Food is an interesting topic in our house. You see, mealtimes are important to all of us, but all three of us eat quite differently. It's quite a challenge to bring all of the pieces together sometimes, but the more time goes on, the more it just...works.
I'm vegan, and have been since long before I met The New Daddy who happens to be a Texas boy, and until recently did not feel that a meal was complete if it didn't include meat of some kind. When we were dating, he used to humor me by accompanying me to my favorite vegetarian restaurant, eating, and then asking to stop someplace afterward so he could get some meat! He's actually fine eating largely vegetarian now, but does still enjoy both meat and dairy in moderation. The babe, of course, is slowly expanding her repertoire of solid foods, but at this point is 98% breastfed with solid food still filling a sensory role more than anything.
Fortunately, the daddy and I both like to eat healthy and since our goals for food and our family are essentially the same, it's not impossible to prepare meals that will please everyone. I'll either prepare a vegan meal, with a bit of meat on the side that the daddy can mix in when it's time to put food to plate, or prepare two nearly identical meals side-by-side. I'll make a vegan stir fry, for example, with rice and plenty of veggies, plus strips of chicken with the same sauce, in a separate pan. When it's time to eat, we both serve up some stir fry, but he tosses a bit of chicken in with his. The babe gets a selection of veggies in her bowl, and we're all happy. Or, I may prepare two types of enchiladas, one with chicken and cheese, and one with black beans and cashew "cheese." Since I make it all at the same time, it's really only a bit of extra effort.
When it comes to the type of food we buy, we're relatively like-minded. We avoid over-processed foods and things like high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors. We buy organic where it's available. Sadly, it's quite limited on Guam and there is virtually no fresh, organic produce at all. I buy the few things we do get organic (celery, baby carrots, salad greens, and recently apples) on a consistent basis and try to use exclusively the "clean 15" for the rest of our cooking and snacks. The more research comes out on the dangers of pesticides, the stronger I feel on this one. We also avoid canned foods, not just because of concerns over BPA exposure, but also because we prefer to cook primarily from whole foods, for our health and for our wallet.
For Annabelle, we simply want to provide healthy food from the start. What and how she chooses to eat as time goes on will largely be up to her, but we are making every effort to model healthy eating habits.
Does everyone in your household enjoy similar foods? How do you reconcile your differences and share meals together?
Until recently I was vegetarian and although we are incredibly healthy as a family I was probably missing out on something vital as after 18 months I started fainting. I now eat meat again and feel so much more full of vitality that I guess my body needed it. I have always had extreme needs - when I was pregnant I had weird cravings - rubber, coal, charcoal and soil were the most obvious!
ReplyDeleteI have one very fussy eater - she loves something one day and refuses to even put it on her plate the next. The only consistant food is cheese with her.
I have two committed carnivores who have no problem in eating meat, even having watched a programme where it made very clear how and animal is slaughtered.
The limits we put on our food are we aim to buy all local and organic where possible and whichever we can get hold of otherwise. And somethimes that means we go without strawberries in November! All our meat comes from local farms and go to a local family run abatoire where the animals are well treated (I know, I have visited!) and we do not compromise on that.
We don't have any processed food. My friends can't get over the fact that we don't have crisps and biscuits ready to dole out if the children get hungry. They are free to choose form the fruit bowl between meals. I've had visiting children in tears because they have never tried fruit as a snack and want a biscuit and could not believe that we had none at all. We sometimes make them but they don't last long and the treat is in the making as well as the consuming.
We are pretty strict when it comes to children eating. I have learnt with my fussy youngest that part of the problem is she is easily overwhelmed. I usually put one mouthful of each part of the meal on her plate and she must eat that, afterwards she is allowed to choose to serve herself more of what she likes but only once she has eaten the 4/5 mouthfuls on her plate. Sometimes she can't even manage this but then I suspect she wasn't hungry. Sometimes children eat almost nothing and sometimes masses.
Sorry this is way too long a ramble but I am too tired to edit it!
No need to edit, Anna! What's *too* long, anyway? I know brevity is not my forte.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing ... it's always interesting to hear about the different way things work (and don't work) for other families.
We both want to eat healthy for the most part but sometimes get sucked back into the SAD. :( I really try harder though since my daughter started eating solids. I could probably eat mostly meatless but my husband wants meat at every meal. And my daughter (19 months) is a confirmed carnivore although she eats most things, not picky. We used baby-led weaning with her and that worked really well. She didn't really start eating a whole lot of solids consistently until after her first birthday.
ReplyDeleteI've got 4 kids still at home and if they could each eat their own separate meal, they would. It feels pretty out of control at times. When I think about what to make for dinner, all I can think is that there is going to be someone who will hate it and try to pitch a fit. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteJulia, thanks for sharing - at least you're trying, and that's a start! I think we all get sucked in sometimes ... there are so many emotional associations with different types of foods and it can be hard to completely shrug off what we grew up with. We LOVE baby led weaning in our house, too!
ReplyDeleteElena, that sounds exhausting! I'm sure your children are all the better for it, however. Being exposed to foods they don't care for will surely give them a taste for a few new things along the way, right? Or at the very least build a little character? I hope you get plenty of appreciation when you make dinner, despite your picky eaters :)
In our house:
ReplyDeleteI love freshly made meals from scratch with lots of whole grains, veggies, lean meats. Husband is the same and not super picky.
4 yr old hates many "meal" type foods; she seems to really love food all broken up into separate parts....lol! Examples: She will eschew a bowl of split pea soup and instead have a homemade buttermilk biscuit, a bowl of cottage cheese, and a handful of grapes. She grazes all day on little bowls of fruits, veggies, and my homemade wheat bread. Silly goose!
1 year old so far will eat nearly everything I make, though she breastfeeds for the majority of her food. :)
I've got 4 kids still at home and if they could each eat their own separate meal, they would. It feels pretty out of control at times. When I think about what to make for dinner, all I can think is that there is going to be someone who will hate it and try to pitch a fit. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteWe both want to eat healthy for the most part but sometimes get sucked back into the SAD. :( I really try harder though since my daughter started eating solids. I could probably eat mostly meatless but my husband wants meat at every meal. And my daughter (19 months) is a confirmed carnivore although she eats most things, not picky. We used baby-led weaning with her and that worked really well. She didn't really start eating a whole lot of solids consistently until after her first birthday.
ReplyDeleteNo need to edit, Anna! What's *too* long, anyway? I know brevity is not my forte.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing ... it's always interesting to hear about the different way things work (and don't work) for other families.