The Magster and Food

The Magster is going to be one of those children who grows to adulthood without ever eating a fruit or vegetable. The only vegetable she has ever eaten: peas. She calls them 'crackers' and likes to chase them around her tray. Maggie has never willingly eaten fruit. Not a banana, strawberry, watermelon, grape or cantalope. Nothing. In fact, if Maggie were in charge of the menu, she would eat only crackers. Goldfish and Ritz with Peanutbutter (I know, she is too young. Don't email me, it's a long story) are her favorites. Maggie does like protein and eats yogurt, milk, tuna, chicken, hamburger and eggs but not cheese. And she will eat pasta, rice and cereal.

Of late I have been trying to sneak vitamin-rich produce into her little body in a variety of creative ways. She will drink well-blended smoothies, so I have been making smoothies with fresh fruit every morning. This morning she was onto me and refused to drink her smoothie, so I may have to try something new with fruit. I also figured out she likes quiche when she ate broccoli cheddar quiche by the handful at lunch recently. So, tonight I am going to make her a quiche filled with broccoli. So, I am sneaking some nutrients into her from time to time, but in general, she is not a chamption food pyramid eater.

This is such a change for me. La Nina is a very adventurous eater. She (knock on wood) hasn't shown any strong food aversions. There are some things she likes better than others, but she will try anything once. Her school has even noticed, La Nina will eat anything. La Nina loves broccoli, grapes, carrots, bananas, berries of all sorts, melons, etc. In fact, she usually asks me for fruit for her snacks. Maggie, on the other hand, sniffs something, then shakes her head and says, "nnnnnN". (Maggie speak for "no".) Then she throws the offensive item on the floor. It doesn't matter if La Nina is eating it or not. Maggie just won't.

I read somewhere you are supposed to introduce a food to a child 20 times before you decide the child doesn't like something. I had to laugh. The person, who figured out their child would eat something after rejecting it 20 times, is not a well person. A few other things about that person: That person has a dirty floor. That person has thrown away a lot of food. That person has the patience and tolerance of a Saint.

In the real world, I will keep trying to get Maggie to eat a healthy diet, but I will also investigate a good multi-vitamin. Maggie may eat a banana on the 21st attempt, but her mother will have been driven nuts by about attempt number 7, and somehow, I think Maggie needs a sane mom more than a banana.