Food Thought

I browse the internet here and there to get food and meal ideas for my family.  It’s difficult to get quick and easy meals on the table especially on a week night so I try and get help through websites and blogs.  More often than not, I come across examples of  little animals or planes or cars or some other fanciful toddler attraction that is formed out of food.  All I can think of when I see these things is:

Who on this earth actually has time for that insanity?

I mean really.  A lion made out of pasta or a dinosaur made out fruit and vegetables?  I’m impressed with myself when I actually put J’s food on a plate instead of dumping it directly on his high chair tray.  I get the concept of trying to make eating fun but holy smokes people?  Are you actually a parent who came up with these ideas?  If so, where do you find that time and energy because I would certainly like the coupon code for that.   Some look like you need a degree in modern architecture or engineering to execute.  Slicing a hot dog to resemble an octopus is something I could do because it takes little to no effort or time.  I’d be slicing that hot dog anyway.  Making a sandwich into a turtle emerging from the ocean? No.

My other thought is do we really want our kids to associate eating with playing or have their food resemble toys?  Food is meant to be eaten.  It just seems like more trouble than it’s worth because the food tastes the same.  I suppose it’s fun for a kid to bite off the ear of a bunny rabbit or actually have an “airplane” fly into their mouths but honestly, why?   I struggle to get J to eat but I don’t believe that turning his food into a palm tree benefits anyone.

I do like the idea of a small buffet or smorgasbord type of meal for a toddler.  But easy things.  Like sliced banana, peas, cheese, and some pasta.  J seems to like to graze more than he likes to eat a big meal and I think offering variety is important.   So the ideas that show a sandwich, some carrots, and some fruit in piles on a plate are doable.   But turning those bananas, peas, cheese, and pasta into a Paris cityscape is asinine.

I like to have J try what we’re eating – crab rangoons the other night were a hit!  But some nights, it’s a slice of cheese and some mandarin oranges.  Or a baked potato and some yogurt.  He really eats what he eats and no matter what I do or have him try, he’s only going to eat what he wants to eat.  And he basically crushes or throws everything he eats anyway so who cares what it looks like on his plate.

I don’t.

He doesn’t.

So hooray for food piles and bowls of cereal!