Category: Weaning & Mealtime
Explore, Educate and Eat
Food education is at the forefront of most parents’ minds and is fast becoming a core subject on the school curriculum. I am not surprised there is so much focus on teaching nutrition to children from a young age. Children who learn about food and nutrition are more likely to make healthy food choices and eat fruit and vegetables.
The best and most simple way to get your children thinking about food and nutrition is to get them involved. Here are some simple, daily activities you can do with your children to expand their knowledge about food and make learning fun.
Start with fruit and vegetables
Buy a selection of both and play simple question and answer games that your children will find interesting and educational. What is it? How is it grown? Where does it come from? Could you grow it in your garden or on an allotment?
Experiment
During the week sit down and eat each fruit and vegetable with your children. Talk about whether you can eat it fresh or if it needs to be cooked first. What does it taste like? What colour is it? Ask your children to come up with as many meal ideas as they can that include this fruit or vegetable.
Go green
An easy and engaging project is to try growing fruit, vegetables and herbs with your children. Even if you’re not green fingered, give it a go! All children love to be outside and will learn from the experience of growing something they can eat, plus you could save money growing your own.
Visit a Farmer’s Market
Have a family day out and let your children discover where food comes from and how it is grown. Talk to the growers about their produce and sample the fresh food on offer.
Create
Involve your children in the preparation of their lunch box using fresh ingredients. Cook simple meals and get your children to help where they can, even if they’re simply watching you and talking about what you’re doing. Sit down as a family and enjoy your home cooked food together.
Explore nutrition
Teach your children about the importance of nutrition for a healthy mind and body. Explain why fresh is best.
If you follow these simple steps your children will soon start to take a keen interest in fresh foods and helping you to prepare and cook meals. Regular interaction with food as part of your everyday home life will encourage children to make the right choices for their health.
Lydia Oliver – Nutritional Advisor Only Best For Baby
This article was published in the August 2013 edition of Mummy and Me Magazine.
I offer one to one nutrition programmes for breastfeeding, post pregnancy weight loss, weaning, weight management and health. Contact me.
Bibetta Ultrabib
I first wrote about Bibetta Bibs when Imogen was almost 12 months old and weaning was in full swing. Fast forward a year and I have a toddler who can eat soup without any spills. But there are still occasions when a bib is one of the best inventions known to parents, especially when it’s a Bibetta Ultrabib.
We’ve had Imogen’s Bibetta Ultrabib for over a year and it’s in incredible shape. You wouldn’t know its age and that it’s been washed in the washing machine approximately 156 times (it comes out stain free every time). Not bad for an investment of around £5.
Imogen eating an ice cream and wearing her Bibetta Ultrabib.
Last week I bought a new Bibetta Ultrabib for when Imogen’s original bib is in the wash. Bibetta Bibs have won many awards. You can buy them in a selection of colours and sizes (plus choose an Ultrabib with or without sleeves) from Kiddicare.
Afternoon Tea with Annabel Karmel
Last Saturday I was invited to attend the launch of Annabel Karmel’s new App Annabel’s Essential Guide to Feeding Your Baby & Toddler at the Apple iStore in Regent Street.
The event was hosted by TV and radio presenter Jenni Falconer. Annabel talked about being a mother, coping with fussy eaters and how she began writing recipe books. Her career takes her all over the world as she continues to educate and encourage millions of parents on how to create simple and healthy meals for baby, toddler and child.
Annabel gave a demo of her new App which includes 200 healthy recipe ideas, handy meal planners that you can personalise to suit your family, a shopping list feature and videos showing how to prepare food. This App ensures you’ll never be stuck for ideas at mealtimes. There’s a handy section on Tips and Advice covering everything from foods for babies and toddlers to allergies and batch cooking.
Since Imogen was a baby I’ve read the range of Annabel Karmel Books
I met a wonderful group of bloggers at this event and after the launch we all sauntered in the London sun to 5th View in Piccadilly to have afternoon tea with Annabel Karmel and her lovely team.
