lifestyle-uae-fussy eater

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My child is a fussy eater
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Most children go through fussy eatng stages at some time in their lives where they reject food. It is a normal part of growing up. Some children refuse certain foods because they can be responding to natural aversion signals of smell, taste and texture that aren't compatible with their body. Whatever the reason it can be a stressful, sometimes soul destroying time for many mothers who worry about whether they are eating enough or getting the right nutrients.

Children's food preferences are a complex interplay between genetics, early exposure to a variety of tastes and textures and the kind of eating environment they are exposed to at home. Looking at food intake over a week is more valuable than daily consumption as kids have variable appetites.

Getting kids to the table is a matter of making the eating experience fun, getting kids involved in preparing foods when they are old enough and trying to minimize stress and bribery! Poor vegetables are given a bad name if eating them results in an ice-cream reward Moving away from labelling foods good and bad, healthy and not could be replaced by everyday and occasional foods. It helps if kids learn to eat with adults as early as they can ie 6 months, then some meals during the week can be dedicated family meals when they can handle a fork or spoon.

Most kids are drawn to sweet tastes but they also need to be exposed to the whole spectrum of tastes- sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and spicy. Kids can have natural aversions which may be a built in mechanism to protect them from harm. Children are not normally drawn to bitter vegetables unless they are combined with a sweet taste eg salads with dressings, broccoli and cheese.

Health

There is a better understanding about the effect of food on children and research is telling us that there is a link between dairy products and chronic ear infections, early introduction of dairy products and diabetes, low iodine status and cognitive deficits, artificial colourings and preservatives and behavioural problems and high exposure to chemicals in food and the environment with leukaemia to name a few (see childhood behaviour and organic food).

Children have high demand for iron, protein, essential fatty acids, vitamin B complex, vitamin A, calcium and zinc which are all involved in growth and development and the main nutrients that many kids can be deficient in. Research is also showing that a growing number of children are deficient in iodine a mineral derived from iodised salt, seafood and seaweeds due to low maternal stores and this can have a devastating effect on intelligence.

Kids benefit most from eating organic food. Because of their small body size and immature detox system kids are much more vulnerable to chemical toxicity in pesticides, herbicides, artificial additives in food. It is richer in trace minerals like selenium, antioxidants and vitamin C. Organic food heightens kid's awareness of what food should taste like – delicious. Minimum cooking is required and best of all no tears theirs or yours.

Tempting children with:

Dips

Savoury

Sweet

Snack boxes for more ideas click on snack 'n pack luncbox ideas

White bean dip

A milder alternaitve to hommos

1 can of white kidney/cannelini/butter beans rinsed and drained
1 tsp of mustard
2 tbs of tahini
1 tsp of ground cumin
Pinch of salt
Water to get desired consistency

Blend the ingredients and serve with crackers, oat cakes, raw vegetables

Pink dip

A preferred option to taramasalata

150gm of cooked salmon
2 tbs of quark/cream cheese/ricotta cheese
2tbs of mayonnaise
1 tbs of lemon juice
1 tsp of dulse flakes

Blend the ingredients and put on top a jacket potato, cracker or use with raw vegetables.

Crispy tempeh rounds

150gm (5oz) tempeh
75 ml of tamari (wheat free)
2tbs of lemon juice
1tbs of mirin (rice wine vinegar)
2 garlic cloves chopped
3tbs of falafel flour
3tbs of sesame seeds
Sesame oil for frying

Mix the soy sauce, mirin, garlic and lemon juice together. Cut tempeh into rounds 1 cm thick and marinate in sauce for 30 mins. Mix together the gram flour and sesame seeds. Remove the tofu from the marinade and coat in flour. Heat a little sesame oil in the frypan and fry tempeh in batches for 5 minutes until golden brown. Serve on their own as a tasty snack with peanut sauce or add to noodles, rice and vegetables. You can also try with tofu and other marinades. Makes 6-7 rounds.

Filo cheese pies

Filo pastry
Olive oil
300 gm of pumpkin, cubed and steamed until soft
1 grated zucchini
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
125gm of fetta, cubed or other cheese of your choice
4 eggs

In a little olive oil sauté onion and garlic then add steamed pumpkin and grated zucchini. Combine with the fetta cheese and eggs. Line a muffin tin with 2 layers of filo pastry and spoon the mixture in to make small pies. Cook for 30 minutes in a moderate oven. Makes 9 pies.

Crunchy lettuce parcels

¾ cup of brown basmati rice or jasmine rice
500gm of minced chicken
2 spring onions
2 cloves of garlic
1 carrot finely diced
2 tbs of chopped coriander
1 tbs of tamari
Iceberg lettuce leaves

Cook the rice and set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté spring onions and garlic, add carrot and cook for 5 minutes until tender add the minced chicken, tamari and coriander. Cook for a further 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Mix with the rice and place a heaped tablesoon on one end of lettuce leaf. Fold sides in and roll up. Mix a little soy sauce with mirin (rice wine vinegar) and lemon juice for a dipping sauce.

You can vary the vegetables (add peas, zucchini, cabbage) and use mince meat instead or vermicelli noodles instead of rice. Other ways of wrapping include, samosa style or rice paper rolls.

Ostrich meat balls in tomato sauce

500gm of minced ostrich meat
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
¼ cup of chopped parsley
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste

Stir fry the onion and garlic until cooked. Blend all ingredients and form into balls and cook in a tomato based sauce for 5mins or until meat balls are tender.

Ostrich can be used as a versatile low fat, high protein, high iron and zinc alternative to beef and lamb in lasagna or spaghetti sauces.

Chocorange balls

1 cup of almonds
250gm of dried apricots
1tbs of cocoa powder
½ cup of orange juice
1 tbs of desiccated coconut

Put almonds in a blender, blend for one minute add the apricots and orange juice and blend until well combined. Put in a mixing bowl and add coconut. Using your hands roll teaspoonful lots of mixture into balls. Roll each ball in coconut and put in the fridge to firm.

Carrot muffins

½ cup of olive oil
½ cup of date syrup
2 eggs
1 cup of sifted spelt flour
1 cup of puffed amaranth
2 tsp of baking powder
4 drops of vanilla essence
1 tsp of cinnamon
2 cups of grated carrot

Blend the oil with the sugar using a wooden spoon and add the eggs. Add the dry ingredients then vanilla and stir in the carrots. Put in a muffin tin and cook for 20-30 minutes in a moderate oven.

Trail mix

Popcorn
Dried pineapple/apricots/banana/sultanas
Almonds or any nuts and seeds of your choice
Flaked coconut
Flax plus granola breakfast cereal

Put in ziplock bags for snack boxes

Snack boxes

Many kids don't get a proper lunch break and have to rely on small snacks they can eat in 10-15 minutes. Try to balance the content with some protein, carbohydrate, fruit and vegetables. Once a week let your kids choose an occasional food like crisps, cheese dippers, chocolate covered nuts, dried fruit etc. Limit fluids to water. Here are some ideas:

Protein

Biltong, cheese, turkey/tuna in a spelt roll/wrap,boiled egg, nuts and seeds (depending on school policy)

Carbohydrate

Muesli bars, oat biscuits, muffins,sandwiches with various fillings, rice crackers/cakes, pasta/rice or bean salads, hommos/bean dip, yoghurt, trail mix, bite size portions of fruit/veg