Digest Number 947

August 24, 2004

I've seen that huge range too. We started tofu at about 10 months, and

we knew there were no major food allergies on either side of the

family. We'd have waited longer if there were. (Turns out our daughter

is fine with soy, wheat, peanuts, strawberries, all those common

things - and is allergic to *carrots*. Sheesh.)

It never hurts to wait, of course.

And on an only vaguely related note, I just wanted to say that kids

eating is weird. My daughter will pick one food out of her bowl and

only eat that - but will it be the pasta, the tofu, or the broccoli

today? Who knows? One week " broc " is her favorite food ever, and

she'll actually hug the broccoli when I get it out of the fridge. The

next week, she won't eat anything green and only wants seitan. And

then the week after that she only wants pasta and cauliflower.

I'm not really complaining. Over, say, a month, her diet is really

varied and balanced. But it's so confusing! And hard to figure out

" should I feed her what she *will* eat or what she *should* eat - and

what *will* she eat today, anyway? "

-kt (Confused)

> Does anyone one know what age you can start to

> introduce tofu to your baby? I've read some

> conflicting information. Some say 6 months and other

> say it's best to wait till after 12 months? At what

> age did you try tofu?

>

> Thanks!

>

> Trish

August 31, 2004

You wrote:

>And on an only vaguely related note, I just wanted to say that kids

>eating is weird. My daughter will pick one food out of her bowl and

>only eat that - but will it be the pasta, the tofu, or the broccoli

>today? Who knows? One week " broc " is her favorite food ever, and

>she'll actually hug the broccoli when I get it out of the fridge. The

>next week, she won't eat anything green and only wants seitan. And

>then the week after that she only wants pasta and cauliflower.

>

>I'm not really complaining. Over, say, a month, her diet is really

>varied and balanced. But it's so confusing! And hard to figure out

> " should I feed her what she *will* eat or what she *should* eat - and

>what *will* she eat today, anyway? "

I'm glad someone else experiences this!!! My 4 year old son is the same and

has been since he began solids. It is impossible to anticipate the food du

jour (or week or month) as it seems to change on a whim and for no (apparent

to me) reason. He is totally off rice now where at one time it was his

staple. He will eat a whole cuke a day happily. His old fave mushrooms are

not even allowed in the cart at the grocery store (fine by me as they are

not my faves either:) He ate a wholw watermelon at the beginning of the

summer and has refused to have even a piece since then. I usually just let

him decide and don't make an issue of it (within reason-like no way to a

freezie for breakfast).

I have a question for someone/anyone out there...how do you deal with it

when your child refuses to eat some/cretain foods. I do try not to make an

issue of it but sometimes... Tonight I made the mistake of requiring him to

eat 2 small slices of boiled beet. He really didn't like it but I insisted

he finish the 2 slices. If not, he wouldn't have anything else. I agreed he

could pick what he wanted once the beets were gone and from among the

choices he was given he chose a corn on the cob, salad with his dressing and

cuke. Nothing to complain about especially since he'd had a good lunch and

breakfast. It made dinner unpleasant and both of us a little grumpy. I

really should have let it go but...I feel that there has to be a happy

medium somewhere. Also, sometimes he says he *hates* a food and then after I

insist on one bite he gobbles it all up and asks for more. He does have

foods he dislikes enough that when offered that or nothing he chooses

nothing (banana is one) and I never make an issue of these foods. But....any

other great tips out there. It isn't really an issue in our house because I

am easy going about it but other people tell me that it should be eat what

is on your plate or go hungry. I do not agree with this and would never go

this far but would like some other ideas.

Madeline

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August 31, 2004

My kids are older, 10 and 7, so basically I tell them that I am not a short

order cook. This is what I made and they are required to taste everything. I

try not to make things that are too wierd. If they don't like it they can make

themselves a veggie dog or chickenfree nuggets or a sandwich or a salad. I

don't tell them that they can't have anything else for the rest of the night but

I do tell them that they can't have any goodies until they eat something

reasonable. It is certainly possible that there will be things they don't like,

there are things I don't like. My hubby is giving me a hard time because he

thinks they should eat what we say. For example, we were in the mall the other

day and we stopped for dinner. We went to a place the makes noodles and

veggies. Unfortunately, they were veggies that my kids don't eat, cabbage in

particular. He freaked out because I told them to eat the noodles and/or the

rice and to pick out the few pieces of carrot and broccoli. He

was very upset that they were not eating " properly " even though he is a meat

eater. He wanted them to eat chicken because he thought they didn't eat enough

veggies and that rice and noodles was not enough nutrituionally. I would

normally agree with that but my kids really eat very well most of the time so

when, on occasion, they don't I dont' worry. I guess that life is always a

challenge.

Carol

Madeline White <madeline_killian wrote: