Leftovers

My baby is 18 months and has days where he eats lots and days that he won't touch his food.  My husband and I are both trying to lose weight but its so hard not to finish what's on his tray.  You can't really re-head chicken nuggets so we eat it instead of throwing it away but I know that's probably why I can't lose these last 10 pounds.  Any advice?

Oh can I ever relate to you!  I have two girls, almost three and one.  I eat almost all the leftovers on thier plate.  It's hard for me to see food go to waste!  The thing is too that they don't really like the super healthy foods - they like crackers and cheese.  I can get my oldest to eat fish, but do I really need to eat her fish after I have eaten mine?  Hell no!  I am going to try this tonite (funny that I saw this today and have been thinking about it) - I am going to buy a super pack of minty gum and keep it in my kitchen.  As soon as I am done my dinner, I am going to chew some gum while I clean up....I seem to pick at their leftovers while loading the dishwasher.  I am hoping that everything will be all clean and put away by the time the gum loses it's flavor!  We'll see.  I have heard that there is something about the flavor of mint that makes you not want to nibble....

Good Luck!

One of the things I have started doing with my two girls, 2 and 5, is only giving them a tiny little bit, and if they are still hungry, they can ask for more.  This minimizes the leftovers (which I have started giving to the dog so I feel less wasteful).  The major problem I'm finding is once one is done, they are both done.

And I've reheated chicken nuggets with no problem, you can wrap it in a moist paper towel if it seems dry - but my 2 year old likes her food cold, so it isn't really an issue with her.

And chewing gum does help - it gives you the motion of chewing, and the mint ruins the taste of anything you try to eat afterward!  I try to chew when I'm doing dishes as well - funny that.

I can relate to that as well.  My three year old sometimes won't even touch what's on his plate.  I have learned to disguise his meats and veggies.  I know he loves his chicken nuggets, and raviolis, so I will buy raviolis that have veggies in them or the meats.  once in a blue moon he would eat meat prepared by itself.  He has tried fish (salmon) and prok loin and said he liked it.  But the raviolis is the key to get him to eat them on a regular basis.  One container of the good stuff will last for a really long time!  Up to a month because I portion it out for him.  Usually about 10 pieces with a little sauce and he's good to go.  I will make it with our meals.

ANd for re-heating chicken nuggets, just pop them in the oven if it is still hot!  Even if you have it at 150 F  it will still heat them up evenly and they won't be mushy from the microwave, same with french fries.

Okay, here's the question you want to ask yourselves every time there is food left on your kids' plate... "Would I rather have this food go to waste or go to  waist?" I have twin boys and lost all my pregnancy weight within a few months of their birth. When they started eating regular food I gained it all back.... why? Because I didn't want their food to go to waste.... but it still went to waist... MY WAIST. I started giving them less food on their plates and they can have more if they eat it all up. I think sometimes a lot of food on the kids' plate intimidates them. I started this behavior modification of myself in Feb when I began CC. I've lost 15 pounds so far.

As for what they will or won't eat, my pediatrician said as long as they are growing and healthy don't sweat it. Offer healthy foods and eat healty foods yourself and then be sure your children have a vitamin supplement every day. My one child ate practically nothing but pancakes, chicken nuggets and milk for two years. He's healthy and strong and is hardly ever sick. Now that he's five he's a 'big boy' and has started drinking orange juice and trying other foods. The best thing we can do is have patinece and be diet role models.