How do I react when my child:
1) Eats something they've never liked
2) Eats something they've returned to liking
3) Eats something they've always liked
There are lots of different schools of thought on children and eating...and because every child is different, I’m a firm believer in trial and error. What I have learned with MY 3 year old - let’s face it, this is one of the toughest ages when it comes to eating - is that attention (positive OR negative) is really what he’s looking for...
If trying something new gets attention, GREAT! If rejecting one thing after the other gets attention, EVEN BETTER!!
It really just boils down to giving positive attention when warranted, and ignoring all the other stuff. Make sure you’re giving your child a meal with several options (or, in other words: “well balanced”), and try not to cater to her too much (this is different than giving her a choice - which usually results in full-out cooperation in my house). Praise his efforts when he tries something new, and calmly tell him that if he doesn’t eat what’s on his plate he’ll wake up hungry in the morning (one skipped meal never killed anyone)...then, MOVE ON. She’ll quickly realize that her eating habits, while still important to you, are not “center stage” material for the dinner table......
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Great advice! Thanks and keep it coming! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't have children but do a lot of cooking. Do children recognize the difference in cooking oils? I mean to say, fried chicken taste better when fried in peanut oil than canola oil, right?
ReplyDeleteAnd which oil is better for you, olive or canola? I know shortening is bad, but if you have to choose one, which would it be?
Each type of cooking fat (olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, butter, shortening, etc.) has different characteristics - the way it tastes, the temperature at which it is most suitable for cooking, the way it feels in your mouth...how "healthy" it is......but I'm hesitant to tell anyone to substitute one type of fat for another in EVERY cooking situation.
ReplyDeleteSimply put, biscuits wouldn't be biscuits without butter.
You should certainly pay attention to how much fat (of any type) you use when you cook, though...
Experiment in the kitchen to see if making your dish "low-fat" - by using oil instead of butter (for example), or apple sauce instead of oil - diminishes the yumminess-factor. If it doesn't, then congratulations - you've just created a healthier option!
However, if it doesn't taste as good, I would suggest cooking the "full-fat" dish (because what's the point of not being able to enjoy what you're eating) - but indulging less frequently (like once a month instead of once a week)...