Posted by tntmck on Mar 17, 2012 in
Information,
Overall Diet,
Uncategorized How much food should I be feeding my baby? How many calories does my toddler need? Is he eating too much fruit? Should I be preparing more protein? It’s so easy to question everything from milk intake to bowel movements. Sometimes I think we might be just a little too close to the subject. I’ve had times where I’ve needed to just step back and make sure I’m seeing the forest for the trees.
I discovered the following website http://www.mypyramid.gov recently. This link shows the food pyramid specific to your child’s age and weight. You can enter age and activity level for your child and it will calculate the exact number of daily calories needed. Oh my! I consider myself to be fairly Type A personality and this is too much for me! It seems to me that if you eat real food to fullness and true satisfaction, then things will fall in place. I think kids have this ability built into their little bodies. And, remember, they are growing. Things will ebb and flow. It is my job to present my children with healthy food options and encourage them to try things.
This government site goes so far as to provide a tracker to keep a tally of the daily requirements by grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and beans. I seriously think I need to stay far, far away from this as it could easily become obsessive for no good reason at all!
I’ve shared some of my favorite meals in the past, but here’s another great place to find Toddler Meals. My philosophy is to share good food with my children and maybe we there will be a little chef in the making.
What do you think of the Super Tracker?
Tags: baby, plate, pre-toddler, toddler
Posted by tntmck on May 19, 2010 in
Tips
The tip today might sound natural, but it’s easy to get caught up in your day and forget or to get stuck in your infant routine and not move on with your baby. To reach the ultimate goal of eating with the family, you want to be sure and include your baby at the table with meals. Do this as much as you can early on while they may be playing on a blanket, sitting in an infant seat or bouncy seat, or playing in a highchair.
Once you begin solids and start to lineup mealtimes with the family, be sure to include them with you. This is another reason to teach finger foods. Being exposed the family mealtime will get him interested and give you opportunities to introduce those healthy foods your eating at the table. Of course, there are other social benefits as well, and be sure to keep mealtimes a happy, fun family time.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: family, goals, highchair, pre-toddler, table
Well, it’s no secret that one of my favorite types of food is Mexican. I love the cheese, tomatoes, fresh salsa, guacamole, tortillas, spics, and did I mention…cheese. Yum, hot, melted cheese. What could be better?
FOOD DESCRIPTION
I made quesadillas with yummy, melted cheese, seasoned ground beef, and onions.
PROCESS
- I made another big batch of crock pot carrots this week to store in the freezer. These continue to be a favorite of mine for easy preparation, storage, and meal serving.
- Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Large tortillas (I chose whole wheat)
- Grated cheese (mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, or Monterrey Jack work best)
- Oil or butter
- Optional Ingredients and/or toppings:
- Sliced mushrooms
- Green onions
- Tomatoes, diced
- Chicken pieces
- Ground Beef
- Onions
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat. Add a small amount of oil or butter (about 1/2 teaspoon) and spread it around the bottom of the pan. Take one large tortilla and place it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, allowing air pockets to form within the tortilla.
- When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of cheese and sprinkle over the top of the tortilla. Add whatever additional ingredients you choose. I went with seasoned ground beef and onions this time since that’s what I had on hand.
- Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. After a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and keep checking every minute until the cheese is melted. When the cheese is sufficiently melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side. The tortilla should by now be browned slightly.
- Remove from pan and cut into wedges, slices, or pieces.
- Serve with salsa, sour cream, and guacamole if you like.
WHAT I LEARNED
Turning the heat to low is the trick and working quickly in the beginning with your flipping and adding the cheese will help to keep the tortilla soft, but browned. My first one turned out really hard and cruncy.
REACTION
I love Mexican, so it was no surprise to see my boys gobble it all up. They split one the first day and I saved one in the fridge to reheat for lunch the next day.
SUMMARY
I think I’m ready for some homemade guacamole now. I love this stuff and am surprised to say that I have never made it for my boys. Looks like I need to head out to the store for some fresh ingredients.
Please share your thoughts or ideas.
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Tags: cheese, mexican, pre-toddler, recipe, toddler
Posted by tntmck on Apr 21, 2010 in
Tips Milk. Don’t they say it does a body good? Well, it does. But, you don’t want your toddler to fill up on milk and not eat his food. Alternately, you don’t want a baby to fill up on food and not be hungry to nurse or take a bottle. So, what’s a mother to do? Well, it’s another one of those classic balancing acts. You have to be keen on what your little one needs at his stage in life. You also have to decide how much is best.
You can usually tell how much is best by letting your baby dictate the amount for you. You did this from day one, but once you start introducing solids things start to change a little bit. I found that when first introducing solids, my boys worked best getting about half of their milk first, then solids, then the rest of their milk. I soon learned that Wyatt would do just fine eating plenty of solids first, then taking all of his milk. Owen, on the other hand, needed to be offered his full amount of milk first and save the solids for last. This sounds really odd, but once I figured it out, it seemed clear to me how much you really have to follow your baby’s cues for feedings. As babies, breastmilk or formula is still the primary means for nutrition and you don’t want solids to be filling him up before he has a chance to drink his primary nutrients.
Then, that magic age hits. Your baby is now a year old. You’ve probably either started weaning or are considering it soon. For us, we started adding in whole milk around 11 months (consult with your physician when making this decision). By a year, my boys were both completely on milk from cups at the same time as meals with one afternoon snack including milk. With my doctor, we decided they only needed to be offered 16oz. throughout the day. I have also learned that they are better milk drinkers at certain times of the day. At breakfast, for instance, they want food. Once you get them started, they will enjoy some milk, but rarely a full serving. That afternoon snack, though, is all about the milk. They can drink it down. I am cautious, however, to not let the milk take over. I really want my boys learning and trying new foods and getting all of the good nutrition from those healthy foods. If I were to let them fill up on milk, this would not happen and I would probably have more picky eaters right now.
So, what’s the tip? The tip is to pay attention to your little one to learn when are the best times and order for milk and solids.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: baby, milk, pre-toddler, toddler
Posted by tntmck on Apr 20, 2010 in
Finger Foods,
Fruits & Vegetables
When your little one is to the stage eating finger foods by himself, remember to keep it healthy. There’s no reason to change the good habits that you’ve started this far. A great food is still sweet potato. You can easily bake one when it’s convenient for you and have it ready for meals.
- Wash the potato, leaving on the jackets.
- Poke holes randomly with a fork and do not wrap to allow the steam to escape. Otherwise you will have a mushy potato.
- Place in a pan to keep the sugars from dripping in your oven.
- Bake in a preheated 375° degrees 60-90 minutes, depending on the size of the potato. Don’t overcook so that it still remains slightly firm.
- Let the potato cool, then cut it in half lengthwise.
- Store halves covered in the refrigerator, then you’ll be able to cut nice pieces from the potato that little fingers can easily grab right when it’s time to eat.
Also, check out the recipe for the Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: baby, pre-toddler, recipe, sweet potato
Posted by tntmck on Apr 16, 2010 in
Grains, Beans, Legumes and Nuts,
Tips If you’re making or planning to make cereal or porridge for your little one just starting out, try using a coffee grinder for making your grain powder. I haven’t personally tried this, but I wish I new this tip starting out. Gettin my rice ground up fine enough was one of my struggles when I first attempted to make my own.
Please share your thoughts and ideas.
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Tags: baby, grains, porridge, pre-toddler, toddler
Posted by tntmck on Apr 12, 2010 in
Overall Diet Some of my favorite pictures of my boys have been during mealtimes. I thought I would share a few for you all to see.
Tags: pictures, pre-toddler
