Dipping; should've thought of this sooner!

I'm sure you all know this little trick..but I thought I'd share...A new picky eater has joined us which has had me doing some research on food ideas. This child (typical 1 year old picky stage) would not eat fruit or vegetables of any kind (weird I know!). He's simply a meat and potatoes guy. So, I started adding applesauce (or puréed veggies) to dip his food in and added a piece of vegetable and fruit at a time ( and the dip on everyone else's plate too since they all have to have the same). He has such fun dipping that neither he or the others care what they're eating.

I discovered by accident one day when the crumbs from a piece of toast were on his veggies that he had eaten those few. After that thanks to the majic bullet I would grind up a piece of bread and sprinkle breadcrumbs on his bowl and he would eat anything that had a breadcrumbs. We do whatever works. Isn't it a nice feeling when you finally figure out how to get a child to see things your way whether they realize it or not.

LOL - yup 'dip' is magically!

I make an chocolate dip with purred avocado and cocoa and they will dip all sorts of fruit into that ... plus the avocado is healthy but they think it is chocolate ;)

Sneaky chef is key for sure!

Avacado and cocoa - would never have thought of those together. Sounds interesting though and they would feel so special having "chocolate".

Another trick I have used is to either puree veggies or use the baby food veggies and add it to spaghetti sauce, sheperd's pie, mac and cheese etc. The possibilities are endless and they don't even know the veggies are in there!

Maybe I am not doing it right? LoL
When I have tried this, the kids all scrunch their noses and say "Ewwww. Why does it taste different?"

Adding to spagetti sauce maybe - messing with Kraft Dinner -not going to pass the kid test for most I know. The hardest part of getting any food into them is getting them to just taste it in the first place.

My meals seem so boring but since my group is evenly split between those that fingerfeed and those that spoon feed I find myself making meals of finger appropriate foods so I only have to make one meal. That lets out most things with sauces or really soft textures. When I only had one on fingerfoods it wasn't a problem to help feed them some of the meal but it is sure easier just to let everyone feed themselves.

I think that the challenge with getting children to eat 'healthy' is consistent exposure to variety of foods ... as well as not falling for the 'just because they do not eat means they do not LIKE it' for young children meal time in North America is about CONTROL ... their lives are so micromanaged by the adults, so rushed and stressful at times that the one thing they CAN control is what goes into their mouth - as a result they exercise that control by refusing to try new things and so forth. Plus for many children it is about the 'change' of something new looking, smelling or feeling different and them needing to work up the 'courage' to taste it.

Over in other countries children eat way WEIRDER things than we would ever think serve children here in North America .... how many of us would serve Arugula and Blue cheese salad to TWO YEAR OLDS ... but this is a staple in France? How many other countries HAVE infant and toddler foods packaged and sold by manufactures ... not many in most countries outside of the US and Canada the children regardless of age eat what the ADULTS eat ... food is not plainer or 'child friendly' it is whatever adults eat 'cut' to a consistency appropriate for the age of the child.

Our problem is that from the minute we introduce 'food' to children we start with that cereal crap in a box ... that is full of 'filler' has very little TASTE or nutritional value IMO and well is just a SWEET CARB ... most other countries do not introduce GRAINS to their children first they start with VEGETABLES and allow the child's palette to learn to accept those flavors before allowing the 'sweet' taste buds to overpower all others.... as a result we find it hard to get our children to 'accept' vegetables and less sweet fruits into their palettes :(

I get the odd picky eating in my program who has that 'defiant' I would rather go hungry all day and hold out for the sweet crap at home but for the most part my crew all eat a wide variety of vegetables and fruit and 'spices' because I start introducing those first and make my baby food very similar to how I would make it for MY palette I just puree to a consistency that would suit them ;)

For example if a child has never HAD a diet of steady Kraft Dinner and their macaroni and cheese has always been 'healthy' with a cheese and cauliflower or sweet potato sauce they are not going to complain about it - it is really actually MORE yummy that KD ... and if they HAVE had the steady KD diet and you want to make the change sure they might turn their nose up the first few times but if keep offering the 'new' food as the only alternative they will eventually start to eat it ;)

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Originally Posted by playfelt

Avacado and cocoa - would never have thought of those together. Sounds interesting though and they would feel so special having "chocolate".

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Here are a few reciepes for it I like

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Chovocado Pudding
vegan, gluten-free
1 ripe avocado
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw agave nectar or other sweetener equivilent
1/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peel and quarter a ripe avocado.
Put all the ingredients in your beloved Magic Bullet (or a blender/hand mixer) and blend until smooth.
Refrigerate for a couple hours to allow the flavors to 'meld' or the chocolate might be 'bitter' to the kids palette.
Serve and enjoy!

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Thanks for the recipe. I have friends that need to eat a gluten free diet too so will share with them.

Forgot to say; avocado and cocoa? Whhaaaat? Very cool, going to have to try it.
I agree that meal times become a power struggle. A couple of years ago, public health did an "awareness" campaign. The gist of it was: caregivers choose what to provide (to eat) and when. Children choose whether to eat, and how much.
I use that as my guideline for meals, etc. I will provide a variety of healthy (most of the time, lol) foods. You choose from that point on. I will encourage, but not force, a child to eat.
I will have to google some of those "sneaky" food recipes....
Thanks!

I have the Sneaky Chef books too and the secret is to start very small in the amount of pureed veggies or fruits or beans you are sneaking in, like 1/4 cup pureed cauliflower in your home made mac and cheese, then work your way up slowly to 3/4 cup. I have a little boy who I can fool with some things but he's so picky he can taste it and he makes me frustrated.