17 mo - whatever works, or creating bad habits?

[draxela]

Hi everyone

I've got a 5 week old and a 17 month old. We've been having a terrible time feeding DD1 anything other than fruit. She used to love cheese and yoghurt but she has suspected cow's milk allergy so we can't use those things to trick her anymore (eg vegies with cheese, cucumber in yoghurt etc). Recently we've found that she will eat almost anything if we give it to her outside, either in the stroller going for a walk, or in the backyard while she wanders around. I've been able to get vegies into her that she has flatly refused or thrown at me if I tried them while sitting at table.

So is this bad? Am I setting myself up for a situation where she'll only eat outside or is it worth doing whatever works in the short term to ensure she eats healthily?

Because of the baby I'm struggling to find time to cook sneaky healthy foods, so crudités are on the menu pretty frequently!

Advice and opinions gratefully received

[Lemonthyme]

I would concentrate more on feeding her in the setting you want than getting veg in her diet.  I would keep offering but at 17 months they do get into habits.  You don't want to be feeding outside in the depths of winter.  To help on the other foods, is it possible to do some batch cooking at weekends?

[creations]

I agree with LT about habit forming and focusing on where you want the meal to be. For me meals times are very special times in the day for us to connect, eating on the run (for adults as well as kids) is not something I think benefits us.
I would pack the crudites for out and about snacks, in the stroller if really necessary, I always set DS up somewhere for his snack if we are out, even a park bench at the play park, he sits and eats his snack and once he is finished he goes to play again, and knows that he may not run back and forth to get more food.
My DS has also always loved fruit. A couple of times I have cut right back on the fruit I give to ensure he took a balanced diet.  The first day I got a few shouts, cries and temper tantrum. I cuddled him through it, said I understood he wanted fruit, said it was my job to ensure he is healthy and offered something else (I wasn't mean, I didn't offer broccoli which I know he hates, I offered a veg or bread stick or something I know he doesn't detest).  By day 3 he was back on a much more balanced diet.  I would never withhold fruit for punishment but I will for health reasons.  Hope that makes sense.

[draxela]

Thank you so much for your responses!

I've followed your advice and am ensuring meals happen while seated at table (morning/afternoon tea still occasionally happens in the stroller depending on timing). We've implemented a 'no fruit at dinner' rule, and I always give her three healthy choices at each meal. If she rejects all of them I excuse her from the table. At first I was really worried that I was starving her but she very quickly realised that she needed to eat what was offered or there wouldn't be any more. I think she likes the fact that she still gets a choice, and I feel better knowing that she's not just waiting for the fruit to inevitably turn up.

Relief! 

[Lemonthyme]

Yay!  Result!

[creations]

Always lovely to read a positive update. yay!

[draxela]

Also Lemonthyme, love your blog!

[Lemonthyme]

Thank you  :-)