As I listened to a TedTalk podcast on my way to work, I get frustrated, “Children need a healthy diet. Starting their day with a healthy breakfast increases their concentration and allows them to learn.........." As I listen, I think..."You must not know what it is like to live with a Macaronian!"
Diet stories when others were younger go a lot like the stories I used to hear from my grandparents about walking to school. "We used to walk up a hill both ways with snow up to our knee caps." Remember those stories? Now with diet, it goes like this; "We didn't have a choice, what was on the table is what we ate." or "Healthy eating habits start by them seeing what their parents are doing." Here is the doctor's advice when my Macaronian was younger; "He will eat when he is hungry. Make sure he is taking his multivitamin." My Macaronian was super skinny when he was between the ages of 5-10.
Over the years the following things have been done to try, try, try, to get him to like or even try different things. Wacky Wednesdays. On Wednesdays I would pack both boys something "healthy" and different in their lunch, something they had never tried. Sometimes it was two healthy things mixed together. A lot of times I would sneak a "healthy" chocolate snack in my Macaronian's lunch box since he LOVES chocolate. 90% of the time my Macaronian was returning the snack. After trying this for about two years, I moved On to the next tactic...
Cooking together, picking the recipe, then making it. Ironic enough, my Macaronian only picked recipes that were like macaroni. Now he loves couscous with cheese. I have hidden the good stuff like puree vegetables in the things that my Macaronian loves. This is one is my favorites because it did work for spaghetti.
Since he eats close to no meat, I worry about protein. I have tried all different kinds of chocolate protein drinks..."Oh mom, this tastes terrible. This isn't chocolate milk, what is it?" Sometimes I would even mix it 1/2 and 1/2, that seems to work better but isn't foolproof. It is very rare that I buy bad stuff, however, I have very weak moments when I shop hungry. I almost always get something my Macaronian loves and will beg me for it at all hours of the day. I need to record these moments and play them back when I am having a weak moment, ugh!
The biggest break through was when he returned from his grandparents saying..."Mom, I tried a bacon cheeseburger from DQ and loved it! Can we get one tonight?" What? I almost fainted. He has NEVER liked red meat. In fact, the smell of pot roast makes him gag. We now have a routine, after tennis clinic on Sundays, we take a trip to DQ for his bacon cheese burger. Last night my mother made a healthy version of the bacon cheese burger (lean turkey). I am waiting to find out how that went.
Every meal is a struggle with my Macaronian. He always wants macaroni. We are not beyond bribing, however, my Macaronian is VERY stubborn. His taste buds are changing so I look for things to get better. Also, he has moments when he is willing to try different things. The key thing is it has to be on his terms. For example, "Mom, the turkey smells really good. I think I will try it this year to see if I like it." Two years in a row he has tried turkey and not liked it. I tell him, "Thank you, you just never know, you might like it next year." I also can't complain that he does like: fish, tomato juice, apples, bananas, lemon, cottage cheese, yogurt.
Diet stories when others were younger go a lot like the stories I used to hear from my grandparents about walking to school. "We used to walk up a hill both ways with snow up to our knee caps." Remember those stories? Now with diet, it goes like this; "We didn't have a choice, what was on the table is what we ate." or "Healthy eating habits start by them seeing what their parents are doing." Here is the doctor's advice when my Macaronian was younger; "He will eat when he is hungry. Make sure he is taking his multivitamin." My Macaronian was super skinny when he was between the ages of 5-10.
Over the years the following things have been done to try, try, try, to get him to like or even try different things. Wacky Wednesdays. On Wednesdays I would pack both boys something "healthy" and different in their lunch, something they had never tried. Sometimes it was two healthy things mixed together. A lot of times I would sneak a "healthy" chocolate snack in my Macaronian's lunch box since he LOVES chocolate. 90% of the time my Macaronian was returning the snack. After trying this for about two years, I moved On to the next tactic...
Cooking together, picking the recipe, then making it. Ironic enough, my Macaronian only picked recipes that were like macaroni. Now he loves couscous with cheese. I have hidden the good stuff like puree vegetables in the things that my Macaronian loves. This is one is my favorites because it did work for spaghetti.
Since he eats close to no meat, I worry about protein. I have tried all different kinds of chocolate protein drinks..."Oh mom, this tastes terrible. This isn't chocolate milk, what is it?" Sometimes I would even mix it 1/2 and 1/2, that seems to work better but isn't foolproof. It is very rare that I buy bad stuff, however, I have very weak moments when I shop hungry. I almost always get something my Macaronian loves and will beg me for it at all hours of the day. I need to record these moments and play them back when I am having a weak moment, ugh!
The biggest break through was when he returned from his grandparents saying..."Mom, I tried a bacon cheeseburger from DQ and loved it! Can we get one tonight?" What? I almost fainted. He has NEVER liked red meat. In fact, the smell of pot roast makes him gag. We now have a routine, after tennis clinic on Sundays, we take a trip to DQ for his bacon cheese burger. Last night my mother made a healthy version of the bacon cheese burger (lean turkey). I am waiting to find out how that went.
Every meal is a struggle with my Macaronian. He always wants macaroni. We are not beyond bribing, however, my Macaronian is VERY stubborn. His taste buds are changing so I look for things to get better. Also, he has moments when he is willing to try different things. The key thing is it has to be on his terms. For example, "Mom, the turkey smells really good. I think I will try it this year to see if I like it." Two years in a row he has tried turkey and not liked it. I tell him, "Thank you, you just never know, you might like it next year." I also can't complain that he does like: fish, tomato juice, apples, bananas, lemon, cottage cheese, yogurt.
Wow, I must have been too tired when I wrote this. There were lots of grammatical errors. The bacon turkey cheese burger was a hit! Both boys loved it. ❤️
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting the impact we have as parents on relationship our kids have to food. My parents used approach that couldn't leave the table until you ate all of your food, especially what you didn't like. To this day, my teenagers have never had the pleasure (or horror) of having beets on the table. Not sure I could stomach it. :-)
ReplyDeleteLike you Cassie, I never made my kids eat something they didn't like. I always tell them, "Try it, it you don't like it, spit it out."
ReplyDelete