Expert Advice On Feeding Your Children

How to Teach your Child to Eat a Salad

2/1/2020

Whenever we post about favorite salad toppings we get questions about how/when kids can eat salads, too - this post is very long overdue!

The biggest issue with salad is the safety of the greens. If we give a toddler soft leafy greens before they have a good rotary chew pattern established and a lot of teeth they may just swallow it whole. Lettuce leaves may be soft, but they do require lots of great chewing with teeth to break down (unlike many other foods that can be chewed successfully with gums).

Here are some simple guidelines:

6+ months - start with soft salad toppings like a tomato strip/wedge, avocado strip/wedge and cooked carrot. Our Infant Course will help you learn to safely serve these foods to babies 6+ months!
16+ months - continue to offer the soft salad toppings. If serving carrot raw you can shred it, but we don’t recommend whole uncooked carrot until age 4 as it’s a choking hazard. Offer crunchy lettuce like romaine cut near the stem in shredded pieces (see image below) with a dressing/dip like olive oil, ranch or vinaigrette. Crunchy lettuce helps your child feel the texture in their mouth, and a tart, vinegar-based dressing may awaken their taste buds. You can also experiment with lettuce wraps at this age.
18+ months (or once they’re successfully chewing the individual lettuce shreds) - assembled salad with shredded crunchy lettuce and soft salad toppings + dressing.
2.5+ years - Judy recommends waiting until about 2.5 or when your child has a full set of teeth to most effectively chew large leafy greens like spinach or spring mix.

A few additional tips:

Model eating salad if you want your child to eventually eat it too!
We don’t recommend salad as the only part of their meal, as salads can be overwhelming for new eaters. Many toddlers simply won’t eat them for a long time - that’s OK! Baby steps. Offer it as a small side as they learn to eat it and become comfortable with it.
Some preferred dressing goes a long way for kids (and adults) when learning to eat salads! We love Primal Kitchen ranch; choose an olive- or avocado-oil based dressing when possible, but sometimes any preferred dressing makes all the difference!

Keep Food Safe at School

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | Feeding professional moms give their tips for keeping food cold and safe at school and daycare based on USDA information, including their favorite lunch boxes for kids.

One big question we always get is, “How do you keep lunches cold?” (Shown here are Bentgo boxes that we love! You can find them in our Amazon shop under Lunch.)

Here are some tips from USDA:

Perishable food must be refrigerated or stored with 2 ice packs. A frozen water bottle or other frozen drink can count as one of the ice packs, but it is recommended to do an ice source on the bottom and the top of the Bentgo itself. Store the lunch in an insulated bag to help keep it cold. (We have some of our favorite insulated bags in our Amazon shop too.)
Perishable foods include meat, poultry, fish, eggs and most dairy. Cut up veggies and fruits should also be kept cold.
According to USDA, foods that do not need refrigeration include: whole (uncut) veggies and fruits, hard cheese, canned meat or fish, chips, breads, crackers, PBJ, mustard and pickles. We do ice packs in our lunches no matter what just to be safe.
Food should be kept out of the “temperature danger zone” (40-140F) as much as possible. It is not recommended to leave any perishable food out longer than 2 hours.
If you pack lunch the night before, keep it in the fridge overnight and pack it with ice right before you leave for school the next day.
It is not recommended to eat uneaten perishable foods that come home unless you can guarantee that it has been kept cold.

Don't forget that these safety guidelines apply to any food out of the fridge, even snacks you send with your preschooler or diaper bag snacks.

Tips for Toddler Mealtime after a New Baby

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | After adding a new baby to the family, toddler meals can become difficult to get together. Give yourself grace and try out some of these tips from feeding professionals

When life changes, so does eating. Having a new baby definitely changes everything in your house. If you also have a toddler or older kid at home, don't be surprised if the addition of a sibling causes disruption at mealtime. You may find yourself serving crackers and milk for lunch. We want to be the first to tell you this: it's ok.

How can you make mealtime a little better with a newborn and an older kid - or multiple kids?

Lower your expectations. Sometimes just feeding your kid anything is a win. This is a season, and it tends to be challenging - it’s OK if you make mealtime simple. Think about something with protein, a veggie or fruit when possible, and offering around 3 different foods with each meal.
Sometimes older siblings feel left out when baby is born. Try to focus on what your older kid(s) can do that the baby can’t, and eat meals together as much as possible - even if they’re on the couch or as a carpet picnic - to try to reconnect with your older child(ren).
Involve your older child(ren) in simple meal prep, grabbing snacks for mama while she nurses, prepping bottles for baby etc. Let them do special activities (grabbing a fresh diaper, finding baby’s paci) to remind them that they have an important role in the family. Small changes like this can help them become less resistant at mealtime since they feel more connected.
Don’t forget about the importance of physical touch! Sometimes eating dinner on Dad’s lap works wonders.
Ask for help when possible. If someone asks you what they can bring over, request food or snacks. People want to help - give them an opportunity to do so!
Utilize convenience when possible. It’s OK to get meals or groceries delivered - do what you need to do!
Expect to feel guilty - but try to see the big picture. We all feel guilty when we can’t give our older child(ren) the attention they’re used to receiving. Try to think of the future. You’re giving your other kiddo(s) such a wonderful gift - a friend, a partner in crime - and in a few months they’ll begin to interact and start to enjoy each other. You’re in the hard part now. Hang in there!

Calorie Boosting Strategies

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | Does your child struggle in the growth department? Here's some easy ways to pack some extra calories in to you child's breakfast toast to make every bite count.

Do you have a kiddo that needs a little help in the growth department? Perhaps you’re pregnant and are struggling to gain weight yourself, or maybe you’re breastfeeding and are losing weight very quickly. We all have unique nutritional needs!

Sometimes we need to add Calorie Boosters to foods to help each bite count. One simple strategy we use with our clients is adding a layer of fat/oil underneath other toppings on toast, pancakes, waffles, rice cakes, sweet potato spears, etc. It helps each and every bite count a little bit more.

How do you know if your child needs this? Talk to your doc first! Are they worried about your kiddo’s growth? Can their growth trajectory be explained by genetic/environmental factors? If you’re doc’s not worried, keep doing what you’re doing! On the other hand, if your provider has expressed concern in your child’s growth it may help to try these strategies.

Nut allergy? Use sunflower seed butter or tahini (shown on top right toast).

Dairy-free? Try the Kite Hill Foods cream cheese spread with coconut oil or avocado oil underneath for the third toast option.

This is just one of the many techniques we’ve outlined in our new Calorie Boosters handout we just added to our Infant and Toddler Courses! It includes so many unique ideas and has allergen-friendly options. We also have included some tasty recipes! (If you already purchased either course you have access to this handout! Head to Step 5 in the Infant Course and 13 in the Toddler Course!)

We also added an entire handout for constipation in Step 4 of the Infant Course and Step 13 of the Toddler Course.

Our courses are live, meaning that you’ll always have the most updated version (and they don’t expire - as long as we’re hosting them!). Go back and watch them again and again.

Why Dips are Important

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | Dips can help picky eaters be more adventurous. By switching up the dips and offering different kids of dips, you are providing variety. Variety can help prevent picky eating. You can also use dips to help your reluctant eater try a new food by pairing it with a familiar dip.

Let’s talk DIPS! Did you know that the use of dips is something I use all the time in feeding therapy to help reluctant eaters learn how to eat more foods?

There are so many dip options - these are just a few! Kids also enjoy ketchup and ranch (obviously), as well as olive tapenade, broths and soups (including bone broth), gravy, dressings etc.

As an Occupational Therapist specializing in feeding therapy, I find dips really helpful for the following reasons:

Dips help kids learn to try new foods. Pair a familiar dip (like ketchup or hummus) with an unfamiliar food like broccoli or chicken as a more comfortable way for your child to learn about these foods.
Dips offer an amazing sensory experience during mealtime. We want our kids comfortable touching lots of textures and seeing a variety of colors so they eventually become more adventurous eaters. Dips instantly offer new textures, colors, smells, and tastes. Plus, dips lend to messy play for young children, which is an important sensory process in learning to tolerate food on their skin and eventually in their mouth.
Dips can help you chain from one food to another. For example, if your child doesn’t like marinara sauce but enjoys ketchup and tomato soup, try dipping roasted sweet potatoes in those preferred dips first. Next, offer a third dipping option of marinara sauce. Eventually they may be more open-minded to marinara sauce on pasta!
Dips can offer nutrition! Yes, many contain salt, but many have benefits! Cooked tomato in marinara sauce and ketchup (yes, ketchup!) offers lycopene; olive oil may be heart protective, and vinegar may help blood sugar regulation.

I recommend offering them as early as 6 months (stick to the less salty ones in infancy like yogurt, smashed avocado, fruit purees, olive oil). Start by dipping strips of food into the dip and handing them to baby. By 14 months, your child may be able to dip on their own. You don’t have to use dips all the time, but it is fun to try them out when your kiddo isn’t into eating a specific food.

We hope you enjoy trying dips with your child! Don't forget to connect with us on Facebook or Instagram if you're struggling with your child's eating.

Teach your Child How to Swallow a Pill

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | Starting at the age of 4, children can learn how to swallow pills. Swallowing pills can be a very helpful skill, especially if they need a medication or supplement that it's available in another form. These steps are written by a feeding therapist.

Foodie Judy here! Yesterday a member of our Feeding Littles Clients Only Facebook group asked how to teach a child how to swallow a pill, so we thought we’d give you a tutorial here!

Why do some kids need to swallow pills? Some medications only come in pill form or kids may not like/tolerate the liquid or chewable version. Sometimes important medications cannot be crushed or cut. Teaching your child (age 4+) to swallow a pill can be a very helpful skill, especially if they are dealing with a temporary or chronic illness or if they need to take a supplement and it doesn’t come in a palatable liquid, powder, gummy or chewable. (See our blog post for more on supplements.)

Here are our steps for helping to teach your child how to swallow a pill:

Make sure your child is willing and motivated (and at least 4 years old) - see more below.
Have your child sit with good posture and feet supported on the floor or a foot rest.
Start with something very small like a cake sprinkle. Fill two straw cups with 4 oz of water.
Demonstrate by taking a sip of water from the straw, then place the sprinkle on the front to middle of your tongue. Drink the rest of the 4 oz of water.
Now it's your kiddo's turn! Practice a few times and keep it positive. Next, try 2 or 3 sprinkles. Do this for a few days or a few weeks until you're confident your child can try a small pill.
Have applesauce nearby to help facilitate a swallow in case the sprinkle feels stuck - the applesauce acts as a "magnet".

Remember that we all develop differently. Some kids are not ready for this at age 4.

A few additional points that we want to add:

First off, if your child has oral-motor or swallow issues, consult with your pediatrician or feeding team first.
Make sure your child is willing to do this - forcing them will result in an unpleasant experience. Sometimes recruiting an older sibling, family member or friend can motivate them to try it.
Cake sprinkles are small and can be chewed in case your child defaults to chewing. Some families also use tic tacs, but we like sprinkles because they’re so small and soft to start with.
Use a straw cup so that your child doesn’t tip their head back really far, as it can actually prevent a successful swallow.
Keep the experience positive - praise them when they do it successfully, but also encourage them if it doesn’t go right. Some children have anxiety about swallowing pills, so we want to make this a positive, productive process.
Applesauce or another fruit purée can help with the swallow process - keep it nearby when practicing with sprinkles and with the actual pill.
Make sure the pills you offer are relatively small and easy to swallow - large tablets may not work for your child.
Work with your pharmacist about the best medication delivery method for your kiddo.

Kid-Friendly Energy Bites

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | A super easy snack recipe idea for adults and kids that is dietitian approved. Make extra and keep them in the freezer for a quick snack for yourself or your kids.

Homemade energy bites are my kids' favorite snack, hands down! We have been making these for years and they’re so tasty for mama and kiddo alike - please make sure read the safety information below before serving.

These are also awesome for pregnant mamas as some data suggests that dates may help with cervical ripening before birth.

Best of all, they are a nice balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates (read: energy) that taste amazing.

I loved having them on hand when I was pregnant and breastfeeding, especially because they’re a quick, satisfying snack that can be eaten with one hand! You can make a large batch and keep them room temperature, in the fridge or frozen - you (adult) can eat them frozen, but make sure to thaw for younger eaters.

These energy bites are similar to commercially available energy bars and are simply equal parts Medjool dates and nuts or seeds of choice. Make sure to use a high powered blender or food processor to blend. If using the Vitamix, use the tamper.

Vary the nuts you use: each one provides different nutrition! For non-allergic people, regular exposure to allergens is important for allergy prevention.

A few tips for success with these:

Use juicy (not dry) pitted dates - if they’re too dry the energy bites will be too. You can also soak dates in hot water for a few minutes to soften them up first. Simply drain and remove excess water before blending.
Any nut or seed will do - we tend to like the ones that are a little softer/more oily. Almonds work too, but sometimes they’re a little dry.
If the mix is too dry when you blend it, add more dates.
You can roll into balls or flatten in a pan and cut into bars.
Consider stirring in finely shredded coconut, mini dark chocolate chips, chia seeds etc. into the “dough” and mix well before rolling into balls.

SAFETY INFO:

If serving these to kids under 4 make sure that the nuts are completely blended - no big nut pieces!
If serving these to babies or young toddlers (a good way to introduce them to various nut allergens), they need to be a very soft paste. Make sure they’re completely squishable between your fingers and are soft. When in doubt wait til they’re older.

Air Travel with Toddlers and Kids

2/1/2020

Feeding Littles | If you're traveling with a baby, toddler or young child, snacks are a must have. Here are our favorite snacks to bring when traveling on an airplane with little kids.

Flying with kids? We have one word for you: SNACKS.

Here are our minimums in the snack department when we fly as a family - longer trips may require even more snack options!

We always bring reusable water bottles that we can fill once past security. Lately we’ve been digging the Hydroflask kids straw bottles and we always label them in case they get left behind. Check out our Amazon shop for a complete list of our favorite straw cups! The labels shown are from Mabels Labels.

We also bring one type of fruit or veggie, either fresh or freeze dried. These freeze dried strawberries from Trader Joe's are crunchy and aren’t as concentrated in fruit sugar or as sticky as regular dried fruit (although we dig dried too - just be consistent with teeth brushing!). Freeze dried is great for kids who love a little crunch. They’re also shelf stable so they’re perfect for travel. Babies can have them if they’re soft and easily dissolvable/chewable - the strawberries are probably the safest.

We always bring a beige crunchy “interesting” food that will keep their attention for a bit, like Annie's Homegrown bunnies, veggie straws or crackers. We don’t serve these foods every day - but we do serve them sometimes - and to our kids they’re a little unique!

Lastly, something filling! We actually brought a Larabar on this trip for the kids and I tried these Enjoy Life Protein Bites - we wanted to test them out and show them here for those of you dealing with top 8 allergies! Holy moly, they're delicious! They’re kind of like a chocolate dessert with a nice protein boost, and for families who need a quick, portable option that doesn’t include top allergens they’re awesome!

Other protein/fat combo options good for young eaters on planes include string cheese or Babybel cheese, sunflower butter sandwich or homemade energy balls.

How to Teach your Child to Eat a Salad

Keep Food Safe at School

Tips for Toddler Mealtime after a New Baby

Calorie Boosting Strategies

Why Dips are Important

Teach your Child How to Swallow a Pill

Kid-Friendly Energy Bites

Air Travel with Toddlers and Kids

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