Summer Eating
Summer is a great time to try new foods!
I don’t know about you, but even though I don’t get my summers off like my kids do, there’s still something so exciting about school being out and feeling like you have that summer freedom. There’s vacation planning, outdoor activities, trips to the park, movie nights, playdates, etc. which to me is equally anxiety provoking and exciting. 😆
My kids are getting to the age now where they can go out on their own, down to the park, rollerblading or bike riding with nothing more than a “see ya later!” which I love because it reminds me of how it was when I was a kid. They always come back when they’re hot, thirsty, and/or hungry. Sometimes if my partner and I are busy working, we ask the kids to get themselves some lunch and sometimes if I’m available, I’ll fix them something. It’s great when your kids fix themselves a meal, because there’s absolutely no nagging for them to eat, because they only make what they want! The funny thing is that if I make them a sandwich, there will likely be nagging for them to eat, but if they make the exact same sandwich themselves, there’s no nagging. Coincidence? Ha! Not likely…but there is a piece of control with eating and meals that I want to touch on.
When our kids are little, there isn’t a lot they have control over in their lives. Sure we read parenting tips and try to give our kids choices, but kids are much smarter than we typically give them credit for and will often exert tiny amounts of control over even situations we’ve fashioned to give them that control. Us: “Do you want the red cup or the blue cup?” Them: “I only want the white cup with the handle!!!” Okay…so then it becomes this constant battle all throughout the day. Some of this is also just kids learning where their boundaries are, which is what makes parenting so challenging! When do I set a firm boundary and when do I not pick this battle? It’s exasperating, isn’t it?
But I digress…the point I was trying to make is that summer is great for giving our kids a taste of independence and thus control! Going outside to play on their own, deciding when they come home, making their own meals and snacks, etc…
Being outside in the sun is also a great way to increase hunger! I feel like even if I’m laying by the pool or on the beach, I’m always hungrier than if I was actually physically doing something, like working or cleaning, inside. And chances are if our kids are outside in the sun, they’re NOT laying by the pool! 😜In my experience, the less hungry a kiddo is, the more picky they are likely to be. And vice versa. When we make a big holiday meal that takes a really long time and won’t let the kids snack beforehand, they are much more likely to try most things on their plate compared to if they filled up on appetizers. And summer is such a great time to get your kiddos active and get that hunger cue wailing!
One of my favorite things during a summer outing to the park is when there is another kid also having a snack and eating some foods my kids don’t typically eat. This is a big reason I love to take my feeding therapy sessions to the park as well! It can be a really great chance for exposure to new foods even when there is no food sharing. Then the next day I can be like, ‘Remember that fruit our new friend had at the park yesterday? That was a kiwi - maybe we could try a kiwi here!’ Positive peer pressure at birthday parties, play dates, family gatherings, etc. can be so beneficial for our picky eaters! Remember, repeated exposure is a big part of tolerance!
Another idea along that same line is when you’re traveling or at a fun event or activity and the only food available is the food at the place you are attending. Now I know some of you have EPEs (extremely picky eaters) who legit just won’t eat anything if there is no preferred food available, but as we talk about exposure and tolerance, these are great situations for that. For example, if you are spending the day at the zoo, and you stop for lunch at one of the cafes there, you can look over the menu together. Find something that sounds familiar to your kiddo and that you think they might at least try. Maybe that’s chicken tenders or a soft pretzel or pizza. Once it comes out, it will likely look and smell different than anything your kiddo has seen before, because the zoo will use their own brand of foods. This is great! You can have a conversation about what is the same as their preferred brand and what is different. If you can encourage them to take a taste, amazing! If not, hopefully you brought an applesauce pouch in your bag to tide them over until you leave! 😜
Summer can be a great opportunity to try “messier” foods that you might normally be wary of trying inside. Very juicy fruits such as watermelon, peaches, berries, etc. can be great to explore outside where you can put your little one in a bathing suit and let them squish and squeeze and poke all they want! The same idea goes for introducing purees to your toddler. Set up their high chair or bumbo outside and just plop some purees on the tray and let them “go to town” with a spoon and their fingers. It’s such great sensory exposure to the foods that familiarizes and hopefully encourages tasting!
Now. My absolute favorite part of summer eating, however, is introducing my kids to all my favorite summer foods, but especially shaved ice. It’s just the best freaking thing ever invented, isn’t it? And if you have it where you live, go get one now! I insist.
Happy Summer Tasting! 😎🌞🍉
