Wellness Wisdom: Activities for Building Happy, Healthy Families
Kids in the Kitchen
Letting the kids help you prepare meals and snacks will benefit the whole family. It is an opportunity for some family time where they can also learn to appreciate food and cooking. You may want to start this new habit when you have extra time (and patience) to prepare the food, such as a weekend. Roll up those sleeves, wash everyone’s hands and have fun!
While helping, your kids will:
- Learn about your culture and cooking style
- See, touch and hopefully taste a variety of foods
- Gain confidence from helping the family
- Learn about food and kitchen safety by watching and listening
Here are a few ideas of how kids ages 2-5 might be able to help with close supervision and guidance:
- Set the silverware at the table
- Gently stir or mix ingredients with their hands or a spoon
- Squeeze lemons or tear bread
- Sprinkle cheese or breadcrumbs
- Pour ingredients out of a measuring cup or spoon
- Grease a pan
- Wash vegetables and fruits
- Dip foods
Breastfed From the Start: Helpful Tips for Mastering Breastfeeding
Nursing Strikes
Do any of these sound like your baby?
- My baby doesn’t want to nurse
- My baby is rejecting me
- My baby is self-weaning before age 1
When babies abruptly or suddenly stop nursing, it’s a nursing strike. Not weaning. Babies rarely wean before 12-months, and self-weaning is almost never quick.
Here are some common reasons for nursing strikes
- Illness such as sore throat, ear infections, a stuffy nose
- Separation from your baby that has lasted longer than usual
- Teething may be causing your baby some pain
- Stress from either mom or baby, or a dramatic reaction during a feeding has scared the baby
- Distractions where there is too much going on around baby during a feeding
- Nipple confusion caused by bottle nipples and/or pacifiers
Try one of these tips to help encourage baby to nurse
- Don’t force it. Offer the breast often, try to relax and not get frustrated when baby refuses to nurse.
- If an illness or teething is suspected, contact your medical provider for ideas on how to treat baby’s symptoms.
- Sneak a feeding in when baby is getting sleepy.
- Take a bath with baby, do skin-to-skin and/or find a quiet place so both you and baby can relax.
- Put baby in a sling and try walking around while breastfeeding.
Delicious & Nutritious Recipes: Simple, Kid Approved Dishes to Try at Home
Pizza & Pasta Sauce
Buy fresh tomatoes or canned tomato products with your WIC Vegetable & Fruit Cash Value Benefit to make your own pizza and pasta sauce!
Ingredients:
- 15 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 6 ounces canned tomato paste
- 28 ounces no salt added canned diced tomatoes or 10-12 fresh, diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon ground oregano
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
Directions:
- Wash prep area and your hands.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir until smooth. Add in diced tomatoes, oregano, garlic and paprika. Stir to combine.
- Use as you normally would under the toppings on your favorite homemade pizza or on pasta.
This post was last updated on November 2nd, 2021 at 9:35 AM
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