Episode 192, Feeding Picky Kids

• Intro (0:00)
• News and Views (1:18)
  • Finn got his cast off on Friday, so he only had it on for three weeks
    • This was the first bone break amongst the three boys
    • The doctor said that Finn's bones look very healthy
  • Sarah took time to clean her desk and get organized
• Questions & Answers (7:46)
  • This week's show is inspired by another great question
  • Lexie asks:
    • Our daughter is having an issue eating meat. I have such a hard time getting her to eat it in any form. She will sometimes have a few bites of Applegate deli ham and maybe a bite or two of grass fed hot dog, but that's it. She used to tolerate braised meats better but that seems to be ending too. I've tried pulled pork, braised beef, homemade meatballs, all manner of deli meat, meat sauce with mushrooms, chili... at best she will take a bite or two and then suddenly acts like it's poison. I'm pretty convinced it must be an issue with the texture. I think she often likes the flavor but then is put off by the feeling of meat in her mouth. The one that she will try hard at is bacon (that's my girl). Unfortunately, that is usually too difficult for her to eat with her 6 teeth but I still let her suck on it a bit when we have it.
    • I'm so worried about her getting enough nutrients and I'm also having the hardest time packing her lunch for school. I end up resorting to sunbutter sandwiches and other wheat-based things more than I'd like, just because I'm at a loss and don't want her to go hungry. I plan to try chicken liver mousse soon. I'm hoping that the smooth texture will appeal to her more.
    • Any other ideas for foods to try and how to get her to accept the texture of meat?
  • Good job introducing a variety of foods, as exposing your kids to a variety of foods is the best approach to get an idea on what they like
  • If she is still nursing, protein wouldn't be Stacy's biggest concern
  • Stacy agrees that it sounds like she is likely dealing with a texture issue
  • The muscle control in a baby's mouth is not yet as strong as an adults
  • Some children can get their protein needs met through blended meats at that young age
  • With baby-led weaning, the littles ones primarily eat vegetables at that young of an age
  • She might just need some bridge food to help her - possibly pulverize her food at the table for a few weeks to see if it is an issue with flavor or texture
  • Stacy suggests that she not stress about it, continue to offer the foods she is offering and encourage her to try them
  • Stacy notes that these habits are normal for a child who is roughly one year old
  • Try serving meats that are inherently soft and fall apart in your mouth, like liver
  • Eggs, milk and yogurt are all great sources of protein, so Lexie's daughter is getting great nutrition
  • Try your best to relax as a parent as your little ones can pick up on your stress and feel stressed about it all as well
  • Sensory Processing (18:18)
    • Sarah does not think this is what is going on with Lexie's daughter, but she does think it is relevant towards this conversation on meat averse kids
    • Sarah's daughter had a mild issue with sensory processing, she was adverse to different textures, temperatures and strong flavors in her mouth - at one year old she was borderline failure to thrive and they had to help her gain weight
    • What Sarah and her husband were able to identify when they slowly transitioned their daughter to a Paleo diet
    • How Sarah and her husband helped their daughter move past her sensory processing symptoms
    • What is developmentally normal for the various ages and food aversions
    • The strategy is one bite, keep presenting, stay patient and don't get worked up about it
    • If you are dealing with a kid who is really having issues with consuming a food group like meat and it isn't going away in a couple of months as part of a developmental phase, you may want to discuss it with your pediatrician
    • Specialists who can help with strategies to help overcome these symptoms
    • It is normal for kids to enjoy bland and familiar food - from there it is just a matter of walking that balance to still expose them to new foods to broaden their interests and palates, while still catering to their preferences 
• Kid's favorite first foods
  • For Stacy's kids:
    • Each kid was a little bit different
    • In general liver was the first protein that was presented to them all
    • Avocado
    • Banana
    • They introduced solid food very slowly
    • Lima beans
    • Wesley was their Paleo baby and he loved olives and pretty much all fatty foods
  • For Sarah's kids:
    • Her oldest did the rice cereal mixed with breastmilk and then they moved to mushed up vegetables
    • Her second daughter did avocado, banana, egg yolk, yogurt
    • They both moved on to finger food really quickly
    • They loved peas
    • Sarah found that they both liked pre-chewed meat as opposed to ground up meat
    • Sardines
    • Kale chips
    • Pomegranate seeds
    • Sea Snax
  • Meals for the food introductory period
    • Ground beef
    • Stir fry
  • Thoughts on baby cereals
  • Not pressuring and not making a big deal out of it
  • Respecting their kids preferences and working with them to understand what they do and don't like to eat
• We will be back next week with a guest!
• Thanks everyone for listening!
• Outro (44:29)

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