Once you’ve hit that 6 month mark and start introducing new foods to your baby, it’s every parent’s goal to try and teach their little one about healthy food. We try multiple options to test and train their palettes with purees, mushes, and more. Yet, no matter how hard we try, we are still met with resistance, or worse as they get older and start tasting all the sugary, cheesy snacks their preferences rapidly shift away from veggies and towards the goodies. Picky eaters quickly emerge and meal time can become a major struggle every day. Check out delicious recipes that help our picky eaters explore new foods from Katie at Eat Pretty Darling. Just like it is with adults, the easiest way to stay healthy at the table, is to make it a part of multiple aspects of our lives. Think about the trend of avocado, in the last decade, the consumption of avocado in the US has increased by 79%. Concurrently, avos have been much more prevalent outside of the grocery store or your favorite Mexican restaurants guacamole. Now, almost every coffee shop has avo toast, avocado ice cream is a thing and fresh accessories, toys, and more frequent our everyday lives. The effect? We eat more avocado! Our brains are trained by frequency, the more we see avocados out and about, the more we want to eat them too. Think of what we can do as a culture by taking all our favorite fruits and veggies and giving them the same attention outside of the dining room or kitchen. This very concept, is what inspired the creation of Little Foodie’s apparel and gift collection and we were so excited to see that there are more companies out there with the same mission! We met Allyson over at Pleni Naturals through instagram and were blown away by her non-toxic, organic skincare line, made from real fruits and veggies with a mission to spark a lifelong love for wholesome foods for toddlers and babies across the country.
Although a 6 month old may not internalize exactly what a cucumber smells like or read the letters on their shirt, the habits and associations we are forming today away from the table, can build lasting healthy choices by making kale, broccoli and sweet potatoes just as fun in the bath and on the playground as they are on the table. To CELERYbrate all things fruit and veggies, we have partnered with Pleni Naturals for an epic giveaway (valued over $100). To enter, head over to our Instagram and find the photo below to find all the details for your chance to win!
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Guest Post by: Kara WilsonI have a little confession to make. It’s something I usually feel uncomfortable telling other parents. My kids love vegetables. There I said it. I didn’t simply get lucky. I actually spent years and years cooking for children as a career nanny before I had my own kids. I’ve had a HUGE head start when it comes to feeding kids, and I’d love to share with you all the secrets I’ve learned along the way. I’m sure you know plenty of parents who struggle with fussy little eaters. It’s incredibly common, and I can only imagine how stressful it would be cooking lovely meals, only to be met with complaints and outright refusal. Starting early is crucial. What you give your baby now lays the foundations for future eating habits. Are you hoping that your baby will grow up to be a little foodie? Of course you are! Okay, let’s get started RIGHT NOW - whether they’ve started solids already or not. Here are my 8 secrets to getting your baby to eat more vegetables 1. Take the Pressure Off ThemFirstly, I know it’s in the title but you can’t actually get your child to eat. It’s not your role as the parent. Your job is to decide what to cook, and then where and when your child will eat it. It’s up to the baby if they want to eat, and indeed how much they’ll eat. If they’re turning their head or getting upset, just leave it for now and try again next meal time. If they only take a few spoonsful and then refuse it, that’s fine too. If we force it, the child will feel pressured, and what we ultimately want is a calm mealtime. 2. Keep It PositiveYou have to remember that milk was their only source of food for quite some time, so once they start solids, they’re experiencing all kinds of new flavors, sights, textures, and smells. They might grimace or shudder, but it doesn’t automatically mean that they don’t like the food. Give them a chance to accept the new taste, and offer it again. It’s pretty amusing and adorable, but try not to laugh, or use negative phrases like, ‘you don’t like it’. Keep your language positive, and as though the whole experience is no big deal. 3. Food Should Be FunLet them play with their food. Some parents find this one tough. I get it, we all have enough cleaning to do without throwing in extra washing, bathing, and wall scrubbing…but trust me, now is the time to drop your cleaning standards a little (okay, a lot!), and embrace the mess. That means letting them explore the vegetables with their hands, rubbing it through their hair, spilling it on the floor, smearing it all over the highchair, everywhere. That even goes for wiping chins. Leave the food there until the end; babies generally (and rightfully) don’t like their faces being wiped, or scraped with the spoon. Babies play, and we should always encourage that. A baby who is wiped clean with every mouthful and prevented from making a mess just might grow up to be a picky eater. I’ve seen it so many times before. To save your sanity, you can either strip your baby down to just a diaper first, or use a bib that has sleeves. Put a messy mat on the floor, and use a highchair that doesn’t have endless nooks and crannies to clean out. 4. Be Their Role ModelProbably THE most important tip to a fun and calm mealtime is eating with your child. If they see you eating and enjoying vegetables, then they will be more likely to try them. Plopping some food on their highchair trays and walking away won’t teach them anything. After all, eating is a journey of learning, and you are their most significant role model. If you are spoon feeding your baby and they’re ready to also go onto finger foods, you could place a variety of finger foods in the middle of the table for the whole family to eat. Examples could be cucumber sticks, steamed carrot sticks, avocado slices, parsnip chips, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower florets. By 12 months, they will be eating what the rest of the family is eating anyway. 5. Keep It InterestingFood jagging is when we eat the same food over and over and then get sick of it. Offer a rainbow of veggies at every meal, and try cutting them up and cooking them differently each time. Turn avocado into a dip, roast some zucchini instead of steaming it, make soups, or put spinach into fritters, for example. Don’t be afraid to add flavor with herbs and spices, and you could mix in some cheese or olive oil. A lot of veggies are quite bitter, so it’s crucial that we prepare their tastebuds for bitter foods, too. This means that you can ditch the bland baby rice and sweet potato as first foods, and instead offer green vegetables early on. There is absolutely no need to add fruit to vegetable dishes. Often when you buy the commercial baby foods, you’ll see this, so try to avoid these ones if you can. 6. Get Them Ready to EatMake sure they’re hungry at mealtimes. Avoid letting them graze all day, or filling up on more milk than is necessary for their age and developmental stage, and finally, don’t offer a Plan B (like something sweet) if they don’t eat a meal (unless of course you’re concerned they’ll be hungry overnight – no one wants a baby to wake up from hunger if they no longer need milk at night!). If they tend to be more tired in the evenings, and therefore more reluctant to try new vegetables, you could offer a larger variety at lunchtime or even with their breakfast. 7. Make It a Part of Their RoutineConsistency and persistence will pay off. If there are vegetables served with as many meals as possible at set times each day, it will become the norm. If your baby has been refusing certain vegetables, then offer them alongside ones that they love. There’s no need to disguise them, and we certainly shouldn’t be tricking our babies into eating anything. It can take 15-20 POSITIVE (that means no pressure) exposures to a food before the child will like it. So, offer it and keep offering it. Keeping to a routine will also take the stress out of mealtimes. Children love routine, so if your baby knows that mealtimes happen at roughly the same time each day (as in before their lunchtime nap, or before their evening bath), it will give them a sense of security and predictability. 8. They Need to Eat MindfullyThere are an overwhelming number of new things happening every day in a baby’s little world. Can you imagine how this might feel? They’re constantly bombarded with new sensations, and mealtimes are no different. We eat with all of our senses, and for a baby this can be a lot to handle. This is why we need to remove all distractions like screens and toys at the table. A baby watching TV whilst mindlessly eating won’t learn anything about the food going into their mouth. Equally a baby holding toys instead of exploring food with their hands won’t be focussing on what you’re feeding them. They need to be aware of the new smells, textures, colours, and tastes so that they become familiar with them. Familiarity will remove any feelings of overwhelm or fear at the next meal. As you can see, how you encourage (rather than make) your child to eat a variety of vegetables is much more than the food itself. I know all too well what baby brain is like, and this may be a lot of information to take in. I’ll break it down for you in palatable chunks (pardon the pun):
If there is one thing us San Diegans love more than food, it’s the outdoors. From the beach to the mountains, there are lots of places in between for great hiking and outstanding views. So where are the best places to bring your little one with for adventure and exploring? We’ve got our favorites to share with you. 1. Torrey Pines to Del Mar Most people know about the views from the gorgeous bluffs in Torrey Pines State Reserve overlooking the ocean with fresh sea breezes keeping you cool on even the warmest days. One of our favorite hikes is a little beyond the bluffs. You can either start at the bottom of the Torrey Pines State Reserve and head north or you can stop on the top of the bluffs, pick your favorite trail to the beach and head north from there. Either way, about 1.7 miles from the bottom of the State Reserve are beach front restaurants in Del Mar. As long as the tides aren’t too high, you can hike, grab some brunch and then head back making for quite a memorable morning. Distance 1.7 - 3.0 miles Terrain: Mostly flat 2. Cabrillo National MonumentPhoto: Cabrillo National Monument California This hike at the southern most tip of Point Loma looks over Coronado on one side and the open Pacific on the other. You may even spot some whales during the right season. The area has a gift shop, museum-like lighthouse and lots of educational signs along the way. There is also a trail that takes you down closer to the water and allows access to tide pools during low tide Or you can take the 0.7 Bayside trail getting closer to the water on the other side of the peninsula. The hike on the way back up the hill has some steep parts but is very doable with little ones. Distance: 0.2-0.7 miles Terrain: Switch-backs, Moderate 3. San Elijo Lagoon Nature TrailPhoto: Trip Advisor This trail is known for its blend of lagoon, forest, and lots of birds and other wildlife to explore. The trail is quite flat, ADA accessible, dog friendly and about a mile long double loop that is both relaxing and fun at the same time. Distance: 1.0 miles Terrain: Flat https://www.sanelijo.org/nature-center-trail-head 4. Annie's Canyon TrailLocated just a few miles south from the San Elijo Lagoon Trail, this short but bouldering trail is fun for any explorer at heart. Whether you hike through the steep switchbacks, or choose the winding path to the overlook, the views of the ocean and lagoon are panoramic. Be prepared to get a little dirty if you choose the winding path, there are narrow trails between natural sandstone walls stepping up the side of the rock. Distance: 0.8 miles Terrain: Moderate to Strenuous https://www.sanelijo.org/act 5. Mission Bay to Mission BeachThis trail is a busy one but with it being flat and running through parks, you will find yourself stopping at playgrounds, playing in the sand and stroller-friendly. Starting at Crown Point Park you can find plenty of parking and take a three mile walk or bike ride to the ocean where you can find restaurants for refreshments either at Mission Beach or the Catamaran Hotel on Mission Bay. Plus there is a great playground on the way! Distance: 3.0 miles Terrain: Easy to Moderate (depending on distance) Hope you enjoy these and if you know of some other great hikes, please share with us in the comments below!
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