Before I had kids, I judged moms who fed their kids mac & cheese and chicken nuggets all the time. I admit it! I think a lot of women judge moms BEFORE they have kids and then realize what a fool they were after they end up doing the same thing.
For me, that was mac & cheese and chicken nuggets. Now that I have a toddler who doesn’t like to try new foods, I realize how foolish I was. Every night, my toddler wants mac & cheese. And you know what? I give it to her.
I try not to give it to her every day, but sometimes you have to pick your battles. So I try to buy the “healthy” mac & cheese at the store – organic cheese and wheat pasta.
I also try to get the healthy Chicken Nuggets, or make them at home from scratch.
Knowing what to feed my kids has been one of my biggest struggles. There are allergy issues to consider – discovering new allergies as your children try new foods. Luckily, we haven’t discovered any allergies so far.
There is also the fact that they may only have a few teeth and are still learning to chew. That means you have to pick foods that are easy to chew and hard to choke on. Pasta is the perfect meal for small children in my opinion, for that reason.
You also need to consider what options are available when you eat out at restaurants. Generally, the kids menu does not have a lot to choose from. It’s usually mac & cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches or cheeseburgers and french fries.
Resources to get your kids to try new foods
Parenting Lounge #2 – How To Get Your Kids To Try New Foods
Making Small Food Changes to Eat Healthier
How do you make the inevitable toddler food choices healthier and more enjoyable? Let me know on Facebook.
That was a great post. I know the how the concept of “I will be a great mom” evaporates soon after we become moms. Reality laughs at our face. Pizza for today evening.
I like to think “Everything in moderation.” Enjoy the pizza Mama!
Oh my gosh. Before I became a mom, there were lots of things I said I’d never do. “I’ll never let my kid sleep in my bed.” “I’ll never let my kid wear character shirts.” “I’ll never let my kid watch TV just so I can finish up dishes, laundry, go to the bathroom…”
We’ve done all of those things. Surprisingly, my kid won’t touch mac and cheese, but we do way more french fries than I’d like. At least those are easy to make homemade!
This is so perfect! I was totally the same way before I had kids and now I do try to make mac and cheese from scratch and even chicken nuggets sometimes. But I have to admit, when I see a good deal at Costco on nuggets I give in sometimes! 🙂
I need to get to Costco! All out of chicken nuggets right now…BUT we’re having mac and cheese for dinner. 🙂