Hey Moms,
I have a couple questions about feeding my three year old. Here goes: My little man is not the greatest morning person. He likes to wake up, curl up on the sofa with a blanket and just sort of chill for a while, but he is hungry and thirsty. So I was giving him granola bars in the morning, but it is sooooooooo messy! He really just wants a drink at that time, but I don't like him filling up on milk and then not wanting food. I was thinking of trying those little carnation instant breakfast things for him and maybe some fruit bc he will always eat fruit. Thoughts? Then I could just give him some wheat crackers, toast etc. for his morning snack....does that sound like decent nutrition. It has to be something he can hold and isn't too messy but I don't want to do anything like pop tarts etc...any other ideas that he can munch on the couch? We do normally eat at the table, but breakfast is iffy due to his morning disposition, plus I am often nursing when he wakes and I like to have something right there to offer him when he curls up next to me.
Also, I am starting to incorporate a lot more fish into our lives, is that cool to give a three year old? He loves fish and shrimp etc but I get a little nervous about possible bones in fish. I am making some Tilapia this week, I usually just fork through it for him, but I am wondering if he is old enough to just eat it. He can totally handle grapes, hot dogs, pop corn, ice, meat, pretty much all the stuff that is typically considered borderline. I monitor him closely, but I mean he has like 20 something teeth, so he does fine with all that stuff. So any thoughts on that or ideas of how to let him eat it safely would be great. Thanks Mamas!
My kids get a banana first thing in the morning before breakfast. That gives me a little extra time to cook eggs and toast or pancakes, whatever. At three years old, he should be able to eat anything and fish is good for all of us.
I think fruit is a great breakfast (for any age!). Add a little protein (cheese, peanut butter, etc.).
They make sugar free carnation and it has helped on days my daughter does not want to eat. I make Tilapia or Cod fillets often and my daughter (28 months) has no problem eating it. I do cut it for her but she has also had larger pieces that she bites off. For breakfast, all of my kids are just like me in that we have to be up for a while before we actually want to eat. You can give him half a packet of the Carnation with milk and then he can eat a normal breakfast a little later. Yogurt makes a good breakfast snack also and fruit is a good choice as well. When I buy pop tarts and such, it is mostly to give my kids a bit of dessert rather than a meal because of the sugar content so I would look into other choices for breakfast.
My son is the same way in the morning. I usually start him off with a small cup of orange juice and some dry cereal in a cup (kix or cheerios) and then about a half hour later, he is up and running and ready for a pancake and fruit.
Breakfast isn't usually his big meal of the day, he loves lunch and dinner. Unlike my daughter who will have a great big breakfast but not so much a great lunch. It's just different personalities, the important thing is that throughout the day they will have a balanced diet. Hope this helps!
I often start my daughter off with dry cherrios or nuts in the morning before I can get to real breakfast. Also just plain granola if I can get her to stay in the kitchen. I've come to the sad conclusion that giving granola bars are about the same as giving candy bars. I just learned the trick where food manufacturers use 3 or 4 different kinds of sugars so they don't have to list sugar as the #1 ingredient. Instead they hide the sugar under names like dextrose and there is a list that goes forever. Granola bars are the worst offenders, trying to appear healthy when they are really just candy with oats mixed in. The real trick for me is teaching her to eat only in the kitchen, that way I don't have to worry too much about foods being messy.
What about smoothies? You can do yogurt, fruit and other healthy things in there.
Check the nutrition labels on the instant breakfast drink. My impression of it is that they are a lot of sugar -- not a good way of starting the morning for your little guy. My son is also slow to wake up in the morning and, if he had his way, he wouldn't eat breakfast until 10, so here are some of the things that I give him to eat before school:
* A dry waffle or pancake to eat.
* Whole wheat crackers and cheese w/ a couple of apple slices.
* Cheerios in a bowl w/out milk or sugar.
I do make my son sit at the table to eat because he is a messy eater and I can't stand the thought of getting food all over our couch and carpet. There's a number of other things that I will feed him for breakfast, like a PB&J sandwich, but since you asked for things for your son to eat on the couch, this probably wouldn't work for him or for you.
Hope this helps.
My children always eat breakfast at the table, lunch is at the table or a picnic outside. Dinner we always try to eat together. We do have dinner and a movie once a month where I set up dinner in front of the tv and we watch movies and eat together. It is our fun time. Habits start early. The sooner they start eating breakfast at the table they will be ready for real life. I know that it is hard but in another year, he will be in school. He will need to eat before he goes so you will know that he is eating. Judge how much time it takes before he is ready to go to the table to eat, that is how long you will have to get him ready for school, his breakfast and out to his new adventure. We are actually raising adults, when they were in our womb were when we were raising children. All habits created now will last a life time.
When I have childern who do not like to eat a lot or have breakfast I give them pediasure. It lets me know they are getting the nutrition they need to start their day.
Hi J.-
I'm a single mom of a 4yr old son and he is a picky eater! When he wakes up in the morning he gets dressed and I will give him either a banana an egg, or cereal for breakfast while I get ready for work and take him to school. He has a kid's table and chair on a pretty medium size rug in his room that he will sit in and watch a little t.v while he eats and if something spills it's on the rug and not on my white carpet!!! then it's time to go! This is a routine for us, we do this everyday so he knows what to do. Now, for dinner time I always cook at home and I always try to incorporate foods that he likes to eat as well...rice, beans, potatoes he loves my red chicken, but is picky about other meats and vegetables. I give him a drink after is he done with his dinner.
