Meal Time Stress - Aurora,IL

Hi J.,

My little one's not quite up to solids yet, but I find tons of great and easy recipes on Kraft's recipe website. They have a lot of fun kid recipes and ways to serve the same ol' food in a different way. Like making crackers look like ladybugs, etc.

Here's the site: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/ff/kids/KidsFavorites.htm

Good luck! =)

Hi, J.. Crock pot cooking seems to be the best thing for me. The recipes are usually very simple, not much prep time is required, and really, there's no skill needed to use one! And in addition to all of that, with the summer months coming up, you won't be heating up your house when you cook in a crock pot. There are tons of recipes available on line, and if you want me to send you some, I have a couple that that I make quiet often. When my daughter was little, I didn't cook alot, and I went thru the same thing with her not wanting to eat the same old, same old. Now with my grandbabies - well, over the years, I've learned how to cook, and I do like to get creative - the 14 month old especially likes to eat!

I just recently discovered a great book that I ended up purchasing from Borders that may help you.

It's Called:
Mealtime solutions for your baby, toddler and preschooler : the ultimate no-worry approach for each age and stage

By:
Ann Douglas

I enjoy it because it was just published in 2006 so it is very up to date on priducts and ideas.Check it out from your library and then if you really enjoy it like I did it you can find it at Border to buy.

J.

Hi J.,
One thing that I used to make for my very picky son all the time was the little alphabet noodles, I'd retain some of the cooking water and add a little butter and parmesan cheese. Then I'd cut up broccoli really small and add it in. He used to eat that all the time. Just another idea for something different! Good Luck :-)

J.,
I would agree that she could eat or at least try almost anything that we, as adults, could eat. Some exceptions might things that are really chewy like steak or bacon. I have 3 kids and have fed them EVERYTHING - since like 6 months of age my kids have had (and liked) things that range from chinese food to cheeseburgers. The little ones have always been a big fan of pasta, and there a jillion things out there that made with a pasta that can be actually yummy and good for you. Bertolli makes some frozen meals in a bag that you just toss in a big pan, cook/stir for 10 minutes and you have instant meal - they include chicken, shrimp, lots of veggies (Their favorite one, and mine, is the chicken with asparagus, red peppers in a Vodka sauce.) My kids also really like some of the Tuna Helper and Hamburger Helper varieties - those are a quick meal and just add a side of veggies. I've also found that most kids like brocolli and califlower if you steam them until very soft and cover them with melted Velveta. Brocolli is my 20 month old's favorite and I think he'd eat only that as a whole meal if I would let him.
Hopefully I've given some ideas you can use - browse through the frozen section at the grocer's and you should find some stuff that both your daughter and you will enjoy. Good luck!

my sons favorite things are: macaroni and cheese, macaroni and marinara sauce, hotdogs, eggs, bananas, pancakes, waffles, broccoli, green beans(especially canned green beans), peas, sausage patties or sausage links for breakfast, grilled chicken, grilled cheese, cheese sticks, mashed potatos, and pears(what I can remember).

Here is our "meal plan"

Morning
Banana
Pancakes or eggs
sausage(if we are at a restaurant)

Snack
Cheese Stick
Crackers
or something like that

Lunch
Is usually with sitter

Snack

Dinner
Mac and Cheese or Mac and Marinara
and whatever we are eating

to get him to try new things- and our son will eat anything we put in front of him. What we do is cut up stuff off of our plates and put it on his to eat. When he keeps eating it, we put more. We never force him to eat something he doesn't want to in that regard. I figure he will eat when he is hungry. The only food my son does not like is beef, and we still offer it to him but he does not want to eat it- ever!

We never make faces, never never never. I hate goat cheese- if he were to eat goat cheese I would never say that I hate it, I would allow him to eat it and see his genuine response. I would never make a face and wave off something offered to me, I would respond with a no thanks. My husband and I both feel as though we want our child to be open to all foods and therefore we make a point to not steer him away from foods we do not like. We do all eat together and we eat the same things, although he always has mac and cheese in case he doesn't want to eat what we are having.

I hope this helps!