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What You Should Know About Sensory Food Play

by with No Comment Baby Led WeaningChild & Family NutritionInfant NutritionToddler Nutrition

Sensory food play is an extremely hands-on activity, which lets children engage with their senses through the exploration of different foods and textures through play. When sensory play is focused on food, it becomes even more stimulating   a b   se food is the ultimate sensory experience.

I know FOOD PLAY is usually not considered a good thing by parents as it is messy, but it is important for them to explore the foods through play.

Sensory food play is not just about playing foods      

WHY?

In a study published in Public Health Nutrition, researchers from Finland describe “sensory-based food education” programs that are common in preschools there. The programs include activities like preparing salads, growing vegetables in a garden or on a windowsill, taking field trips to pick berries, and participating in “sensory sessions” where children touch, listen, taste, and smell different kinds of foods—then share observations with each other.

They found that preschoolers who participated in this food education chose more fruits and vegetables from a buffet compared to those who didn’t receive it. Researchers say this sensory-based education helps children explore food with all five senses and instills a joy of eating. They also note that the findings held true even if there was a high level of pickiness in the group—which shows that “positive peer modeling” can also encourage children to try new foods.

  • Explore: When we let children explore and play with food, it gives them an opportunity to get to know their food and become comfortable with how it will eventually feel in their mouths.
  • Stress-free: Some children are anxious about unfamiliar foods, and Sensory Food Play provides them with some much-needed relaxation when faced with the overwhelming sensory experience of a new food. Smashing, squishing, poking, rolling, pouring, and dumping the food can provide stress relief as well as teach them how that food might feel in their mouth (and they just might try it!).
  • Build Trust: The use of Sensory Food Play can assist the child with touching, smelling and playing with the texture in an environment with little expectation. As the child develops trust and understanding of this texture it helps build positive pathways in the brain to say it is safe to engage with this food.

SENSORY FOOD PLAY RULES:

You can set a time and place for playing with food. You can also set the rules and boundaries for this exploration process. If you are worried about the mess or expense,  make a rule about that.

  • Mess: You can help your children manage their mess with consistent directions and rules. Before you get started, make sure that you have decided where your children are going to be playing. If it is going to be on the floor, put down a splash mat, old shower curtain or blanket. You could also play in the car porch to avoid lots of mess (handy for a rinse over afterwards!). I love to put the infant (6 months+, support with cushion) in highchair and put the messy/food play activity on highchair table. Just remember, the goal is for your children to develop positive feelings and connections with their food, so let them have a little fun with it.
  • Clean up: Have a clean up bin ready, such as baby wipes, apron, sponge, paper towels, cleaning spray.
  • Expense: Most of my sensory food play items I buy in bulk (e.g., rice, pasta, beans, cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, food coloring, toothpicks, etc.), which saves money in the long run. I often buy canned food items (peas, pears, fruit cups, etc.) or use leftovers. Also, I use items I receive for free at fast food restaurants (ketchup packets, straws, and other dipping containers).

Sensory food play is so important and beneficial for babies and younger children.  Not only is it lots of fun, but there is a lot of learning going on when they are playing that you might not realise. I am going to should you some benefits when a child engages in sensory food play.

SENSORY FOOD PLAY SKILLS:

  • Sensory system (learning and developing new tastes, textures and smells)
  • Gross motor skills (body balancing)
  • Fine motor skills (scooping, pincer grasp, writing, dipping)
  • Mealtime skills (pouring, tasting)
  • Language skills (maths, food vocabulary , following directions)
  • Play skills (imaginary play, solitary play)
  • Social skills (turn taking, manners) with other children
  • Problem solving skills (How to..)
  • Brain development (enhancing memory, ability to complete more complex learning tasks)
  • Learning cause and effect (what happen after squishing blueberries)
  • Growing independence through play
  • Creativity and FUN
  • Exploring shapes and colours

Here are some fantastic ideas and activities for sensory food play:

Digging in Beans – Get ready to dig, lift, dump, and pour. Fill a pan with dried beans, noodles, or rice and get little trucks or cars out. My son was crazy about this one.

Yogurt Paint – Paint  with yogurt. Get your little one touch new veggies while making beautiful art.

Shape Matching – Simple, quick and easy.

Learning Letters – use yogurt to make a letter, and trace the letter with berries or pomegranates.

Stacking – make a tower or building.

Rainbow Toast – Painting on food you can eat!

Counting Game – an easy educational game you can create for your little one.

Food Ribbons – use a peeler to turn a fruit or vegetable into ribbons.

I recommend Sensory Food Play at least once a week at home for picky eaters or problem eaters. Playing with food away from table (without pressure to eat or eat it now) offers your child the opportunity to look at, touch, smell and hopefully tasting the foods.

Sensory food play is vital for a child’s development and learning process! After you discover the key benefits of sensory food play for children in my article today, you may want to initiate sensory food play at home.

DON’T KNOW HOW

If you have no idea, you can check out this SENSORY FUN FOOD PLAY GUIDE. This guide takes you step by step through how to set up food play at home and get your children engaged in more than 100 sensory food play activities. Don’t be afraid to be silly and creative!

Happy Playing!

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Children Books about Nutrition

by with No Comment Child & Family NutritionToddler Nutrition

We all want our children to learn about nutrition in a fun, creative, and entertaining way. Combine story time with educating children about nutrition, and you have a recipe for success.

It is important to remember that just reading to your children is success itself. Don’t let technicalities or worrying about “doing it the right way”, get in the way of doing it at all. Children love to listen to stories and learn. They love a good character and a fun adventure.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A BOOK:

  • Humor
  • An interesting story
  • Interesting illustrations
  • How to overcome challenges
  • The opportunity for ongoing conversation (ex: what would you do?)
  • A message about nutrition

QUICK TIPS TO MAKE STORY TIME A SUCCESS:

  • Repetition is key!  You may get tired of the same books every night, but repetition helps children learn.
  • Be dramatic!  Change your voice to reflect emotion and emphasize different points of the story.
  • Let your children repeat back to you. Mimicking is a powerful tool for learning.
  • Point to the pictures as you identify and say what they are (point to an apple, when you say the word, Apple). This is great for stories that are mostly pictures, like Eating the Alphabet. Don’t just say “banana”, point to it as well!
  • Don’t rush through it! I know it’s tempting to skip pages and rush through bedtime stories, but get to bed 10-15 minutes earlier than normal and enjoy the time together.  Remember, they are only little once, and they won’t be as attentive to story time when they are teens!
  • Discuss the story after you read it. Talk about what they learned, and what changes they can make to their diet to reflect the lessons they learned.

I’ve put together a reading list for kids including 52 children’s books (26 English and 26 Chinese books) about nutrition to help you entertain and educate at the same time.

These children books include information about healthy eating, where food comes from, how to prepare it, how foods digest in our body, and more.

ENGLISH CHILDREN BOOKS

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban

  • Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban

Frances is a fussy eater. In fact, the only thing she likes is bread and jam. She won’t touch her squishy soft-boiled egg. She trades away her chicken-salad sandwich at lunch. She turns up her nose at boring veal cutlets. Unless Mother can come up with a plan, Frances just might go on eating bread and jam forever! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Cami Kangaroo Has Too Many Sweets! by Stacy C. Bauer

Cami Kangaroo loves sweets. In fact, she can’t stop thinking about them. She loves them sooo much, that even after Mommy catches her eating from a bucket of ice cream, she still finds ways to sneak them. Will Cami ever be able to follow the rules about junk food? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots. He eats them on the way to school. He eats them going to Little League. He eats them walking home. Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Daisy Eat Your Peas by Kes Gray 吃掉你的豌豆

Daisy doesn’t like peas. And there is nothing that will get her to eat them. Mum says she can have an extra pudding, a chocolate factory or a space rocket with double retro laser blammers – but it just won’t work! Can quick-thinking Daisy save her tea time and come up with a cunning plan to turn the tables on Mum? This wickedly funny story will appeal to cheeky children everywhere (especially fussy eaters!). It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • D.W. The Picky Eater by Marc Brown

D.W. is very picky about what she eats. She doesn’t seem to like anything. Her dining out days with her family are cut short when she refuses to eat her salad and flings it to the floor. Will her table manners improve in time for her Grandma Thora’s special dinner out? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

This is a more of a picture book, but kids enjoy reading and seeing all the foods that are associated with each letter. A glossary at the end provides interesting facts about each food. It is great for kids ages 2-3 years old.

  • Good Enough to Eat by Lizzy Rockwell

A practical, hands-on tool for families who want to eat a healthy diet, this book explains nutrition from carrots to cookies. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

我觉得这简直是一本给小朋友看的营养学教材，用绘本和讲故事的方式，简单介绍了我们吃的食物都有什么营养，包括碳水化合物，蛋白质，脂肪，水，维生素和矿物质的概念，每种营养素的功能，哪些食物含有哪些营养素，每个孩子每天需要多少营养素，我们的身体如何消化食物，以及卡路里的知识，营养很重要，如果宝宝从小就对此有所了解，对他们以后的人生和健康也非常有帮助。

  • Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Have you ever tried green eggs and ham? Sam-I-Am suggests all kinds of ways to try green eggs and ham. This classic Dr. Seuss book is a staple for beginner and emergent readers. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

  • Gregory, the Terrible Eater by Mitchell Sharmat

Gregory isn’t like most goats. Instead of indulging in delicacies like old shoes, boxes, and bottle caps, he prefers to eat fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fish. Mother Goat and Father Goat are disgusted, and after several attempts to get Gregory to eat like a proper goat, they finally take him to see Dr. Ram. But when Gregory finally develops a taste for flat tires and broken violins, he’s not just eating like a goat—he’s eating like a pig! Will Gregory be able to find a healthy balance before he eats everything in the house? It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

这本书堪称对付挑食小朋友的经典之作，第一版出版于1980年，很多当年看过这本书的挑食小朋友现在已经变成了挑食小朋友的爸妈。Gregory是个小山羊，他喜欢吃水果、蔬菜、鸡蛋和鱼，但是山羊们眼中的健康食物与垃圾食物跟我们刚好相反，在它的爸爸妈妈看来，这些都是不健康的食物，它们希望Gregory多吃些旧鞋、罐头、瓶盖、衣服、报纸等它们眼中的“美味佳肴”。后来爸爸妈妈带Gregory去看医生，终于勾起了它对破轮胎和坏了的小提琴的食欲，Gregory胃口大开吃了很多，最后它肚子疼了……这本书也让我们开始反省，我们希望宝宝吃的东西就一定是健康的吗？宝宝吃的很多很饱就是好的吗？无论如何，医生给Gregory爸爸妈妈的建议中有一条是正确的：如果宝宝挑食，应该每次只给他吃一种它不喜欢的食物，而且把这个食物放在他喜欢的食物中，像Gregory的爸爸妈妈，就是把鞋带掺在意面里给他吃。

  • How Did that Get in My Lunchbox? by Chris Butterworth 餐盒里食物的故事

One of the best parts of a young child’s day is opening a lunchbox and diving in. But how did that delicious food get there? From planting wheat to mixing dough, climbing trees to machine-squeezing fruit, picking cocoa pods to stirring a vat of melted bliss, here is a clear, engaging look at the steps involved in producing some common foods. Health tips and a peek at basic food groups complete the menu. This book is good for ages 4-8 years.

上了学的小朋友们每天最开心的就是午餐时刻，打开lunchbox，看看妈妈又给准备了什么好吃的。这本书通过食物介绍了营养的有关概念，比如蛋白质、碳水化合物等，但是也有不同的地方，就是利用小朋友的好奇心，说明了午餐盒中的食物都是怎么制作出来的，比如面包、苹果汁等，它们虽然是在超市里买的，但是可不是在超市里长出来的，这个制作过程可以让宝宝对食物多了一层了解，也许会更亲近。

  • How to Feed Your Parents by Ryan Miller 

Who’s the picky eater? Not Matilda! A little girl with adventurous tastes turns the tables on her food-fussy parents and teaches them that dinner can be more than chicken nuggets. Matilda Macaroni loves to try new foods, whether it’s her grandma’s jambalaya or sushi at a sleepover. But, in this fun, twisted picture book, it’s finicky mom and dad–not the child–who eat only pizza with pepperoni (delivered), burgers from a bag, or noodles from a box. Eager to experience new flavors, Matilda secretly sets out to learn how to cook, satisfy her hunger for something more . . . and expand her parents’ palates, too. There’s also a Macaroni family recipe for quiche that young cooks can try!

  • If You Give a Cat a Cupcake by Laura Numeroff

If you give a cat a cupcake, he’ll ask for some sprinkles to go with it. When you give him the sprinkles, he might spill some on the floor. Cleaning up will make him hot, so you’ll give him a bathing suit . . .It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

If you give a dog a donut, he’ll ask for some apple juice to go with it. When you give him the juice, he’ll drink it all up. Then, before you can say “Woof” . . . Dog is off on a backyard adventure! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Moose a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

If you give him a cookie, he’ll ask for a glass of milk. He’ll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn’t have a milk mustache, and then he’ll ask for a pair of scissors to give himself a trim….It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If Your Give Mouse a Muffin by Laura Numeroff

If a big hungry moose comes to visit, you might give him a muffin to make him feel at home. If you give him a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it. When he’s eaten all your muffins, he’ll want to go to the store to get some more muffin mix. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff

If you give a pig a pancake, she’ll want some syrup to go with it. You’ll give her some of your favorite maple syrup, and she’ll probably get all sticky, so she’ll want to take a bath. She’ll ask you for some bubbles. When you give her the bubbles… It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • I will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child 我绝对绝对不吃番茄

Lola is a fussy eater. A very fussy eater. She won’t eat her carrots (until her brother Charlie reveals that they’re orange twiglets from Jupiter). She won’t eat her mashed potatoes (until Charlie explains that they’re cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji). There are many things Lola won’t eat, including — and especially —tomatoes. Or will she? Two endearing siblings star in a witty story about the triumph of imagination over proclivity. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

Charlie和Lola 是一对兄妹，Lola是个非常挑食的小姑娘，有一天她的哥哥Charlie负责看她吃饭，面对Lola对各种蔬菜的抗拒，Charlie充分发挥自己的想象力，给胡萝卜（木星上的橙色树枝）、豌豆（绿色的雨）、土豆泥（富士山上的云）等蔬菜都编了个有趣的来历，于是Lola就愉快地吃下去了。

  • Llama Llama Yum Yum Yum! by Anna Dewdney

Get cooking with Llama Llama in this scratch-and-sniff board book! Llama Llama and his Mama are in the kitchen whipping up some delicious treats! Join in the fun by reading along with this super-sweet story and scratching and sniffing the fun scents on each spread, like pickles and ice cream sundaes! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Lulu’s Lunch by Camilla Reid 

An action-packed activity book perfect for all toddlers. Join Lulu on her exciting edible day as she discovers sticky honey, a banana to peel, a picnic box to unpack and a brilliant finale – a plate full of spaghetti! It is great for kids ages 0-3 years old.

 

  • Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle

Jack is so hungry that what he really wants is a large pancake for breakfast. Join Jack as he starts from scratch to help make his very own breakfast pancake! It is great for kids ages 4-8 years old.

  • Picky Nicky by Cathy East Dubowski

Picky eater Nicky declares that she would rather eat bees and parrots than peas and carrots until her inventive family devises a clever plan to overcome her finicky habits. It is great for kids ages 3-5 years old.

  • The Berenstain Bears & Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Papa, Brother, and Sister are eating way too much junk food, and it’s up to Mama and Dr. Grizzly to help them understand the importance of nutritious foods and exercise. This story book is a perfect way to teach children about the importance of eating healthy and staying active! It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

贝贝熊经典系列是美国小学指定阅读书目，其中很多内容都与日常生活密切相关。这本书讲的是贝贝熊爸爸、哥哥和姐姐吃了很多的垃圾食品，于是贝贝熊妈妈和医生不得不出手干涉的故事。书后有50个贴纸，可以用来给小朋友作为好好吃饭的奖励。

  • The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

A children’s classic about a caterpillar who eats his way through the pages of the book. It is great for kids ages 0-5 years old.

  • Where Do Bananas Come From? by Arielle Lebovitz 

A Book of Fruits is the fruit edition in a series of children’s nutrition books for kids ages 4 and up. This colorful and playful guidebook introduces 108 fruits with full-color photography and charming illustrations. Learn fun facts from farm to table, fruit seasonality, nutrition information, an introduction to cooking with tasty recipes, and how to pick, store, and eat fruits too.

Kids will explore new fruits through experience-based learning with 100 descriptive words to guide their five senses on endless food adventures. It is great for kids ages 4-12 years old.

  • Where Does Broccoli Come From? by Arielle Lebovitz 

A Book of Vegetables is the vegetable edition in a series of children’s nutrition books for kids ages 4 and up. This colorful and playful guidebook introduces 102 veggies with full-color photography and charming illustrations. Learn fun facts from farm to table, vegetable seasonality, nutrition information, an introduction to cooking with tasty recipes, and how to pick, store, and eat veggies too.

Kids will explore new vegetables through experience-based learning with 100 descriptive words to guide their five senses on endless food adventures. It is great for kids ages 4-12 years old.

CHINESE CHILDREN BOOKS

  • 爱吃青菜的鳄鱼 by 汤姆牛

种蔬菜的农夫在河边捡到了一只小鳄鱼，于是每天喂他吃各种蔬菜，吃得小鳄鱼又大又强壮。有一天小镇来了一个医生，检查出全镇的人肚子里都有咕噜咕噜的怪声， 了解到是因为大家都不吃蔬菜，导致便秘的问题，因此肚子里有很多细菌，以致于发出咕噜咕噜的声音；但是又发现小鳄鱼的肚子里很干净、很健康，只有他 一个人没有咕噜咕噜的怪声。

这本书故事简单，内容贴近幼儿的心，用亲切的方式，让小朋友看到青菜长大的过程，了解吃青菜的好处，而且觉得吃青菜是一件很快乐的事！

  • 爱吃水果的牛 by 汤姆牛

在 一座长满各种水果的森林里，住着一只爱吃水果的牛，主人每天喂它各种好吃的水果，日子久了，这只牛就变得既健康又强壮。有一天，主人和邻居们，都因平日营养摄取不均衡，加上天气多变化而感冒了，大家都倒在床上动弹不得，幸亏有 “爱吃水果的牛” 每天提供大家各种好喝又营养的 “香蕉牛奶” “苹果牛奶”，大家才恢复昔日的健康，又变得生龙活虎的了！

这个轻松而富有想象力的故事，虽然主题明确，但故事处理得一点也不说教，简单明了的故事让孩子对吃水果的好处一目了然，不需父母在旁叨叨絮絮费尽口舌，小朋友自然而然会被这只可爱的牛吸引，进而对水果产生好奇与兴趣。

  • 爱挑食的小狐狸 by 陈书韵

狐狸阿布特别挑食，这个不吃、那个不吃，弄得营养不均衡，最后连玩游戏的力气也没了！简单的故事点出偏食的坏处，以及营养均衡的重要。

  • 我的蔬菜宝宝 by 陈丽雅

适合0~2岁幼儿阅读。宝宝的首本蔬菜认知类自然生态绘本，通过近距离的观察，探索植物生长的奥秘。

  • 汉堡男孩 Burger Boy by 艾伦•杜兰 (Alan Durant)

维尼讨厌蔬菜。他不喜欢红萝卜。也不喜欢各种各样的蔬菜。维尼喜欢汉堡。汉堡是维尼的最爱。其实维尼的食物名单只有汉堡而已。“总有一天，你会变成一个大汉堡！” 妈妈警告他。有一天，维尼竟然真的变成汉堡了。狗狗、牛、小男孩都追着他，想一口吃了他，维尼怎么办？妈妈能把他救回来吗？

  • 胖国王 by 张蓬洁 

这本书通过轻松幽默的故事，提醒孩子注意营养均衡，常常运动、保持身心健康，让孩子学到一些简单的饮食观念。父母也可以通过故事，引导孩子认知：胖国王最大的问题不是胖，而是不健康。所以不是要孩子成为一个瘦子，而是要孩子变成一个健康的人。

  • 瘦王后 by 张蓬洁

瘦皇后本来没有那么瘦的，但是因为担心胖国王太胖了，所以天天紧紧张张，又忙着藏胖国王的零食、忙着陪国王做运动，忙到不想吃东西、睡不着觉，有一天居然昏倒了……书中以轻松活泼的方式，提醒现代人注重营养均衡、适量运动，内容相当具有现代意义。

  • 挑食的小老鼠 by 何文楠

小老鼠青青刚开始的时候，非常偏食，只吃肉，不吃蔬菜。后来发生了什么事让青青一下子改变了挑食的坏习惯了呢？

  • 山姆吃饭了Sam, Go to Eat by (加)奥德里奇•加西亚

山姆是一个不爱吃饭的孩子。吃饭的时候，他只吃饼干，藏着自己的小脑袋或者挥舞自己沾满颜料的小脏手拒吃饭……咦，发生了什么事让山姆专心吃饭了呢？

 

  • 挑食的弗雷达 by 朱莉娅•贾曼

弗雷达的小女孩儿太爱挑食了，无论爸爸妈妈做什么菜肴，她都不喜欢吃；奶奶给她带来了美味的海鲜，她也不喜欢吃；从法国度假回来的舅舅带来了法国美食，可她依旧不爱吃。有一天，她突然变小了，不好，猫要把她当老鼠吃掉了。

弗雷达是如何从一个挑食的小女孩转变成一个胃口好，吃什么都香的孩子呢？其中的关键转变就是自己对坏习惯的意识，放弃与父母的对抗，从而学会对自己负责。家长们想尽一切办法，即辛苦又不讨好，可当孩子意识到问题的严重性以后，就会主动地去改正自己的行为，从而养成健康饮食的习惯。

  • 挑食的弗莱娅 by (英)凯瑟琳•夸恩比

弗莱娅的胃口原本要多好有多好，可突然有一天，她向大家宣布：“你们做的饭一点儿也不好吃。” 第二天她连香肠也不喜欢了。没多久，她就变得很瘦。妈妈无奈之下只好给外婆打电话讨救兵。“把弗莱娅送到我这儿来吧，我们会调教好她的，这个挑剔的小东西。” 于是， 弗莱娅动身去外婆外公家享受无上美味去了——在那儿，她还将学到一点令她终身难忘的东西。

对于挑食，有时需要淡化处理。如果孩子只是偶尔有那么一两样东西不吃，没什么大不了，完全可以不去管它，刻意的纠正有时反倒会强化“不吃”的心理。要是挑食过了火，影响了健康，我们可以从外婆的秘诀中取经。总之，不管用什么方法，大人首先要保持轻松的心态，以不伤害孩子的心理健康为大前提。

  • 不一样的小公主：公主小姐不想吃饭 by (法)克里斯汀•诺曼•维拉蒙

小公主不想好好吃饭的故事，她不喜欢这个不喜欢那个，于是爸爸妈妈决定让她扮演爸爸妈妈的角色去劝自己的小仓鼠吃饭。在自己要成为榜样的过程中，会发生什么事？公主小姐不想吃饭，谁来帮帮她？

  • 我可不吃那个！I won’t Eat That ! by (美)克里斯托弗•赛拉斯•尼尔

猫宣告它不吃又干又乏味的猫粮了，那它该吃什么呢？它走进自然界，去向乌龟、狐狸甚至是鲸鱼求助，可是它们吃的东西猫都不感兴趣。猫很沮丧，它还能找到自己爱吃的东西吗？

  • 如果不吃青菜 by 黄小衡

《淘气包明一》习惯养成系列绘本的其中一本。本书画风夸张、幽默、想象力爆棚，让孩子在笑声中认识到这些坏习惯的“可怕”后果，真正用孩子喜欢的方式寓教于乐。

  • 哪个是哪个？食物比一比 by 高岡昌江

先用清楚的图示、对比，让你一眼看出这些食物外观的不同，再详细介绍它们的种类、来源、演变、营养和料理方法等。超多图示让你一目了然学会如何区分这些食物，更进一步告诉你这些食物为什么这么好吃的秘密！

  • 用什么做的呀？by 大森裕子

适合0~4岁幼儿阅读。饭团是用什么做的呀？汉堡包、拉面、饺子、圣代又是用什么做的呢？我们大家又是用什么做的呢？通过不断的提问启发小朋友们思考事物是如何构成的。本书语言简洁、色彩柔和，小动物的形象生动活泼，小朋友们可以通过图文识别常见的食品及原料，是一本颇具美感又趣味十足的幼儿读物。

  • 食物从哪里来？by (意)阿戈斯蒂诺•特拉伊尼

餐桌上的米饭、面包、水果、点心都是怎么来的呢？跟随小小美食家的步伐，穿过田野，来到城镇，深入海底，逛逛市场，参观工厂，一起来了解食物是怎么来的，它们又是如何加工变成我们餐桌上的美食的吧。这本书以图解的方式和活泼的语言，将食物的来源、加工制作的过程讲解得轻松有趣。

  • 跟饭团一起插秧 by (日)加岳井广

适合3岁以上的儿童阅读。又到了饭团家插秧的日子了，附近村子的伙伴们都来到稻田旁集合，豆皮寿司、酸梅、干木鱼等和米饭相关的食材都来了。大家互相帮忙插秧真是太好了！努力了一上午，可是还有一大片稻田等着呢。真能完成插秧的任务吗？正当大家忍不住怀疑的时候，两位神秘的帮手出现了。他们是谁呢？饭团家能顺利插完秧吗？田园风光和劳动的结合，帮孩子们理解食物与生产劳动的关系。

  • 唤醒童心的美味秘方 by (加)京•麦克莱尔

茱莉亚从小就喜欢法国美食，她甚至爱上了动手制作。为了做出美味佳肴，她和好朋友西姆卡一起学习烹饪，在厨房里快乐地煮啊煮，并希望能永远做小孩儿。

这本书，讲述的不仅仅是美食、烹饪的艺术，还借由孩子的眼睛，提醒我们每一个人，放缓节奏，欣赏沿途的风景，不争不抢，品味每一个当下的时刻；放松心情，保有一颗童心，不急不躁，感受生活中的乐趣和美好。

  • 小豆子豆豆 Little Pea by (美)艾米·科考斯·罗森塔尔 Amy Krouse Rosenthal 

豆豆每天都过得很快乐，他喜欢做的事有很多，但是晚餐时间却是他的噩梦，豆豆如果不把他的晚餐，讨厌的糖果全部吃完，就没有她最爱的蔬菜点心，豆豆会否吃完她最讨厌的糖果？这是一本以逆向思考及幽默的方式讓小朋友學習輕鬆看待自己不喜歡的事物(挑食)

  • 一园青菜成了精 by 周翔

出了大门往正东，一园青菜在农夫走后开始了大战，它们个个成了精。在农夫回来后，一园青菜已然熟透……本书通过幽默风趣及夸张的表现手法，朗朗上口的儿歌语言，演绎了一个菜园里的热闹故事，给予儿童无穷的想象空间。

  • 蚂蚁和西瓜 by 田村茂

一个好热的夏天的下午，蚂蚁们发现了一大块西瓜。“真好吃，赶紧搬回家吧！”可是怎么搬回去呢？一只蚂蚁想到了好主意……简单的线条、漫画式的夸张，把勤劳、乐天、齐心协力的理念呈现得无比幽默，结尾别出心裁。

  • 肚子里有个火车站 by (德)安娜•鲁斯曼

肚子里有一群帮助食物消化的小精灵，如果吃的太多太快，精灵们就会游行示威、罢工抗议，肚子里就会乱作一团。这本书一种极其有趣的方式使我们了解自己的消化系统，从而帮助我们养成健康的饮食习惯。

  • 肚子里的小人 by 吉村亚希子

这本书解决了这一沟通难题。不说教、不示范，而是采用“共情”的方法，利用孩子天生的想象力，使之假想肚子里面有一个跟自己吃一样、喝一样的小人。如果自己习惯不好，那么肚子里的小伙伴可要遭殃了。这样的方式，生动、形象，而且讲过一次，便难以忘记。家长可以继续根据需要，创造出更多关于“肚子里的小人”的故事。

  • 影响孩子一生自我意识养成绘本第二辑（4册）

用充满趣味的语言解读身体的秘密，让孩子在童话故事中了解自己身体的秘密，自主养成好的生活习惯，拥有保护自我的意识，理性认识自我的能力。

  • 揭秘食物（10册）by 周东

让孩子探索食物的秘密爱上美食。

Let me know what you think! Is there a book you love that’s not on this list?

No Knead Oat Bread (Dutch Oven)

No Knead Oat Bread (Dutch Oven)

by with No Comment Recipes

This bread is packed with oatmeal and whole wheat flour. This is truly an easy bread to make, no hand-shaping, no kneading, no mixer. All it really takes is some wait time.

There are two rises required to make this loaf of bread, so plan accordingly. I usually make my dough in the afternoon and then bake my loaf next morning.

No knead oat bread
Get the ingredients ready

First, you will combine your dry ingredients together: whole wheat flour, white flour, oats, salt, sugar and yeast. The wet ingredients for this homemade hearty bread are oil and warm water. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together with a wooden spoon. While the oats will soak up a lot of the moisture, the dough will look slightly wet and you’ll be tempted to keep adding flour. Don’t do that!! Slightly “wet” looking dough is just fine. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 2 hours during the day.

After 2 hours, the dough will have grown quite a lot.

Stir the dough to roughly form a ball, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

After a night in the fridge, the dough will still be wet.

Remove from the fridge

Now, the dough is ready for its second rise. If the dough is sticky and you can barely form it into a ball before baking, you can dump it onto a floured surface, pour more flour on top, and let the flour help you form it into a ball. Start folding the dough over itself so it is nicely coated with flour. Keep doing this until the dough holds its shape.

Sprinkle a small handful of oats in the center, then carefully place the ball of dough on top of the oats with the seam side down. By seam, I mean the crease that you’ll create as you fold the dough over itself. So the top of the dough should look nice and even.

Place the ball of dough on top of the oats with the seam side down

Add another few pinches of oats on top, and cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours (or until about 50% larger than it’s original size).

After 2 hours of rising, 50% larger than it’s original size

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, as the oven preheats, stick your dutch-oven in the oven so it gets as hot as possible.

Preheat the dutch-oven in the oven

When the oven is ready, remove the dutch-oven and carefully roll your dough ball into the pot, now the seam on the dough is facing up. This allows steam to escape as it bakes. Cover the pot with lid and bake it for 30 minutes.

Remove the dutch-oven and carefully roll your dough ball into the pot, now the seam on the dough is facing up

After 30 minutes, carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes, which will brown the bread nicely.

Carefully remove the lid and bake for another 15 minutes

Then carefully remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool for about 30 minutes before slicing it.

let it cool down

I am using dutch oven. What if you don’t have a dutch oven.

This recipe can also be baked in a cast-iron skillet, a random oval, round, or rectangular oven-proof dish that’s somewhere around 9-inches long, or even on a cookie sheet.

Enjoy !

No Knead Oat Bread (Dutch Oven)

This easy no knead bread are loaded with oats, perfect for toast, sandwiches and snacking.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 10 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cup Warm tap water
  • 2 tbsp Sugar or maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Instant dry yeast
  • 1 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup Whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup Oats
  • 1/2 tbsp Salt

Instructions
 

  • Put all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. The dough will be sticky, but that’s fine. As long as all the flour has been absorbed, you’re good.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours. It will become bubbly and rise quite a bit, so be sure your bowl is large enough.
  • Once risen, stir the dough to roughly form a ball, cover, and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours).
  • When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge and use your hands to form it into a ball (I find this is easiest when I wet my hands first).
  • Cut a 10-inch or larger square of parchment paper and sprinkle a small handful of oats in the center, then place the ball of dough on top of the oats. Add another few pinches of oats on top, and cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours (or until about 50% larger than it’s original size).
  • When dough is nearly done rising, turn your oven on to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet, put it into the oven to get hot while the oven preheats. If you don’t have either of those, you can use a large oval or round oven-safe dish, or even a cookie sheet, which doesn’t need to be preheated.
  • When dough is nearly done rising, turn your oven on to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a large dutch oven or cast iron skillet, put it into the oven to get hot while the oven preheats. If you don’t have either of those, you can use a large oval or round oven-safe dish, or even a cookie sheet, which doesn’t need to be preheated.
  • Remove bread from the oven and wait as long as you possibly can before cutting into it (ideally until its just barely warm, or even until it’s fully cold.
  • Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or slice and store in the freezer for several months.

Recipe adapted from Baked Greens.

I’m afraid of baking bread as I’ve never successfully made anything with yeast before, but after this homemade bread recipe, I am super thrilled and I definitely will make this freshly baked bread every week.

If you like this recipe, you might also want to try this delicious Cranberry Walnut Scones.

Cranberry Walnut Scones

Cranberry Walnut Scones

by with No Comment Recipes

I’ve been making this Cranberry Walnut Scones recipe for my family in the past week.

Scones are perfect for dessert, breakfast, snacks, whenever.

Press the dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle.

Cut across the diameter into 8-12 wedges.

You can adapt the recipe to any season by adding a different mix of berries and nuts. This combination is perfect for everyone.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Walnut Scones

This combo is amazing, but you can stir in almost anything into this rich and delicate dough.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour or cake flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp sugar

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 450°F. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and 2 tbsp of the sugar in a large bowl. Add the butter and press it into the flour mixture, breaking it into tiny pieces with your fingers until it looks like coarse meal.
  • Stir in the egg and 1/2 cup cream/milk. The mixture should form a slightly sticky dough. If it's too sticky, add a little flour, but very little; it should still stick a little to your hands. If it's too dry, add more cream/milk 1 tbsp at a time.
  • Sprinkle 2 tbsp flour on a work surface and turn out the dough. Sprinkle the cranberries and walnuts over it and knead only a few times to incorporate the fruit and nuts. If the dough is very sticky, add 1 to 2 tbsp flour, but no more.
  • Press the dough into a 3/4 inch thick circle and cut across the diameter into 8-12 wedges.
  • Brush the top of each scone with a bit of cream/ or milk, sprinkle with a little of the remaining 1 tbsp sugar (optional), and transfer them one by one to an uncreased baking sheet with a spatula, leaving at least 1 inch between them. Bake for 10-12 minutes (1-2 min more if needed), until the scones are golden brown.
  • Transfer to a rack to cool a bit. Serve right away if possible, or at least the same day.
Keyword healthy snacks
Notes
Instead of cranberries and walnuts, try up to 1/2 cup of any of these: [br]1. Raisins [br]2. Chocolate chips [br]3. Grated cheddar or Parmesan cheese (omit the sugar from the recipe)

If you like this recipe, you might also want to try this delicious Golden Cornmeal Bread.

Salt:Sodium for Babies and Toddlers

Salt/Sodium for Babies and Toddlers

by with No Comment Baby Led WeaningChild & Family NutritionInfant NutritionToddler Nutrition

As parents, many of us are mindful of how much sugar we give to our little ones, but what about their salt intake, especially if you’re following mixed feeding approach.

HOW MUCH SALT IS TOO MUCH?

Due to limited data for babies, an AI (Adequate Intake) for sodium has been established.

  • For infants 6 months and younger, the AI for sodium is 110 milligrams per day (here).
  • For babies between 7 and 12 months old, the AI increases to 370 milligrams per day (here).

This means that for babies under 12 months, the recommended sodium intake is less than 400 mg per day, which includes sodium from both breastmilk/formula and solid foods. Considering that breastmilk and formula contain around 200 mg of sodium per 24 oz., babies should only be consuming about 200 mg of sodium through solid food daily.

The reason for this recommended intake level is that we assume that babies’ kidneys are still very immature and may not be able to process large amounts of salt properly. While there isn’t enough research to definitively say that 400 mg is the maximum safe level for babies under 1 year old, it’s best to stick to this limit until more data is available. Exceeding this could potentially increase the risk of health issues, so erring on the side of caution is recommended.

 

SALT VS. SODIUM

Salt and sodium are often used interchangeably, and you may see both terms on food labels. However, table salt is actually composed of 40% sodium and 60% chloride.

1 teaspoon of salt = 2300 mg sodium 

1 gram of sodium = 2.5 grams of salt 

Both sodium and chloride are essential electrolytes (along with potassium) and play vital roles in the body. They help transmit nerve signals, enable muscles contractions,  regulate fluids balance, enhance nutrient absorption, maintain acid-base balance, support potassium absorption, and control stomach bacteria levels.

 

SALT IN FOODS

Salt is found in almost all store-bought, processed, or packaged foods. It acts as a preservative and enhances flavor, so food manufactures often add it deliberately. Common foods that contain salt include:

  • Processed meats like deli meats, bacon, hotdogs, ham, and sausages
  • Frozen foods like fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and frozen meals.
  • Potato chips
  • Crackers
  • Canned soups
  • Gravy
  • Broths (vegetables, chicken, beef)
  • Olives, pickles, pickled vegetables (Kimchi)
  • Soy sauce

Other foods that are high in sodium, even though they may not taste very salty, include:

  • Cheese and other dairy products like yogurt and milk
  • Bread, bagels, English muffins, tortillas, and other bread products
  • Canned tomato and pasta sauce
  • Canned vegetables
  • Canned beans
  • Boxed cereal

*Fresh Milk  contains about 100 mg sodium per cup. This is one reason why milk is not recommended as the main drink for babies under one year old. However, a small amount of milk in cereal or baked goods is fine, so there’s no need to eliminate it completely.

 

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

As shown in the picture above, sodium is naturally present in many foods and is often added to processed foods. It’s found in nearly everything we eat. So do you need to completely eliminate salt from your baby’s solid foods?

AT HOME

When cooking meals for your family, you can hold off on adding salt until after you’ve taken out your baby’s portion. For example, when if you’re making a stir-fry, take out a small portion for your baby before adding soy sauce to the rest of the dish.

It’s important not to add salt to anything you prepare from scratch, even if you think it tastes bland. What may seem bland to you could be perfectly flavorful for your baby.  Instead of salt,. try using herbs and spices as to enhance the flavor.

During the first few months of eating, it’s very unlikely that a baby will consume a large amount of sodium, especially if you’re mindful of the foods you provide. Since babies don’t eat that much in the beginning, it’s difficult for them to take in  lot of sodium. Additionally, if your baby is self-feeding, it can take time for them to actually ingest a significant amount of food!

As you baby gets older and starts sharing more family-style meals, you’ll need to be more aware of their sodium intake, as hidden sodium can be found in many foods!

AT RESTAURANT

Restaurant foods tend to be much saltier than what you would make at home, and it’s hard to know exactly how much sodium is in a dish. Even if the nutritional information is available, chefs often add salt as they see fit, regardless of the recipe. Here’s how you can approach dining out with your baby.

Generally, I recommend not stressing too much about it. As long as you aren’t eating at a restaurant daily or multiple times a day, it will balance out. Try ordering dishes that are typically prepared with less salt, and don’t hesitate to ask the waiter’s or chef for suggestions.

If your baby isn’t eating much yet, or if they tend to eat small portions, you should be fine. However, if your baby has a good appetite, consider bringing some low-sodium food for home. Personally, I find that I can usually make do with what’s on the menu, and I want my child to experience a variety of flavors. But if you’re unsure, bringing your own is always a good backup.

The key is to be mindful and balance things over the next few days. For example, if one day your baby eat a a lot of cheese and bread, you can focus on offering low or no sodium foods the next day. If they eat a meal at a restaurant, you might serve fruit and a homemade muffin for their next snack.

Pick your battles and make the best choices you can. If you only eat out once or twice a week, just adjust your baby’s food choices for the rest of the week! Keep it truly balanced while continually striving to plan ahead.

 

BOTTOM LINE

Do your best to serve homemade meals whenever possible. Read labels and be mindful of what you and your baby are eating. This is a healthy habit for the entire family.

What you feed your child today helps shape their taste preferences for the future. 

eating-at-night-when-the-body-is-primed-for-sleep-may-have-implications-for-health-of-shift-workers-photo

I’m a night shift worker, how to eat healthier?

by with No Comment Weight Management

Those of you who do shift work understand the unique challenges when it comes to healthy eating. Your typical meal times are completely thrown off or you sacrifice a meal just so you can get more sleep. Loading up on refined sugar and caffeine is the norm. By the end of shift, you’re starving, not thinking properly and reach for fast, unhealthy options.

Here are some of my top tips on how to stay healthy while working night shift:

EAT YOUR MAIN MEAL BEFORE YOUR SHIFT

Eat your main meal a few hours before going to work. Eat a small meal and have healthy snacks throughout the night.

PACK YOUR OWN FOODS

Bringing healthy meals and snacks from home will make it easier to eat well on your shift. A meal should be balanced combination of carbohydrates, protein and vegetables/fruit.

HAVE A SMALL & LIGHT MEAL AFTER A NIGHT SHIFT

After a long night shift, it is hard to sleep well if you’re too full or too hungry. Healthy snacks such as whole grain cereal with milk and fruit or a piece of whole grain toast with a little peanut butter are good choices.

AVOID FATTY, FRIED, SPICY OR SUGARY FOODS

All these foods can make you feel sluggish and contribute to unwanted weight gain. They can be even worse overnight when your digestive processes are slowed, causing heartburn, indigestion gas and constipation. A snack with a little protein will provide energy when you start to feel tired and hungry. You can try a handful of nuts with fruit, or plain Greek yogurt with berries.

CUT DOWN ON CAFFEINE

Drinking caffeinated beverages can help you stay alert, but too much caffeine can interfere with sleep, make you feel nervous or irritable and upset your stomach. To cut down on caffeine switch to decaffeinated tea or coffee, or herbal teas.

DON’T FORGET YOUR WATER 

Drinking plenty of water to prevent dehydration and constipation. It may help you to feel more alert during your shift. Make sure you have water available and sip it throughout your shift.

TAKE ACTIVE BREAKS 

Do some stretches during your break. Walk up a flight of stairs, or go for a brisk walk during break time. Some light exercise will boost you energy, improve your mood and help you sleep better.

Did you know that we offer personalized nutrition consultation service for kids and families? If this is something you’s like to learn more about, please visit here.

adding-herbs-and-spices-to-baby-foods-photo

Adding Herbs and Spices to Baby Foods

by with No Comment Baby Led WeaningChild & Family NutritionInfant NutritionPicky EatingToddler Nutrition

Herbs and spices provide our foods with a multitude of flavours, fragrances, and colours. However, many parents worry about adding flavour this way to their babies’ food, believing that spices are hot and not suitable for little ones’ taste buds.

Baby food doesn’t have to be bland!

There is a big difference between hot spices and aromatic ones. Aromatic spices, such as turmeric, garlic, ginger, dill, cumin, nutmeg, garlic, dill, and cinnamon, are perfectly fine to introduce to baby after 6 months.

This guide explains why I recommend parents adding herbs and spices to baby’s food, the benefits of adding them and gives some ideas on how to start introducing them to your baby.

WHY YOU SHOULD INTRODUCE HERBS AND SPICES TO BABIES

If your baby doesn’t have any digestive problems, I always encourage parents who are just starting weaning their babies, either by purees or baby led weaning (around 6 months of age), to experiment with herbs and spices from the beginning. The more you expose your baby to a variety of tastes and flavours, between 6-12 months, the more likely it is that they’ll accept a variety of food later on in life! This means adding herbs and spices right from the beginning helps reduce the chances of pickiness.

In fact, breastfed babies are often introduced to a variety of spices even before starting solids. Breast milk can change its flavour, depending on a mum’s diet. If mum enjoys spicy and flavoursome food, then her baby will be exposed to this through her milk, helping create and develop a taste for flavoured foods. Therefore, by flavouring food with a variety of herbs and spices, you’ll continue the benefits of flavour exposure found in breastmilk.

What about exclusively formula fed babies? We know that babies are made to handle various flavours from the first day of their life, they were capable of experiencing various spices without any issues. So bland food is actually not a requirement for them and it’s natural for them to experience different flavours. If your baby is exclusively formula fed, then they wouldn’t have that exposure, and so beginning with some herbs and spices when they start solids is a great way to get those taste buds primed for new flavours.

As salt and sugar should be limited in baby food, spices and herbs are a great way to flavour food.

BENEFITS OF INTRODUCING HERBS AND SPICES AT AN EARLY AGE 

  • Trains the baby’s taste buds to enjoy variety flavors and will set the foundation for healthy eating habits.
  • Teaches the baby to expect change with food. Offering a plain mashed banana one day and a mashed banana with a dash of cinnamon the next can have a valuable influence on the child’s evolving palate.
  • Fresh herbs are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
  • Herbs and spices are great flavour enhancers without adding unnecessary sugar and salt.
  • Helps babies transition to family food, as your baby will be familiar with those tastes and more likely to accept them.

WHAT ABOUT HOT SPICY FOODS?

Hot spicy foods (cayenne pepper or jalapeño) can hold off for a while. But, it is recommended to use aromatic spice first, such as curry, cumin, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, basil, allow them to experience those flavours first, before adding small amounts of hot spices. We live in Malaysia, the 3 major cultures that have influenced Malaysian food are Malay, Chinese and Indian. A lot of Malaysian dishes can be classified under the hot and spicy category. So, once you start, use mild spices in small dosages, therefore, you can cook a dish that the whole family can enjoy.

POPULAR FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS 

Here is a list of baby friendly herbs, spices and natural flavor enhancers and the foods that pair well with them:

Vegetables 

  • Asparagus: Parmesan cheese
  • Banana: rolled in unsweetened coconut
  • Broccoli: nutritional yeast
  • Butternut squash: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or ginger
  • Carrots: basil and garlic; or cinnamon
  • Cauliflower: curry powder
  • Green beans: garlic powder
  • Mashed potatoes: dill or garlic
  • Pumpkin: cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger
  • Sweet potato: cardamom, cinnamon, cajun spice or nutmeg

Fruits 

  • Applesauce: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or ginger
  • Avocado: cilantro or parsley
  • Bananas: cinnamon or allspice
  • Pears: ginger or cinnamon

Grains/Cereals

  • Oatmeal: cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Pasta: basil, oregano, or garlic
  • Rice: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger
  • Quinoa (sweet): cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, or ginger
  • Quinoa (savory): garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, basil, or oregano

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt: cinnamon or mint

Meat 

  • Chicken: ginger; rosemary, sage and thyme; lemon zest and pepper; or basil and oregano; paprika
  • Beef: garlic and pepper; or onion powder and pepper
  • Salmon: dill, lime or lemon

TIPS TO ADD SPICES & HERBS TO BABY FOOD

When adding herbs and spices, make sure to start simple and try not to add too much so as to overpower the food. Start out by adding one herb or spice to your baby’s food and then building it up from there by mixing with other flavours.

  • Storage: Store spices in airtight containers away from light and heat. Whole spices will keep for around 1-2 years but after around six months, ground spices will start to lose their aroma and flavour. So buy in small amounts and use often!
  • Pre-mix spice blends: Always read the packaging when using pre-mix spice blends (as they often have added sugar and salt), try making your own blends.
  • Start slowly: Start with plain foods so baby can try the taste of the food on its own.
  • Use small amounts: Once baby has tasted the food plain, you can gradually add spices and herbs you use when cooking for the rest of the family. Use small amounts to start with to allow your baby to get used to different flavours. You don’t want to overpower the food. Start out by adding just a pinch.
  • Prepare fresh leafy herbs properly: Wash fresh herbs and then puree or finely mince before adding to baby food. Large leaves can be a choking hazard
  • Don’t give up: If your baby rejects the flavour of the spices/herbs just remember that it can take up to 10-20 exposures for a new flavour to be accepted.

Let’s give our babies something other than tasteless mush or finger foods to eat!  I’m a firm believer that babies deserve the tasty goodness we feed ourselves. When you implement these tips, you will create a change in taste and expectation for your baby. When babies learn to accept change with food, they become less likely to get stuck in food ruts.

If you’ve added herbs and spices to your baby food, what’s your little one’s favourite combinations?

Yee Sang Salad

Healthy Yee Sang Salad for Chinese New Year

by with No Comment Recipes

‘Yee Sang or Yu Sheng’ is a salad made with fresh shredded vegetables, fruits, crackers and usually raw fish. Also known as “prosperity toss” salad. Yee Sang is a must have during Chinese New Year in Malaysia and Singapore. It is a fun, colourful and delicious salad.

When Chinese New Year is around the corner, you see restaurants start putting up yee sang set ups . Supermarket or grocers would also sell them in pre-packed boxes for easy take away. I’ve had the restaurant versions and boxed versions but I never had homemade version.

Yee Sang is usually served as the first dish, during the 15 days of Chinese New Year (some even before) as a form of good luck for the new lunar year. Whether its a homemade or restaurant version, the abundance of colours are the other main attractions of the dish. So I kinda made my own version with a few different colours of vegetables this year.

It’s not hard to make it at home, but it’s quite alot of work!

Enjoy! Huat ar!

 

Healthy Yee Sang Salad For Chinese New Year

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • Carrots, shredded
  • Daikon, shredded
  • Cucumber, shredded
  • Beets, shredded
  • Corn, cooked
  • Red cabbage, shredded
  • Cherry tomatoes, whole
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Mango, sliced
  • Mandarin orange, segmented

SAUCE

  • 4 tbsp Plum sauce
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • Juice of 2 limes

OTHER CONDIMENTS

  • Crushed peanuts
  • Roasted sesame seeds
  • Crackers

Instructions
 

  • Arrange all the ingredients on a big plate.
  • Make the sauce by mixing plum sauce, honey and lime juice.
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds and crushed peanuts.
  • Pour sauce over yee sang in a circular motion.
  • Toss the salad as high as you can and say auspicious wishes for the coming year during the “lou hei” tossing ceremony.
  • Eat

Notes

Other Ingredients:-
Seafood: fresh salmon, smoked salmon, jelly fish, abalone
Nuts: sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds
Fruits: pomelo, papaya
The idea is to keep the yee sang colourful and to ensure that you’ll be able to hold the ingredients with chopsticks and toss them high up.
 
Golden Cornmeal Bread

Golden Cornmeal Bread

by with No Comment Recipes

My family has been enjoying this corn bread recipe for a while. One of the reasons I love this corn bread recipe is that you don’t need anything fancy to make it.  This recipe is one you can make any day, any time, with what you have on hand. You can use any kind of pan and don’t need any special ingredients. With just a few things you probably already have on hand you can make the best corn bread ever!

What is Cornmeal?

What is cornmeal? What about polenta? It can be confusing. Cornmeal can be found in the baking aisle of grocery store. Cornmeal is just dried and then ground field corn and you can typically find it in a fine or medium grind. Both will work well for this recipes. Polenta and grits will also work in this recipe. Corn flour is more finely ground and can also be used.

Topping Ideas for Cornmeal Bread

This recipe is great with:

  • A drizzle of honey
  • Butter
  • Jelly or jam
  • Or just as it is

Enjoy!

Golden Cornmeal Bread

This easy homemade corn bread recipe comes out fluffy and perfect every time! It is the absolute best cornbread and a family favorite for years and years.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cups milk or more as needed
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 4 tbsp butter melted, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 eggs

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 375F. Heat the milk in the microwave until it reaches about 100F. It will be a little hotter than lukewarm water. Stir in the vinegar and let rest while you prepare the other ingredients. Grease a square baking pan with some butter.
  • Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs into the soured milk. Stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients just enough to combine everything. If the batter is very dry and doesn’t come together easily, add another 1 or 2 tablespoons milk.
  • Add the 4 tablespoons butter and stir until just incorporated; avoid overmixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread into an even layer, and put in the oven.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned, the sides have pulled away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve hot or warm.