Bonjour lecteurs! Food and children… An obsession we all have once we become parents. We always worry about what they eat, how much of it. And pourquoi? Simply because we want our dear little ones to be in top shape. Creating Healthy Eating Habits For Your Children is key. And when Little Yeos asked me what I did to do so with Baba, the brand got me thinking. Even better, I visited Memory Lane as I was reflecting on our journey with Baba so far!
The Obsession to Feed Them
I don’t know about you but as soon as Baba crashed into my world, I was constantly obsessed about the quantity of milk he would have. He was a gourmet baby from the start and LOVED his milk! I am using capital letters because he would have constantly been with a bottle of milk in his mouth if he could…
And I was always worried that he would not have enough food. Baba was born with a congenital heart defect. So I suppose that in my mind, him having a good appetite was a sign of being healthy. It’s probably the Frenchie in moi…
But what comes up to my mind when asked how I created healthy eating habits for my child, I would say that first come first, don’t over stress about it.
Fresh Fruit & Vegetables from the Start
And this tip is going stronger as they get older. Once we reached the stage of weaning, I was a bit scared of doing things wrong. Baba showed a huge interest in food very young.
But as soon as we started him on solids, it was all about fresh purées and vegetables mashed. I wanted him to taste fresh food so that he got used to it and he could enjoy them later on in life.
There are so many blenders on the market, c’est simple to cook any fruits et légumes. Some even steam the food for you so that it is super quick.
To be honest, we experimented with so many vegetables. Even lemons and Baba’s face was so funny when he tried it for the first time! But he enjoyed a zest of grapefruit in some of his desserts.
And No Panick With Prepared Meals!
At first, I was adamant that Baba would not have prepared meals. But they are times when they are handy! As long as they are occasional, it is not like you are a bad parent.
If we were out and about or I did not have any more of my homemade purées, I would always have one in the bag just in case.
Make Them Discover Ingredients
Over the first few years, I think what creates good healthy eating habits is to help your little ones to discover the food and ingredients for themselves. I will let Baba hold the peppers or the cucumbers for him to have a feel of them.
And we would make it funny too, with faces in the plate or playing the traditional plane. Mind you, it would not last long with Baba because food always goes down the hatch pretty well!
And if your little one struggles with veggies par exemple, trick them!
Add What They Like
Smoothies are a good idée to get them to eat more green. Plus if you do it in the blender with them, it is even more fun!
I used to add a bit of cheddar in a bowl of spinach if Baba was not in the mood for it.
Oui! You can sometimes cheat to make them eat some good food!
But being Frenchie (we love calling ourselves gourmets, right?), for me, it is all about involving them in the process!
Cook With Your Children
Baba was cooking with me very early on. I think being part of it is fun and children love being involved generally speaking.
It is also a great way for me to spend some quality time with him. I have a lot of fond memories of me helping my mum in the kitchen when I was little. I still remember them!
So I got him his own apron when he was one and he even had a spoon to pretend he was a real chef!
Eating Out
And if we are eating out, I rarely prepare his own food. I always made the point of him eating à table with us. I suppose it is another French tradition but for me, meals are a family moment and I would not cook his dinner earlier so that he eats on his own before us.
The same in a restaurant. He would eat with us whatever we have. I like the idea that he has a variety of food and I find it less stressful.
As long as we have cars, crayons and games to entertain him, it teaches him to be patient and he can take his time to eat… for a better digestion!
Don’t Forget Your Dairy!
Cheese and other dairy are very important in our family. After all, some calcium is essential for his bones and makes him a strong boy! And with brands like Little Yeos that is using organic, British milk, there is absolutely no artificial colours, flavouring or preservatives.
So all the hard work I have done in the past to prepare Baba for a healthy lifestyle is carried on thanks to the brand’s range. And for parents, knowing that we can trust a label, that is all, right?
An Occasional Treat
Creating healthy eating habits for your children doesn’t have to be a tricky affaire. If anything, it is about consistency and getting children involved as much as possible. Because at the end of the day, they will become adults in charge of feeding babies too!
It is also all about balance! We are all humans and a little treat is welcome too sometimes. I will never be the mum that forbids her little ones to have any chocolate or sweets. We are lucky that Baba has no allergy and therefore, I want him to taste and try as many things as possible.
And that to me, is probably the secret to healthy eating habits.
When They Want To Do It Like The Adults
I also think that giving children some responsibility as much as possible is a great way to get them there. That is why Baba is cleaning his face and the table after having a yummy snack with Little Yeos 🙂
There is no dictation. It is all about enjoying some good family meals together.
And that is why I might have had one of those yummy Little Yeos too when we took those pictures 🙂 How could I resist those delicious and nutritious pots full off goods?
And don’t even get me started on the Yeo Ice Creams… So voluptuous!
Creating Healthy Eating Habits For Your Children With Little Yeos
So that’s it from me folks! Those are my top Frenchie secrets for creating Healthy Eating Habits For Your Children.
And remember that you can have cheat days too. Nobody is perfect and we can not always get it right. So don’t be too hard on yourself when their meals are not full of dairy and greens… I love a good pizza too, with a good glass of Merlot…
What is your top tip when it is about creating Healthy Eating Habits For Your Children?
How did you manage the weaning stage and what are your little tricks to make your kids eat healthy food as often as possible?
Little Yeos offers a full range of delicious pots of fruity yogurt and fromage frais if you fancy a look. And you can also enjoy activities, recipes and more to get them involved in their health journey too!
Bon Appétit!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Little Yeos.
Not tried these with my little grandson will look out for some they sound full of goodness. Love the photo’s of baba he’s one cute little dude
Totally agree with this, I would say lead by example and don’t stress too much at meal times
They are great yoghurts.
they look perfect for growing little ones, making sure they get enough calcium and protein and are yummy too!
Arlo loves the yoghurts. He is a good eater but one morning he wanted curry for breakfast!
Pays dividends to start with HEALTHY habits – persevering leaves a life long love of food – cooking and preparing together is always a plus too
Great read
Some great advice there, I loved looking at all Baba’s bay photos too, so cute.
Your children are so cute, my niece only likes eating yoghurts. Its hard to get her to eat anything else. Hope its just a phase.
Food, Glorious, Food. Yes, an important element in life for good health. We all want to enjoy good Health. So, seems best to start early. Children are part of the family, and it can be so much fun to have them present at meal times, involved in cooking, etc. As babies, us adults feel so responsible and protective. We need to acknowledge what is right, and what goes well. Nutrition is part of every meal, support is welcome. As such an important element in life, and frequent :- Meals, snacks, drinks / hydration, etc.
My niece loves those yogurts
great advice
i think its a great idea to get as many tastes as possible at an early age too! some great tips!
This is brilliant advice. I have a three year old daughter who’s a fussy eater so its given me some good ideas, and a two month old baby so some exciting things to try when he starts on solids! Xx
Wow a great appetite fantastic, my boy is almost 3 and only just starting to enjoy food he is very fussy
It’s important to make sure kids get a chance to try lots of different foods.
have tried the little yeos before my daughter loved them
my granddaughter loves the yogurts
I bought my now adult children up with s good balanced diet. They love there food. They are all good cooks as I taught them in an enjoyable way which it makes life easier for our eldest son wife. It’s also a pleasure now to see my grandchildren eating well too. No picky eaters and good quality food. Our grandson loves yoghurt. He sits and shares mine gir my breakfast when he comes to me one day a week. He hae already had his own breakfast however has to share mine too. As soon he comes in its straight to the fridge he goes calling me
start by keep trying different foods right from the start makes life easier
We have tried these before my son Liked them not heard of the icecream though
I haven’t tried these but the yoghurts sound delicious ☀️
we try and do healthy meals
I love the Yeo brand – great flavour and quality.
I completely agree with your approach to food and nutrition. The children love Little Yeos.
Great advice to encourage a healthy relationship with food, thank you!
awesome yogurts, granddaughter loves them
Very good advice
I think that all children should try different foods from the first time that you start giving them solid foods
They look like some very happy baby pics! Its important ro encourage healthy habits early
These are great photos. (Especially liked the giant glass of wine!). The little Yeos look good too!
Great article and pics!
Its good to try kids with all foods – even if We ourselves dont like it !! They will develop their own. My mum disliked cheese and salads, I loved these.
They look perfect
Lovely photos
I like giving these yoghurts to my grandchildren and they seem to really enjoy them!
My Graham’s tried these yogurts she loves them and she also loves fruit
I haven’t tried these yet. I love getting kids involved in woodchopping and cooking x
Going to look out for the icecream when I next do my shopping
Great article. Love how your boy is holding the wine glass, my little one is obsessed with glasses.
My children are really fussy eaters unfortunately, but they do love yoghurts