SD WIC Fun Facts: May 2023
Tips for Picky Eaters
Picky eating is common in children, especially toddlers and preschool aged children. As a parent or caregiver, you may find it hard to break your child’s picky eating habits. Remember, it is the parent or caregiver’s decision as to what, when, and where food is offered at mealtimes. It is the child’s decision to choose to eat the food that is offered and how much of the food they eat.
Tips to help improve picky eating:
- Hide fruits and vegetables in meals. Chop them up and add them to hotdishes, blend them into sauces, add them to smoothies or even hide them in baked goods.
- Get your child involved in the meal. Let your child help cook the meal, set the table or plate their meal.
- Offer colorful foods and cut or arrange them into fun shapes.
- Be a role model for your children. Allow them to see you eating a variety of foods.
- Create a healthy meal environment. Turn of electronics and have positive, fun conversations.
- Offer new foods with familiar foods you know they enjoy.
- Create a set mealtime schedule so that your child has a regular mealtime routine.
When feeding a picky eater, DO NOT:
- Offer to make them something else. This teaches them that they do not have to eat what you offer and they will continue to ask for other options.
- Stop offering foods they do not like. It may take introducing a food several times, for your child to enjoy it.
- Use sweet foods, desserts, or snacks to bribe your child to eat the food that you offer.
- Force your child to eat. This may upset them and cause them to have negative feelings towards certain foods and mealtimes.
- Let your child eat snacks close to mealtimes. Your child may become too full to eat the meal you offer.
Proper Ways to Store Breastmilk
Breastmilk is the best nutrition you can provide your baby! Be sure it is also safe for them to drink:
- Room Temperature (77 ºF (25 ºC) or colder): Freshly pumped milk can be stored at room temperature up to 4
- Refrigerator (40 ºF (4 ºC) or colder): Freshly pumped milk can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4
- Freezer (0 ºF (-18 ºC) or colder): Freshly pumped milk can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months. In a deep freezer it can be stored for up to 12 months.
Thawed Breastmilk: Breastmilk that has been thawed from the freezer can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 hours or stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Thawed breast milk should never be refrozen.
To thaw breastmilk, place it in the refrigerator overnight or run it under warm water. Always remember to test the temperature of the thawed milk before giving it to your baby. Do NOT microwave or boil breastmilk.
See the WIC Library page on how to prepare a bottle of expressed breastmilk.
Source: Human Milk Storage Guidelines. Centers for Disease Control. 2022.
Veggie Pizza
This is a great recipe to make eating veggies fun for your children!
Ingredients:
- 1 large onion
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 8 ounces mushrooms
- 6 ounces mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 frozen, refrigerated or fresh whole wheat pizza dough (defrosted if frozen)
- Cooking spray
- ¼ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce no salt added
Directions:
- Wash prep surfaces, your hands, and all fresh produce. Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Peel onion. Dice onion, peppers, and tomatoes into ½-inch pieces. Slice mushrooms ¼-inch thick.
- Grate cheese.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onions, mushrooms, and peppers. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Transfer vegetables to a colander. Stir in tomatoes. Let sit 3–5 minutes to drain excess liquid.
- While veggies are draining, shape dough into a 12-inch pizza round. Use your fingers to stretch and spread the dough.
- Coat a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pizza dough in center of sheet.
- Mix dried basil and dried oregano into tomato sauce. Spread a layer of sauce across dough.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly across the dough.
- Bake pizza until cheese is melted and crust is browned on the sides and bottom, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Add vegetable mixture. Return to oven and bake until pizza is cooked through, 5–10 minutes more. Remove from oven.
- Let rest for 2 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut into 8 pieces.
Tips: Use whole wheat tortillas in place of pizza dough for personal sized pizzas! Have your child help you by spreading out the sauce or sprinkling on the cheese.
This post was last updated on April 27th, 2023 at 11:52 AM
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