Saturday, January 09, 2010

Noshing and Socializing

I've been worried about TG's preference for soft foods but not to the point of being neurotic.  I've always considered her appetite healthy and adventurous. Plus she only has 8 teeth.  
I was worried about her intake of protein so I have been making everything this week out of ground meats.  She's been gobbling it up.  Italian wedding soup with pork meatballs is a hit.  She also loves chicken loaf which I bake in cupcake tins so portion control isn't as difficult. You may recall DH is training to be a certified trainer and is monitoring caloric intake.
She's also eating raw apples and bananas.  I think the key is guiding through example.  If she sees DH and I eatin it, she will be more apt to try it and see she likes it in a form other than mashed.  
I know that sounds simple but it's hard when I have a finicky calorie counting spouse.
Another thing that helps in my opinion is family mealtime.  We have at least one meal a day together.  I try to do more even if it is with one parent.  If she sees us eating and interacting she learns how to eat, table manners and socialization.  I saw it in action durin the holidays when we had guests over for meals.  She ate and watched the interaction and even socialized.  She didn't appear to want all the attention and was happy to participate in the gathering.