How do you feed a toddler?

I blogged about my child's eating habits on my friendster account last September 2008. It was certainly a time of frustration. A month after I wrote it, the frustration was non-existent. Although things haven't really changed. She still didn't want to eat.



Today, breakfast isn't only the problem. The only difference is that I've come to accept that food with her isn't the same anymore. She is a toddler and has a mind of her own. Most of all, I am not a bad mother just because I couldn't feed my child.



To mamasgootifulbaby, you are a great mother, do not ever doubt that. This is just part of their declaration of independence!



How do you feed a toddler?

September 25, 2008



Its been tough lately. I have a degree in the Culinary Arts. I have cooked for thousands of people and some famous. I can cook almost anything. I'm not scared of anything at all. I'm a food geek. I do make mistakes, and I mean a lot. No chef/mommy is perfect, but ever since Sam decided that pureed foods are only for "babies", she has convinced me that I am no chef at all.



She's a toddler. She's great with new foods. She has eaten more types of food I think than my own dad. I tried to recall the food I've had before my training and I know for a fact that she's had more complicated dishes than me. She likes cheese (muenster, smoked gouda, parrano, swiss, gruyere, brie, aged cheddar, parmesan, ricotta, bleu, and romano) and we have not come across any cheese she hasn't liked. She likes hummus, tofu, tikka masala, curry, sushi, kielbasa, linguica, pizza (who wouldn't?), gyro, grilled lamb, souvlaki, teriyaki, noodles, yogurt, char siu bao, barbeque, burgers, fries, grilled chicken, dumplings, meatballs, falafel, naan, vegetables (like cucumber, tomato, potato, carrots, peas, green beans, bokchoy, broccoli, squash, corn, edamame, spinach and lettuce) and fruits, she likes them all. She is attracted to sweets (what kind of kid wouldn't?). She has eaten cuisines like Japanese, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Cambodian, Chinese (dimsum is one of her favorites), Taiwanese, Italian, German, Greek, Filipino (of course!), Southern American, Swedish, French, Cajun, Mexican, Cuban, Brazilian, Columbian, Mediterrenean, Spanish, Polish, Portugese, Korean, Indonesian and Middle Eastern. And I am so lucky that every restaurant we've been to, we've found a dish she liked. So you must ask, what's the problem then, right? It's breakfast!



I CAN'T MAKE HER EAT BREAKFAST! I've cooked her scrambled eggs, waffles, swedish pancakes, crepe, french toast, sausage, corned beef and potatoes, hash, bacon, ham, and have even made her chocolate pancakes but NO LUCK. Every single morning, I'm on a struggle! I thought at first that she must not be hungry first thing in the morning, so I gave her time, but no luck. Or it must be fruits she's interested in. Nope, not at all! Something sweet and creamy or chocolatey. Neither! Soup, she loves soups...she didn't for breakfast! Cereal like oatmeal or cheerios or wheat flakes, she just stares at them! Cheesy sandwich, she says yuck! Peanut butter and Jam on bread, she looked like she wanted to say "no way"! I'll give her some credit, she does have a few bites but that is it! After, she'd rather drink milk. And I know she's hungry because she would drink 2-3 bottles. But no matter what I do, I'm out of luck!



I know milk is good for her. She is growing yet I know for a fact that she needs more nutrients from other types of food. I have to admit, I've become lazy for awhile now and I've lost the energy and interest of making her breakfast after so many attempts to find something she'd liked. Today, I made oatmeal raisin cookies with pureed bananas and pureed zucchini in it. (From Deceptively Delicious-Jessica Seinfeld) and I liked it. It's more of a cakey side of cookie but its great! It's a cross between a banana bread and a cookie. I thought she'd get excited and she did but after 4 tiny bites...that was that! It was the end of cookies! What kid says no to cookies?



So I'm calling for help: To the great chefs of the past, Marie-Antoine Careme and Escoffier, I call upon you, to please shed some light. I ask you to please send me your angel chef so he can show me, how to feed my toddler.