I used to judge parents who fed their kids chicken fingers and macaroni and cheese at restaurants.  I’ve waited tables for years and was always appalled by the choices parents were making, especially with so many options available.  It wasn’t until I was faced with my own feeding challenges and want for a quiet meal, that I realized these parents were doing the best they could and were trading an easier choice for a nice family dinner (one that didn’t come with a side of wine and cry).  We want our kids to be happy and healthy, but when it comes right down to it, we want them to eat.  Dammit.

Wes nursed (and nursed and nursed) till he was two.  After 2 years of exhaustion, and little sign of natural weaning, I found myself getting frustrated with his lack of interest in table food.  I was working full time, nursing all night long, and with little sleep I ached to have my body back.

When I finally weaned him (it was more cold turkey but wean sounds gentler), he started eating and would eat mostly cottage cheese, macaroni and cheese, peas, and crackers.  This was fine with me.  I was relieved to watch him finally join the ranks of his fellow humans, sitting and eating with the family.

It was a few weeks of this diet, before I could see where we were headed.  I would make dinner and he would demand cottage cheese.  Here we were at the crossroads of adventurous eater and refined palate (and I’m sure we will revisit those crossroads again and again.)  My want for him to eat more than pasta and cheese was great, so I was determined to switch it up.

I have a friend who is slowly working to change the diet of her very finicky, lover of processed foods, 4 year old.  She is doing an amazing job and though it takes determination and resolve, it is possible.  The number one rule I’ve learned: don’t be a short order cook-- if they don’t like what you put in front of them, don’t make them something else… Hello cottage cheese face.  Rule #2 don’t force them to eat.

Wes is only 2, I fear there will be food challenges in my future.  My hope is that by giving him lots of variety and healthy options a majority of the time, we will hurdle those challenges with ease.  In the meantime, I have found some tricks that have helped me navigate this time and I feel they are worth sharing.

Trick 1: Muffins.  I started baking for Wes when he was still nursing and eating very little table food.  Muffins were a perfect way to get fiber and vegetables in.  For the muffin recipes I used then go Here.

Trick 2: Dipping.  I’ve gotten Wes to eat almost anything if he can dip dip dip.  I started with Ketchup.  Now he’ll dip in hummus, peanut butter, guacamole, tomato sauce, etc etc.

Trick 3: Rotation.  Rotate the foods you have in the house.  Sometimes we have cereal, sometimes we don’t.  Sometimes crackers, sometimes none.  When there are no crackers, Wes will eat roasted seaweed.  When there is no cottage cheese, he’ll drink kefir.

Trick 4: Mixing.  The first few times I cooked with Wes, we made muffins together.  Then brownies.  He’d ask to mix all the time and I was constantly trying to come up with safe foods to cook with him.  Now we mix daily.  I could never get him to try oatmeal, and I wanted him to eat it SO bad.  Then we broke out the mixing bowl, literally.  I scoop in the oatmeal and give him measuring cups filled with lots of special ingredients (nuts, raisins, chia seeds, ground flax, chopped banana, cinnamon).  He gets to mix his own breakfast and eats every bit, adding cinnamon to taste the whole while.  PS: I started this with only oatmeal and maple syrup—it was a gradual shift, but now I don’t even have to add the syrup for him to enjoy.

Trick 5: Smoothies.  No better way to get lots of nutrition in fast.  Spinach, mango, hemp, and kefir is his favorite, throw in some flax and coconut oil and it’s a party.  Again I started this with only mango and yogurt—the extras came gradually.

Trick 6: Burgers.  You can make a patty out of almost anything (live in RI?  Ever been to Crazy Burger?).  Usually one egg and little bit of flour will hold whatever amount of beans, vegetables, and secret power agents you are looking to patty up (i.e.: hemp seeds, ground flax, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, etc etc).  Want to make them gluten free and vegan?  Use 2 Tbl ground flax mixed with 6 Tbl of water instead of the egg and flour.  For my super Omega 3 Salmon burgers, scroll below!

Trick 7: Save the Mac n Cheese.  Need the break?  Have an occasion?  Are going out to eat?  When you make it, add spinach (I suggest frozen organic).  Every time.  First time they may pass it up.  Resolve.  Try it again.  

Trick 8.  Patience.  Know that this will make a happier, healthier, more focused and at peace child in the future.  So whatever doesn’t work round 1, try try again.

Trick 9.  Buy highest quality you can afford.  The healthier the vegetable, meat, milk, and eggs the better.  This way you at least know, when they are eating yogurt cups for the seventh time this week, it is a choice you can feel good about.

Trick 10.  Skip the salt and sugar.  You’ve grown accustomed to these flavors, but your kids may not have…yet.  Again, make the shift gradual and they’ll be eating blander foods before you know it (yay for bland!)

Super Omega 3 Salmon Burgers

1/2 bunch cilantro (and/or basil/mint--whatever you like)

1/2 red pepper

1 shredded carrot

2 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

1 bunch scallion

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 can wild salmon

3 Tbl flour of choice

1 Tbl ground flax seed (optional)

1 egg (replace with 1 Tbl flax oil and 3 Tbl of water if you'd like)

Throw herbs, scallion, garlic, ginger in food processor and chop till small.

Add salmon and mix till seasoned throughout

Add chopped red pepper and shredded carrot to large bowl with quinoa and salmon mixture.  Mix thoroughly.

Sprinkle with flour and mix with egg.

Should have consistency of meat burger, add more flour or ground flax seed if needed.

Make patties.

I like to pat burgers with either a little ground flax and nutritional yeast, flour, or panko bread crumbs, depending on what I have on hand.

Spray sheet pan with olive oil and cook burgers at 350* for 20 minutes each side.

Veggie mixture.

The goods.

This batch was eaten too quickly to get a good picture of the finished product.  Serve on a bun with wasabi mayo and mustard, lettuce and tomato OR over a wakame cucumber salad.  Freeze the remaining burgers and have and easy go-to dinner.  Wes likes to dip his in ketchup...I'll take it.