Waitress! More please!

One of the reasons I decided to breastfeed is because I believe it offers unparalleled nutrition for my growing baby. Eating healthy is very important to both me and Hubs, and we really want our children to grow up making healthy food choices and not being picky eaters. My brother has a friend who (honest to God) eats only three things: grilled cheese, mac and cheese, and hot dogs. I kid you not. No fruits, no veggies, no whole grains. Now I'm not trying to be all judgy-judgerson, but that is learned behavior, and I won't be teaching that to Sweets or any of his future siblings.

Something I really find challenging is adding variety to Sweetie Pea's diet. It's easy to reach for the go-to items all the time - yogurt, oatmeal, puffs, etc. But then I read some info from Dr. Sears (is it wrong that I have a little crush on him? Yeah I think it's his philosophy on nighttime fathering. Hearing him talk about wearing his babies in a sling around the house at night so his wife could get some rest...what woman wouldn't find that a little sexy?) ...anyway, where was I? Oh yes, feeding your baby a la Dr. Sears. He emphasizes "grow foods," which are nutrient-dense, free of chemical additives, and digested slowly. Some examples include: salmon, avocado, cheese, eggs, sweet potatoes, yogurt, whole grains, nut butters, lean meats and poultry, blueberries, peppers, beans and lentils, hummus and tomatoes. I've introduced many of these into Sweets' diet and he loves them. So I thought I'd share some of his favorite meals in case you are looking for some healthy, baby-friendly "recipes" as well :-)  

Breakfast

Blueberry-banana oatmeal (baby oatmeal with smashed blueberries and bananas)

Apple cinnamon oatmeal (baby oatmeal with organic applesauce and cinnamon)

Grandma's banana muffins

Whole wheat bagel with fruit spread or cream cheese

Whole wheat toast with natural peanut butter

Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese, spinach and tomatoes

Lunch

Whole milk yogurt (YoBaby - his favorites are blueberry and peach-squash)

Cottage cheese with applesauce or peaches

Whole wheat tortilla spread with pureed pinto beans or hummus and a sprinkle of cheese

Hard boiled egg

Fruit - this kid LOVES his fruit! Berries, melon, peaches, pears, kiwi, mango...you name it, he'll eat it.

Diced chicken or turkey

Dinner

Mini shells and organic tomato sauce

Soft flakes of fish (so far he's had tilapia, salmon, flounder and mahi-mahi)

Tortellini with diced tomatoes and herbs

Lentil soup

Roasted veggies - sprinkled with olive oil and roasted in the oven. His faves are sweet taters, zucchini, carrots, parsnips, and squash. He liked beets too but they turned his poop fuschia, which really freaked me out.

Rice (I usually use quick-cooking brown rice)

Quinoa (which is a total superfood. Google it!)

Quiche (so easy and so nutritious - just use eggs and whatever combination of veggies you like)

Lean meats - chicken, or turkey usually, though he's had tastes of beef and venison

Snacks

Cheerios (I'm pretty sure this child is 85% Cheerios, since they're all I ate in the first trimester)

Puffs (I'm not going to lie, I eat them too. They are delicious, especially the sweet potato flavor)

Graham crackers

Organic fruit and cereal bars

Motts for Tots juice (12 grams of sugar per serving to regular Motts 40 grams! Hello!)

Breastmilk - he still loves it!

Hubs and I will be having a spicy pasta dish later this week that would be too much for Sweets, so I'm going to try a recipe for baby mac and cheese (homemade, and with more nutritional punch than the boxed variety) that I've had for awhile. I'll let you know how it turns out!