Having an older child that weans from a tube can present a whole different set of challenges, some of which are tied directly to ‘eating age’ vs chronological age. Eating age starts ticking once you are 100% orally fed: for non-tube fed children, this aligns with their chronological age (or the birth age) because we still expect eating skills to develop along their typical age progression. But when there is a big gap between a child’s “eating age” and “chronological age,” behaviors around food can revert down to match eating age more than actual age – including the reversion back to the stage of full-blown messy play with foods.
September has been promoted as National Whole Grains Month since 2006. The barley recipe featured below is one of my favorites. When my kids were little, we would call these brain bowls because they are full of healthy nutrients that feed the brain. As my kids got older, we shifted to just calling them “B” bowls, which reflects the primary ingredients of beef, barley, broccoli, and Brussel sprouts.
When kids come home hungry after school, they want a yummy snack that fills their tummy. Snacks provide fuel for growing bodies and are therefore an important part of a child’s diet. It is best to choose snacks that offer protein, fiber, and/or healthy fat. Read the full blog for some easy no-fuss snack ideas!
Weaning an older child (toddlers and beyond) can be a tricky game, because children with the cognitive understanding of being tube-fed need to “buy in” to the process of learning how to eat. That means that parents have the responsibility of including their older child in the weaning process so that they understand what’s happening – and why! Because weaning is a big change to their world!
Progression to straw cup drinking can be very handy, especially because it places kids in a better position for safe swallowing (it facilitates a chin tuck position, which is airway protective), and is a readily available way for kids to drink while they are out and about. But how in the world do you teach a child to drink from a straw? Here are a couple of ideas!
Eating a nutritious breakfast boosts brain function, memory, and school performance while improving diet quality and vitamin intake. To avoid the pitfalls of refined sugars and grains, choose high-fiber, protein-rich, and healthy fat options, like breakfast cookies and egg bites, for a healthier start to your day, like this month’s recipe: carrot raisin breakfast bookies!
“Taste the Rainbow”. This memorable slogan has been used to market a popular sweet treat for decades. However, as dietitians, we like to apply this slogan to encourage an eating pattern that emphasizes fruits and vegetables from every color of the rainbow. The diverse nutritional properties found in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple foods are important for our overall health.
One of the parent jobs in the Division of Responsibility is “where to sit”. There are the obvious choices, like in a high chair, at a table, or even at picnic on the floor. Sometimes, when you are out and about, this could look like in a stroller or in your lap. But what should we be considering when making this choice? And what should we NOT consider?
The nutrition and health benefits of blueberries are plentiful. Blueberries provide key vitamins and minerals at just 80 calories per cup. They are an excellent source of manganese, vitamin C, and vitamin K, and a good source of fiber and potassium. If you’re looking to boost your blueberry intake, try making these yummy blueberry bars. They are a great alternative to traditional granola bars and are easy to grab and go for a breakfast or snack on the run.
Blueberries are one of summertime’s most popular fruits with peak blueberry season April to September. For a fun summertime treat, try making chocolate covered blueberries. This recipe only calls for 3 ingredients and is super simple to make. The combination of sweet juicy blueberries coated in dark chocolate makes for an irresistible snack or dessert.
Whether skewered together, placed in a wire basket, or placed directly on the grill grates, you can grill almost any kind of fruit. Grilling fruit allows the natural sugar to caramelize, intensifying sweetness. Enjoy on its own as a summer side or dessert, in salads, yogurt, or cereal, or as a flavorful topping for pizza, burgers, or quinoa/chia pudding. Some of the most popular fruits that taste amazing when grilled are apple, pear, banana, melon, peach, nectarine, plum, and pineapple.
Tube fed children are often put on various schedules, with large boluses and big gaps of time between feeds. It is not uncommon to have a tube fed child on only a couple of feeds during the day, or even all feeds overnight. And, one of the first things that your team does when we are looking to start a wean from the tube is look at that schedule because ultimately, a tube schedule is very different than an oral child’s schedule.
In the tapestry of my life, ADHD and PTSD intertwine, sometimes overwhelming me with anxiety. Through grounding techniques, movement, and seeking support, I've found ways to confront my fears and embrace the present. By prioritizing self-care, I nurture resilience and set an example for my daughters, affirming our collective journey toward healing and self-love.
Summer is the season for slowing down, enjoying long evenings, and savoring all your favorite foods. Firing up the grill for a cookout is one way to combine all of these seasonal favorites. We want to help you elevate your grilling game to new creative heights this summer with grilled pizza! GIE’s own Aubrey Phelps likes to fire up the grill for pizza night every Friday. She shared with us her go-to recipe for making this family-favorite food.
When toddlers and older children begin eating, parents often prefer to feed them to ensure they consume more food. However, one key rule in feeding is that "you only get to put food in your own mouth." This can seem counterintuitive in weaning, where parents aim to shift from tube feeding to oral feeding. The true goal of weaning is to help children become independent eaters, not to replace medical feeding with parental feeding. Successful weaning involves parents supporting their children in learning how to self-feed, fostering autonomy and independence in eating.
