We are baby-crazy here at Stonyfield. We love talking about our babies’ many talents (Rolling over! Giggling!), bringing them into the office for what I like to call Baby Stand-Arounds (you know, where everyone just stares at a newborn trying to be her favorite adult), and sharing tips on everything from surviving sleepless nights to temper tantrums.
But, being the food-focused people we are, what we talk about the absolute most is what our children eat. So, I’ve gathered here a few of our favorite tips for raising healthy little eaters.
Get creative
My first son hated peas, but loved bananas, and I quickly discovered that I could get him to eat both if I mixed them together. I like to think of it as “mixing in” the veggies instead of hiding them. Stonyfield Sabina
Release her inner artist
Once I realized she was going to be a mess no matter how I fed her, I started letting my daughter just go for it with spoonfuls of fruit and veggie purees and yogurt on her high chair tray. If you have to clean up anyway, she may as well have some fun with her food so mealtime isn’t stressful. Stonyfield Lisa
Protein power
My son loved fruits and veggies but we had a hard time figuring out how to get him to eat protein. Once we started adding pureed meat and fish and whole milk yogurt (since that’s what pediatricians recommend until age 2) into his meals, they felt a lot more balanced. Stonyfield Amy
Baby knows best
One of our biggest challenges was not knowing if our daughter was getting enough to eat. Once we understood that babies know when they’re hungry or full, and started following her cues, feeding her became much more fun. Stonyfield Seth
Mix it up!
Somewhere along the way, I was introduced to the idea of feeding babies a rainbow of food so they could have a variety of nutrients. So, I like to keep lots of variety like organic peas, carrots, strawberries, and blueberries already washed and chopped in the fridge so I can give my little guy a variety any time of day. Stonyfield Liza
We love food, and we want the little people we’re raising to love it, too. So, we try to go easy on ourselves (yes, there will be days when everything is beige) and each other. After all, a healthy relationship with food is a key to a healthy, happy life.
