If you followed my childhood nutrition post, you already know that my little Axe man is not the easiest kiddo to feed. Feeding disruptions are one of the huge stressors mamas experience because so much pressure surrounds the subject. I have worked very hard to find creative ways of making sure Axel gets the proper nutrition without overwhelming him with portion sizes...basically identifying nutrient dense foods that he can eat in small amounts while getting everything he needs.
Before I get into some of my food hack saviors, I want to share this portion size chart provided by Kids Eat in Color. This website was developed by Jennifer, a registered dietitian and fellow mama. I have consulted her blog on many occasions and highly recommend others check it out if you too are dealing with a hard to feed tiny human.
What really stuck out to me was a post she did on portion sizes. We have this idea that toddlers need to be eating adults sized meals in order to have successfully met their nutritional requirements. Wrong. Seeing this laid out in a chart really helped ease my anxieties, so of course, I want to share it with you.
This picture depicts the portion size we think toddlers should be eating compared with the portion size reality.
Don't you feel better already? This seriously helped with my anxiety surrounding Axel's eating. Remember, toddlers are in fact tiny humans...they do not need to eat the same amount of food as a grown adult to be nourished properly! If they do have a larger appetite, fine! Allow them to continue filling their bodies with healthy foods if they feel that they need it...but don't force food when they know they need to stop. Toddlers know their bodies and as long as they are growing appropriately according to the pediatrician, put your portion worries aside.
Now onto the food hacks.
Like I alluded to above. Axel has a "quota" for how many bites of food he is willing to take before he loses interest. Doesn't matter what the food is...after a certain number of bites he is done no matter what. This is when I decided to get creative with how food is presented to him and what I choose to serve.
Due to his 5-10 bite max capacity, the foods chosen need to be nutrient dense...I am not going to waste time with options containing nothing but a bunch of empty calories. These are the "vehicles" I have found most successful:
...most anything in a pouch form [I will give specific recommendations for the freshest/cleanest pouch options]
...anything served in a fun container
...anything involving a straw
...incorporating rich spices/seasonings
Pouches
I will proudly and without shame admit that yes, I do give my kid pouches. While they are obviously not the absolute best choice in the world, they are healthier than most other food options and significantly healthier than starvation. I have put a lot of time in researching different brands to try and find the purest pouch options that are not just packed with tons of gross preservatives and added sugars. This is what has worked for us:
1. Once Upon a Farm: we are obsessed with this brand. Developed by Jennifer Gartner, Once Upon a Farm created cold pressed pouches. By having them cold pressed, you eliminate the need for preservatives. These are as fresh as any smoothie you would make or raw juice you would buy. They have snack sized options and then meal sized smoothie options. They are filled with all kinds of ingredients including kale, apple, banana, avocado, dates, hemp seeds, pineapple, pumpkin, mango, pumpkin seeds, coconut milk, blueberries, sweet potato and the list goes on. The only caveat with this is that because they are cold pressed, and thus clean and fresh, they have to be refrigerated. You cannot just leave them in the diaper bag. Personally I have not had an issue with the refrigeration requirement because if I am on the go I just put a pouch in a bag with a small ice pack and it keeps cold for hours. The best part is, Axel LOVES these. It's an efficient way to get him fruits, veggies, protein and iron without sacrificing food quality.
You can read more about Once Upon a Farm here
2. The second type of pouch I have more recently come across is by White Leaf Provisions. This is a pouch that does not require refrigeration so you can keep these in the diaper bag ready for consumption whenever. What I love about these is the fact that they are "not only certified Organic and GMO-Free but are also regeneratively farmed and Biodynamic" [White Leaf Provisions]. When you read the label you don't see a bunch of jargon that is just code for added sugar and preservatives. It is all pure, clean and simple.
You can read more about White Leaf Provisions here
Nut butters
Homeboy is a big fan of nut butters...and thank god for that. There are obviously many benefits to consuming nuts, but for my purposes it is a calorically dense option that does not require huge portion sizes to get what you need from it. Actually, smaller portions are recommended due to the density.
When it is one of those days where Axel is just not having it with food, I give him a spoon full of peanut butter and slice up some grapes or apple and he loves it. It looks like a small amount in front of him so it's not overwhelming, but it's packed with all kinds of nutrients that his body needs. Sometimes I let him eat it straight from the jar because a) he wants to and b) when he is willingly eating I don't stop him despite the methods :).
For nut butter based food options on the go, I buy Perfect Bar Kids peanut butter bars. They make these for adults and have recently launched a line for kids...it's the same product just a smaller size. Axel really enjoys the pure peanut butter bars and the peanut butter bites...especially eating the PB bites with a fork...I don't get it, but that is how he likes to eat them so I do not stand in his way!
You can read more about them here
Smoothies
Thank the heavens for the invention of smoothies. This is the easiest way to pack in all kinds of fruits/veggies/proteins/healthy fats into one meal. I regularly make "myself" a smoothie with which Axel very quickly becomes interested in because he wants to drink out of "mama cup." As far as what goes into the smoothie:
...Nut milk base [I usually do almond or cashew]
...One generous spoonful of 2% fat plain greek yogurt
...Frozen berries of some sort
...Handful of spinach [sometimes depending on what other ingredients I have chosen]
...Scoop of nut butter
...Juice Plus protein
Smoothies really are such an easy way to get a lot of density in a small amount...works wonders when feeding the Axe man.
"Fun Containers"
Sometimes all it takes to spark interest in food is a fun container to eat out of. I have a series of multicolored storage containers of varying sizes that Axel likes to explore. Now, if you know me, you know my life is in monochrome...so the fact that I purchased colored containers clearly reveals my level of desire to get Axel to eat something :).
Usually I will let him pick his container and then put his food in whatever he chooses. That way he feels like he has some control over the situation, which makes him very happy :).
Adding Seasoning/Flavor
As adults, I think we tend to forget that toddlers would probably enjoy their food more if it were spiced just like ours. In other countries, babies eat foods rich with all kinds of spices and seasonings...so what would be any different when feeding our own? Axel significantly prefers eating foods that have some kind of added kick or are naturally rich in flavor.
For example:
...Trader Joes "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning on his mashed avocado
...He likes a small amount of mild hot sauce available when he decides he wants to take a bite of eggs
...Ketchup when we make homemade baked french fries
...Coconut aminos when I sauté green peas for him
...A splash of olive oil, salt, and pepper on his lentil rice
...Olives...the kids loves Castille green olives...Won't touch pizza with a 10 foot pole, but loves an olive
These are just a few examples that have been really helpful to make his food more flavorful and thus interesting.
I am sure there are other food hacks I utilize with my little man, but I am currently just shy of 33 weeks pregnant so the pregnancy brain is in full swing. These are the main methods I can remember off the top of my head. I highly recommend experimenting with some of them if your kiddo is difficult to feed. I would love to hear about other mamas food hacks! Comment below and tell me more about what works for your littles.
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