A trip to the farmers' market in the morning always leaves me thinking about food the whole rest of the day. It's so much fun to take Dav out there and show her all of the different fruits and vegetables. It's bright and colorful and smells delicious. As she gets older, I hope she learns to appreciate that we live in a place where we can buy our food straight from the farmers who grow or raise it.
Making sure Dav's getting the absolute best nutrition possible has been a concern of mine from day one with her. It's the reason I ate healthy food while I was pregnant, why she'll nurse for as long as she wants, and why I cook our meals using whole foods, making whatever I can myself. I know that what she gets from me, which accounts for about 95% of what she consumes, is really good for her. I also believe that those steps I take to make sure what she's taking in is healthy allows for some leeway when she's not being fed by me.
Daddy gets to give her a taste of ice cream. Pop-pop gives her some pickle. Lala and Papa buy her a grilled cheese sandwich on her birthday. Mama, well Mama shrugs it off and makes a batch of whole grain wheat germ pancakes with brown rice syrup and blueberries for breakfast, puts out a plate of hummus, feta cheese, and grilled zucchini for lunch, and cooks garlicky lentil and apple stew for dinner (with a mandarin orange for dessert). We snack on whole grain pita instead of those baby junk food puffs. We sip water, never juice.
I try to set a good example, too. I try and eat things I want her to eat, because I know she'll be watching. I can't expect her to accept cheddar cheese on apple slices or almond butter on celery as an afterschool snack if I'm shoving pizza rolls down my throat. Still, I don't want her to become overly preoccupied with everything she puts in her mouth. A stressful relationship with food is a dangerous thing, and I want her to be able to enjoy the social aspects of eating. We love butter, full fat yogurt, and real cream in my house (just keep it organic, please), so I think we are providing a healthy, balanced perspective when it comes to food.
It's easy now, because I have so much control over what she gets. I imagine, though, that it's only going to get harder. Oh well, I'll take full advantage of my position now and hope the lessons and good habits stick. And, I'll try to eat my ice cream and drink my beer after she's already in bed for the night...
Making sure Dav's getting the absolute best nutrition possible has been a concern of mine from day one with her. It's the reason I ate healthy food while I was pregnant, why she'll nurse for as long as she wants, and why I cook our meals using whole foods, making whatever I can myself. I know that what she gets from me, which accounts for about 95% of what she consumes, is really good for her. I also believe that those steps I take to make sure what she's taking in is healthy allows for some leeway when she's not being fed by me.
Daddy gets to give her a taste of ice cream. Pop-pop gives her some pickle. Lala and Papa buy her a grilled cheese sandwich on her birthday. Mama, well Mama shrugs it off and makes a batch of whole grain wheat germ pancakes with brown rice syrup and blueberries for breakfast, puts out a plate of hummus, feta cheese, and grilled zucchini for lunch, and cooks garlicky lentil and apple stew for dinner (with a mandarin orange for dessert). We snack on whole grain pita instead of those baby junk food puffs. We sip water, never juice.
I try to set a good example, too. I try and eat things I want her to eat, because I know she'll be watching. I can't expect her to accept cheddar cheese on apple slices or almond butter on celery as an afterschool snack if I'm shoving pizza rolls down my throat. Still, I don't want her to become overly preoccupied with everything she puts in her mouth. A stressful relationship with food is a dangerous thing, and I want her to be able to enjoy the social aspects of eating. We love butter, full fat yogurt, and real cream in my house (just keep it organic, please), so I think we are providing a healthy, balanced perspective when it comes to food.
It's easy now, because I have so much control over what she gets. I imagine, though, that it's only going to get harder. Oh well, I'll take full advantage of my position now and hope the lessons and good habits stick. And, I'll try to eat my ice cream and drink my beer after she's already in bed for the night...