Handling Picky Eaters (Diary of an imperfect mum)

Elisa is a well of experience. But what happens if you were a working mum thrust into mummy-hood or a first time mum? You would probably be like me, learning from your mistake, pre-conceived notions and acknowledging exceptions. Although true when said ‘what you eat and drink is the main source of nourishment for your baby’, I took a step further in that saying. I injected only the best cut of salmon (Omega-3), snacks on salads and fruits (fibre and vitamin c) and exercise (yoga and swimming), like a freak of nature that I completely turn away whenever a craving comes on. Everyone around me had to remind me its ok to eat spicy food, indulge in nasi lemak and yet still…I hold on that Im responsible for what Im feeding baby in womb – it’s a deciding factor for his future.

After birth, I left him with the care of a maid and I think somewhere between that and my parents - he grew really fussy. Again the paranoid kicks in; I wake up every day at 5am to process his vegetables, cod fish, congee, brown rice, tea snacks…so the maid just need to feed. Yet most days, he refuses. Where do I go wrong, yes that’s my million dollar question too.

I hang up my shoes and move here when he’s 30months and I started serious cooking. I had to reassess myself, outlook in things, understand him and work from there. I felt the overwhelm guilt and sadness, when I look at his bulging greedy eyes as he contemplate the candy offered to him by a shopkeeper – it was his first. From then on, I learnt to say ok to candies and chips in moderation and as treats.

Now at 3+, he loves eggs and mac&cheese (I don’t know which is 1st on his list) and if he can get away with it, has it everyday. He could eat a whole pack of cheese in one seating. He loves meatballs (coz he get to prepare), plain white rice with kicap (black soya sauce), fillet fish and anything zuppa. He chews 10000 times then spits when it comes to chicken – making it look like I’m feeding him old leather. And carrots, he eats them on good days. But none of the leafy vegetables. What he doesn’t know is that he has been eating everything.




• Don’t lie. I never ever lie to him under any circumstances, not even when I want to feed him nutrition. I change names – Spinach becomes green leaves that all Parasaurolophus (dinosaur) eats, raisins are bird seeds, mashed potato is Yellow Snow mountain, tofu is butterflies…etc..

• Decorate. Take 5mins to cut the carrots using cookie cutters, cheese hair, peas eyes or car/dinosaur/trees shape sandwich. Or I make kuah kicap (black sauce soup) and add peas as garnishing, tell him it’s a fishing game.

• Dips & Fruits. Harris like cheese so I oblige by doing apples dip in cottage cheese. Or toasted bread dip in guacamole (avocado has tons of nutrition) Or do my own DIY fruity ice-cream/lollipops with yoghurt. Or smoothie of fruit, honey and milk. When he has a bad throat, I say “lets eat ice cream” which is really yoghurt and hes none the wiser.

• Hide/Camouflage. Be inventive. Spinach hidden in frittata topped with lotsa of cheese and meat. Tomatoes in pasta sauce and process carrot and make it into your normal clear soup except its now orangey and add home made fishballs or celery (etc) and the whole family can have it. Imagine the nutrition in that one soup alone.

• Substitute Sweet. Bake your own cake. You control the amount of sugar. Learn to make carrot muffins, its easy (I will post the recipe). You can freeze them and have it as treats or tea on another occasion.

• Packaging. If he wants to eat on his playset kitchen cutleries (harris has his own), let him. If he want to eat on a safari themed plate, amuse him. Ive placed rice on muffin tray coz for a whole week that was his thrill.

• Cook Together. Kids love being involved even if it means (you) cleaning the kitchen twice longer afterwards. This experience allows him to understand and in his own ways acknowledge his fears

Meal times really need not be hassled and harassed. I understand most of you have two or three other mouths to feed. It hasn’t been easy for me either, take it from me from the evolution of paranoid mum to be, protective mum and now here. Still on the road to discovery but the above has worked for me, and perhaps in given time, it will for you. To my paranoid self, Ive learned that it is my job to buy the right food, prepare it nutritiously (steam not fried. bake not fried) and serve creatively. The rest is up to Harris. Fall short of opening his mouth and shoving it in of course.

You know my story, tell me yours. Would love to hear your creative ways.

Recommended reading : Dr Miriam Stoppard - First Food