June 20, 2024

The latest in parenting news, tips, and trends:

What not to say to kids about food, plus three easy-to-make snacks using baby food pouches. Small tweaks, big help.

Why one mom says kids who eat anything are also a challenge. Just when you think the grass is greener...

Understanding kids and food — from what’s behind their picky eating to what baby food labels really mean.  

Why this mom serves her family dinner at 3 pm, and how chasing the perfect family dinner could be holding you back. You're the captain, now.

How much protein kids actually need. We can probably put the shakes down.

PS: Two long reads worth your time — how baby-led weaning became a hit and why disguising your kid’s veggies doesn’t work.

In a new interview with theSkimm, Chrissy Teigen, admired for her humor and culinary skills,  shares her refreshing (and unsurprisingly) honest approach to feeding her picky eater, why sneaking veggies into meals is a hard pass for her, and what motherhood made her realize about herself. Here’s a sneak peek 👀:

What do you wish you knew about feeding kids when you had your first baby?

“When I had my first baby, I was insecure. I was breastfeeding. I remember being worried that the things I ate would affect her — and I wasn’t strong enough to vocalize things that were hurting or frustrating me with the people we were working with. 

“So, I think I would not be so hard on myself…but the more you go on, the more you realize that…"

Last month, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

Does picky eating last forever — or is there an age I can look forward to it stopping?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Maria Brumfield, MS, RDN, LD

registered dietitian nutritionist at Dayton Children's

“There is not necessarily a magic age where picky eating starts or stops,” says Brumfield. While that elicits an instant “womp womp” sound in our heads, she does have a few tips to getting through it:

Be consistent. “Children will become comfortable with foods they see and are exposed to often, [so] always offer and reoffer previously denied foods,” says Brumfield. It can take many exposures — we’re talking 10-plus — before a child goes for a new food, she says. 

Let them set the pace. Brumfield recommends starting small — “offer new foods (without pressure) in small portions, and offer new foods alongside a preferred food,” she says. 

Try not to stress. “When children feel comfortable and relaxed at mealtime, their acceptance of food can increase,” says Brumfield. Sharing meals without distractions like screens and minimizing pressure to eat can help. Adding fun meals like nostalgic favorites or family staples can also make a difference.

We have thoughts. This week, we ranked products that make feeding kids easier, from 0–10. No science, just snark.

Hard pass 

1/10: Baby-food makers. They’re hard to clean and take up too much valuable countertop space. We appreciate the innovation — but pots and a blender work fine for this task.   

2/10: Bulky high chairs. Sure, they’re cute…until you’re tripping over wide legs or running into a huge tray whenever you enter your kitchen. Protect your toes.  

Ehh 

5/10 Toddler plates with dividers and/or suction. Practical and kid-sized, but maybe they prolong the "why are my foods touching?" phase. And suction plates? A 2-year-old can lift them, but we can't. We'll stick with regular plates, thanks.

More of this

8/10 Munchkin Any Angle sippy cup. “This is a favorite for us, it’s easy to clean and the weighted straw helps my kid get a sip at any angle,” says Kamini Ramdeen-Chowdhury, theSkimm’s managing editor.

10/10 Skip Hop’s Formula to Food Container. This is a must-have for on-the-go parents. The three interlocking snack containers make it easy to pack a variety of snacks that are easy to find in your diaper bag when needed — like when your baby is wailing at the airport.