods

Last night’s cooking did not turn out well. I attempted a new crockpot recipe of red curry with pork and winter squash, but it was too salty and looked very unappetizing. As a result, we decided to go out to eat. I ordered a hummus plate and Daddy had a hamburger. In celebration of Oktoberfest, the restaurant also had a German pretzel appetizer so we got one to share.

By now you probably know that one of Henry’s favorite foods is bread. He loves having toast or pancakes for breakfast, but he also enjoys sandwich bread and dinner rolls. The fresh pretzel was another favorite. He ate several pieces dipped in hummus, along with jicama, grilled zucchini and a few bites of burger patty.

The pretzel was served with cheese sauce and spicy brown mustard for dipping. The cheese sauce tasted like processed fake cheese so it went uneaten, but I really liked the mustard. It had a mild kick with a touch of sweetness. I thought it might be good for Henry to sample the mustard too.

I lightly dipped a piece of pretzel in the mustard and handed it to Henry. He happily took a taste, but then immediately his face turned bright red and his body started to shake. Henry was so upset by the mustard that he burst into tears. It took a few minutes to calm him down with hugs and several sips of water. Then, Henry was happy to eat more pretzel dipped in hummus, along with some dill pickle slices.

This is the first time Henry has had such a violent reaction toward eating a food. In the past, he might make a sour face or spit something out when he didn’t like the taste on the first bite. I will usually re-offer it later in the meal or the following day and he is willing to try again. This time, I think we will wait until he is a bit older before I give him more spicy mustard.

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

Search This Blog