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I'm very excited to be teaching my Feeding your Baby: Tummy to Tot Workshop this Fall to show mom's (and dad's) how easy it is to prepare wholesome meals and snacks for their children. To get you started, because it is only May, here are some easy tips you can start right away!
1) Feed Them Whole Foods – This means prepare foods that are closet to their natural state or closet too natural state. For instance, enjoy a crisp apple as opposed to packaged applesauce which in most cases contains refined sugar and preservatives. Choose sprouted or multi-grain breads over refined wheat where the bran and germ (the reservoir for vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids) have been removed.
2) Choose Certified Organic – The term organic simple means foods that have not been exposed to pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, hormones, fertilizers and other harmful chemicals during their growing stages. More organic in the diet means less toxic material entering the body, therefore less work your child’s body has to do to get rid of it and less damage to their tiny organs.
3) Choose foods that are dense in their nutrients – When making food choices concentrate on picking foods that are dense in their nutrients. For example, eat oranges for their vitamin C and Kale for its calcium. Also, go for more nutritious foods; romaine lettuce over iceberg lettuce, yams over white potatoes and brown rice over white rice.
4) Moderation, Variety and Rotation – Allow your child to have a cheat day and don’t feel guilty about it. A cheat day is an example of having moderation in the diet. Variety is just as important. A good rule of thumb is to eat brightly coloured fruits and vegetables to ensure they are getting a variety of different vitamins and minerals in their diet. (Similar colours = similar nutrients). Lastly, make sure to rotate your child’s foods every day. Eating the same foods day after day can result to food intolerances. Visit (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-allergy/AN01109) for more information on food intolerances.
5) Drink Water – Have them drink fresh spring or distilled water every day! Divide your child’s body weight by 2 and then divide by 8 to get the number of 8 oz glasses of water your child should drink per day.
6) Balance – Balance in nutrients, food groups, flavours and colours, prevents boredom and nutritional imbalances. A daily dose of Omega 3 is ideal for children’s developing brains. Try adding 1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil in yogurt or a smoothie for children 1 year-old and over.
Here’s a smoothie recipe I have been making my son, Jackson since he was a year old. I vary the strawberries with whatever fruit we have. Other berries and mango work just as nicely.
In a blender combine the following:
½ Banana
½ cup Fresh or Frozen Strawberries
1 cup Raw Baby Spinach
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 tbsp Organic Flax Oil
2 ice cubes
Blend, serve with a straw…Yum!
The information presented here is not intended to replace professional medical care when needed. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for disease diagnosis, therapy choice, medicine selection and dosage.
