Meal time woes
Kids can be very fussy eaters and running after them to get in a good feed can be frustrating for all moms. Here’s how Ronita Dutta Sachdev, mother of six-year-old Aahana got her little one to sit down and eat.
“Aahana was always a fussy eater especially when it came to fruits, meal time for me meant an hour and a half of struggling to get her to eat. It used to be the worst time of day for me and it would always end in her crying and me feeling angry and upset,” says Ronita.
But that was the past, now this tiny tot has opened up to food and is always happy to sit down and have a nice meal with no tantrums! So how did this mum manage to get her fussy kid to eat? Here are her tips:
1: If you want to get your kid to eat fruits and veggies, disguise them! Hide them in pizza and pasta sauces; soups; crush them up and mix them in toppings or mix them into rice, rolls and wraps.
2: Fruits you can blend into smoothies, make a creamy chocolate smoothie and throw in some fruits, with all the chocolate and they’ll never know.
3: None of us have time for extravagant plating techniques. But it is a must to decorate a bit, make it look pleasing to the eyes; don’t just dump it on the plate.
4: Buy plates and bowls which have their favourite cartoon characters on them and serve food to them in those.
5: Instead of sitting them down in front of the TV, make them listen to music, read to them or try other activities to engage them while eating apart from the telly and iPad.
6: Stick to an eating routine which is to be followed every day at the same times throughout the day.
7: Don’t force them to eat! This may later cause major food aversions which will be very bad for them as they grow older.
8: Don’t feed too much at once, it’s better to give them smaller meals throughout the day.
9: Try and get them into the habit of eating by themselves as soon as possible.
10: Sit down and eat with them to encourage family meal time, they will feel more included and see that everyone is eating which will encourage them to participate as well.
11: Children get bored easily so try and give them something different each day.
12: Don’t just stick to basic Indian food items like roti and dal, give them more variety; let their taste buds experience new flavours.
13: Try and take them out to restaurants to eat in social surroundings.
These tips sure worked for this mom! Go ahead and give them a try! And remember, don’t stress too much over this, because when they eventually get hungry, they will eat!”
Author: Subhisha, Nutrition Expert. Mimmo Team
A Parents Guide to Plating Right
Did you know that colour and texture play a vital role in your kid’s food? Let us take you through the reasons as to why they are so important
A Colourful Tale
We have so much going on in our lives and are often too busy to always keep it interesting when it comes to our kid’s food, which is why children end up eating a rather taupe palette of food, dominated by chicken nuggets, french fries, rotis, rice, dal and bread.
Adding colour to their plates not only makes mealtime more fun by attracting them visually, but the diverse shades also help in boosting nutritional power, as colour is one of the best indications of nutritional density — the darker, the better. But keep in mind that this only holds true so long as the varied tints are natural and not a result of artificial colouring.
Brightly coloured fruits and vegetables contain plant compounds or phytonutrients that provide distinctive shades which carry numerous healthful gains for your little ones – each colour provides something different and has a host of health benefits.
Next time you’re whipping up something for your child, make sure you create a lovely rainbow on their plate which will not only attract their attention but also bring in a nutritious kick to their diet.
Always remember to include various colours and textures on your kids plate A Lesson on Texture
Children’s food texture, is equally important as colour. The transition from soft, pureed and squishy foods to whole foods must be carried out at the right time to ensure the child’s ability to accept new textures.
As a new born nothing is better than breastmilk but as your baby grows and reaches six or seven months they should be eating a variety of pureed and mashed foods – it’s crucial at this stage that babies learn to accept new textures and learn to chew.
Once your baby reaches eight or nine months of age it is recommended you feed them less purees and more soft foods that require chewing, such as minced meats, small sandwiches and pulpy fruits and vegetables. These new introductions may cause some rejection from their end at first, but overtime they will adjust to it.
Once a child is nine months and older, more whole and solid foods can be offered to boost brain development. Include nutrient rich foods such as mixed sandwiches on wholegrain bread, strips of cooked meat, whole-wheat pasta, cooked vegetables pieces, rotis, rice, sabzi and dals. A red flag here is the risk of chocking, small and hard pieces of food like nuts and raw carrots should be avoided till they are older.
Introduction to new food textures will help in their development and ensure that they don’t discard wide-ranging textures of foods in the long run and accept harder foods and differently textured foods as something familiar and safe.
Less is More!
Getting a gift for your little one can be a real head-scratcher, because kids nowadays seem to
have it all! Do kids these days really have too much? Find out here Children today have a boatload of toys and not enough free time to play with them. With time, these dollies lose their charm and are forgotten, often replaced by newer models and stored away at the bottom of the toy chest all ragged and old. Cutting back on too many toys by replacing material possessions with scheduled activities is a better way for kids to play and have fun at the same time. It also ensures more learning and development for your little ones. Here’s why you should make the switch:
Their Creativity Blossoms– Too many toys prevent kids from fully developing their gift of imagination. Let children use their basic surroundings and items around them to invent games and use imagination while playing.
Longer Attention Spans– When too many toys are introduced into a child’s life, their attention span begin to suffer – they will not be able to concentrate on one thing properly as
there is always something there to distract them.
Loss of Values– A child will not learn to fully appreciate the toy in front of them when there are countless options waiting for them to play with. They won’t value what they have
and won’t take care of their belongings properly.
Better social skills– When they are out of the house and interacting with other children and adults with fewer toys, it helps them to develop interpersonal relationships with others
and build social skills. They learn the give and take of a good conversation.
Take Up Hobbies– Fewer toys allows your children to take up reading, writing, singing, colouring, painting, dancing and other activities.
Learn to be Selfless– Kids who get everything they want often end up being spoilt; believing they can have anything they desire. They also end up being very selfish which is a
very unhealthy trait.
More Physical Activity– Children running and playing outside get that much-needed physical exercise for healthier and happier bodies.
A Tidy Home– No more mess! A clutter of toys takes over an entire home. Fewer toys result in a neater and cleaner home.
If you have to engage them with toys make sure you introduce open-ended toys which requires a child’s imagination, with no “one way” to play with it.
These toys need children to interact and engage with it, fuelling their creativity. It also helps them build problem-
solving techniques, develop fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and other skills. Lego, Building blocks, Animal figurines, Kitchen sets, dress up sets and role playing, Playdough,
Jigsaw puzzles are open-ended toys you can pick up for your kids.
Make sure you that from now on you let your kids play outdoors more often. Remember to
buy less and give away old toys to kids in need to light up their days!
Author: Parenting Expert , Team Mimmo.
Brown Rice Vs White Rice
What is brown rice? Brown rice is whole-grain rice with the inedible outer hull removed, and it has the other parts which include the fibrous bran, the nutritious germ and the carbohydrate-rich endosperm. This whole rice has a mild, nutty flavour and is chewier.
Brown rice Vs White rice– Brown rice is a whole grain that contains both the bran and the germ which provide both dietary fibre and a number of vitamins and minerals. It is an unpolished version of white rice which is milled and polished to remove the bran and germ. This process makes the white rice to shine but it strips away a lot of its essential nutrients.
Due to the refining process, the white rice is left with very few essential nutrients, which is why brown rice is usually considered much healthier than white.
When to introduce brown rice for babies?– The current recommendations to start solids for a baby is 6 months. Hence it is advisable to introduce brown rice to the baby as and when he begins eating solids. According to the American Academy of Paediatrics, brown rice is easily digestible and unlikely to cause an allergic reaction in babies.
Benefits of brown rice for babies
High source of energy– Rice has more calories than many cereals. This makes it an ideal food with high amounts of energy suited for growing babies.
Useful protein from rice– The proteins found in rice are very useful for muscle development. The amino acids found in rice help to rejuvenate muscles. Apart from muscles, the amino acids also help in building ligaments and tendons.
Rich in essential fatty acids-Brown rice has essential fatty acids like Monounsaturated fatty Acids, Polyunsaturated Fatty acids which plays an important role in the development of a child’s brain and helps them reach their maximum growth potential.
Good source of fibre– The insoluble fibre present in the bran layer of the grain offers many benefits to intestinal health of the babies. Moreover, it nourishes their gut.
Dense in micronutrients– Brown rice is rich in selenium – one of many vitamins and minerals that are essential for brain health and physical growth for babies. This also plays an important role in their immune function. Brown rice is an excellent source of manganese- a mineral that is essential for energy production and antioxidant function.
Is rejuvenating when mixed with milk– Boiled rice, when mixed with milk, is a rejuvenating and strength-giving food that provides energy throughout the day. It is believed that certain amino acids in rice and milk get enhanced when mixed and work like a charm. In fact, in many oriental cultures, the first solid food for babies is boiled rice mixed with milk. (Bakhru, Foods That Heal).
Easy to digest – brown rice is very easy to digest. This is an advantage for infants as they cannot digest heavy food. Their digestive system has not evolved to such an extent that they can digest heavy and complex food. Instead, easily digestible and simple food is all time good for them. (Bakhru, Foods That Heal).
Perfect baby food – Brown rice is one of the perfect baby foods due to the dense natural nutrition it contains. This is a much better choice than refined white rice cereal products for growing babies and toddlers since they require a nutrient-rich diet to help maintain their rapid growth cycles. Brown rice is nutritious and versatile that can be combined with any food that your baby likes.
