Mealtimes can be a nightmare if you have conflict at the table. Young children respond well to a routine, but sometimes they can be anxious or disruptive and it’s tough to bring them around. Here’s one thing to try to keep the mood light and help you stay zen… Music! We’ve always loved sharing music … Read More
BLW
Cutlery
I recommend using cutlery from the very start, but you’ll find that they don’t use them in anger until about 12m. Much like cups, I’ve always been keen to move my children on to real cutlery, so I’ve offered them reduced sized metal cutlery as soon as possible. Tommee Tippee do a great first set. … Read More
Plates, cups, bowls…
Babies fling stuff, so you don’t need these on day one. You can use your normal crockery to plate up and place food directly on their tray. You will need to buy a set further down the line though, so here are my pearls of wisdom: In my experience, children bicker over which colour plate … Read More
Cups
I remember a colleague coming round when I was feeding my eldest when he was about 14m or so. I put an open cup of milk on his tray, he picked it up carefully, took a sip and put it back down without spilling. She was flabbergasted & I was beaming with pride! Drinking from … Read More
Eating Out
So, inevitably you have to take your messy little cherub out for a meal as some point. Initially it may be lunch in a café with mummy friends, but you will have to graduate to the slightly more formal confines of a pub or restaurant. DO NOT PANIC! It will be fine. Here’s the most … Read More
Snackage
Tiddlers get grumpy if you don’t keep them fed! And when making the transition from milk to food, you’ll start to give them snacks. I recommend a 10.30am and 3pm sort of time schedule to keep the hunger grumps at bay! My dentist is quite insistent that snacks shouldn’t just be fruit, so when I … Read More
Shopping list
white bread porridge oats Shredded Wheat Bitesize cream cheese cheddar cheese avocado cherry tomatoes cucmuber hummus pepper plain natural yoghurt (Total) fresh fruit e.g. banana, satusumas, pears, kiwis, plums fresh veg e.g. carrots, courgettes, butternut squash, sweet potato, broccoli chicken thighs good quality sausages or sausagemeat – check salt content fusilli pasta risotto rice
Lunch and snack ideas
Sandwich fingers – white bread (wholemeal is too filling) with cream cheese, cheese or hummus Breadsticks Crudites to dip into hummus or cream cheese e.g. pepper, carrot, cucumber, celery, avocado Salady items e.g. boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes cut in half Roasted veg e.g. carrot, butternut squash, courgette, sweet potato Steamed veg e.g. green beans, mange … Read More
Breakfast ideas
Shredded Wheat Bitesize briefly soaked in breastmilk/formula/whole milk Porridgeovercooked to make it easy to pick up Toast with butter, peanut butter, cream cheese etc Eggs scrambled or omelette Eggy bread Pancakes Savoury muffins
Highchairs
So, this is your big investment. Many people see their highchair as a piece of furniture in their house and spend lots of time and money on it, others aren’t that bothered. You will need to consider these factors: storage – does it fold away for storage or is it part of your furniture? tray – … Read More