My name is Guadalupe and my daughter is 3 and a half years old. When it is summertime, you have many options and varieties of fruits and veggies to use in your food. But when the season changes, it is not always as easy to prepare food. This is because you are trying to eat meals that can make you feel more warm or comfortable.
In colder seasons, I try to prepare food for my daughter that makes her feel more cozy. I don’t know if it is the same for you, but in my case, my daughter doesn’t like eating salad or cold food in the winter or fall seasons. She just rejects them. It’s like her body is requesting a proper winter meal!
Each year when cold weather starts, I try to check what kind of food my daughter likes to eat. Maybe for you all this is not a problem. Maybe your children eat the same food that you prepare for the whole family. But in my case, my daughter doesn’t eat what I am used to preparing. She doesn’t eat a lot of the spicy food that I prepare. So I always end up preparing her meals and our meals.
One thing that really works for me is to prepare soups, like legume soups, for her. She likes to eat these and they keep her warm and cozy. In the past I have tried to prepare soups using different color legumes to make them more attractive, and so she doesn’t get bored.
You can use different types of legumes like moong dal (this has a lot of benefits: high in protein and fiber, low in fat, and high in B vitamins and some minerals) masoor dal, lentils, or toor dal. All of them have a very good flavor by themselves and don’t need much time to cook. Beans are a good alternative, but remember you need to soak them the night before to get them soft before you cook them. You can prepare soups with spinach, chard, butternut squash, or corn!
You also can try serving veggie patties or falafel made with chickpeas. Chickpeas are a rich source of protein, and you can prepare falafel with different veggies inside. You can also add vegetables to tomato sauce (like onion, garlic, celery, bell peppers, and carrots, finely chopped). Kids love pasta, and the sauce doesn’t have to be a plain flavor. You can add lots of different veggies and have very good flavor to go with pasta.
You can also serve fruit during cold weather seasons. One tip about fruit is if you keep it refrigerated, like berries, try to take them out a little early so you can serve them at room temperature. At least, that works for me. Smoothies are another way to serve fruit in the cold weather seasons.
Another important tip is to have your children drink water. In cold weather my daughter sometimes forgets to drink water. For real, I have to remind her to do it. It is because of the change in the weather. In cold weather, she doesn’t feel like she needs to drink as much water as in the summertime. But of course, she does need to keep drinking water.
This blog was written by one of our guest WIC mom bloggers, Guadalupe.
About Guadalupe
I'm Guadalupe, a stay at home mom of a 3 year old daughter. I have been dedicated to taking care of my daughter since she was born. I’m an internationally educated nurse. I like to read and run, but sometimes it is hard to find time to spend on yourself. I hope you enjoy reading my motherhood experiences.
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