Problem Eaters...A parent's struggle

In an attempt to bring some real life stories to this blog I wanted to share a few blog posts from both the mother and father of child who have had an ongoing mealtime struggle with their son. This family's story is so very similar to many children I have seen before who do not fit the mold of "They will eat when they are hungry"...would rather go without eating than try something in different packaging or something unfamiliar to them. I feel it is important to hear these families, put yourself in the shoes of this child, and meet them where they are....forcing, bribing, threats simply do not work! Please take some time to read the following posts! http://marblesfromheaven.blogspot.com/2009/03/not-just-picky.html and http://johnmarblecrna.com/2008/08/08/my-boys/

Thank you Marble family for sharing your story and showing others that they are not alone. I pray that you find the right treatment program for your son and continue in your efforts!

Positive Peer Pressure!

The circumstances do not always allow for your picky or 'problem eater' child to be in a lunch or snack setting where they can observe and interact with children around their own age; however, if you can arrange for this set up it is ideal! Children have a way with each other, even if it is just by being themselves and being silly with their food or talking about their likes/dislikes, examining the food properties, etc. I wanted to share a great site with many links to a son helping his mother in the kitchen. One reason I so love these natural and realistic video posts is because here are Real Life examples of how you can be a role model for your child! Here is a link to Roni's GreenLiteBites in which she and her son are making a healthier version of a chicken nugget. I encourage you to watch some of these videos with your child! I'd consider this a baby step toward having your own child become more comfortable with meal time experiences...food preparation, smelling and touching are all steps toward the bigger picture, which is Eating!

If you are reading this post and thinking "my child would never do this" or "he would never eat this"...remember that you can adapt most anything and create your own recipes! Pairing favorite foods with something like chicken is a great idea as mentioned in a previous post re: coating chicken in a favorite chip or crunchy coating. The exposure of being around or in the kitchen while you are cooking is very therapeutic for a child who has many food aversions. I encourage you to pay attention to his/her cues and if you think he is getting overwhelmed or overstimulated, simply take a step or two back and try again later!

Muffin Tin Mondays

I have been meaning to link to this post and just kept forgetting! So here it is--Muffin Tin Mondays from Sycamore Stirrings. What a wonderful idea! I have adapted this idea in therapies and used mini muffin tins (the kind from my old Easy Bake Oven days) and kept tiny portions, limited to one or two and dips in every other space. If you have a link to other 'muffin tin' pictures or would like to share on this site, please feel free!

Sycamore Stirrings has a flicker group in which you can share your ideas and images: http://www.flickr.com/groups/muffintinmeals

Savory Veggie Waffles

Here we go again with the broccoli! We had so much fun making these and loved the added crisp when made in the waffle iron! A great twist on this recipe is using potato pancake mix, adding some cheese, onion and rosemary, mmm!

Recipe:
Steam 1/4-1/2 cup broccoli (I use steamer bags)
Place in food processor along with seasonings of your choice (I used parmesan cheese, 1/2 american cheese slice and garlic salt)
Add to waffle mix according to box directions (I have Fiber 1 and Quaker Oatmeal pancake mix)
As an egg replacer I use ground flaxseed and very hot water.
To replace one egg:
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
3 tablespoons water (or other liquid)

Once again, my daughter enjoys dipping these into light ranch dressing! (It's a southern thing I think!)

Crunchy munchy peppers for dipping

My daughter has had so much fun with a spray water bottle lately so I thought I'd let her spray her own bell pepper strips with some tangy Italian spray dressing. Although she resorted to trying the peppers in good ol' Ranch dressing--I thought this was a good idea for a fun hands on food activity!