Yahoo LifestyleThe truth about what we feed our kids , by real mums
Healthy meals for kids: Four mums share their healthy eating ideas
After Gwyneth Paltrow was criticised for giving her children a low-carb diet and a Department of Health survey revealed mothers are feeding their babies by 100 calories too much per day, we speak to real mums about what's really going on their child's dinner plate.
The 'au natural' mum
Breakfast:
Porridge with fruit
Lunch: Plain toast with raisins, bananas or strawberries
Evening: Chicken with sprouts and potatoes, followed by raisins or a banana
No snacks
Author Sophia Payne, from Fleet, believes in feeding her daughter only unprocessed foods. Mum to one-year-old Willow, she explains: “Our general rule is that the natural way of doing things is best.
[Related: Dads find it easier to bond with baby if they know the sex before birth]
“I'm a firm believer that pureed baby food shouldn't exist. It has a purpose for convenience, but we try to avoid the most convenient option, because it is rarely the healthy option.
“We tend to avoid sugar, salt, flavourings and fats as well as processed foods and would never give her crisps or biscuits. I grew up on three meals a day and don't agree with snacking between meals.
“She never eats chocolate and we don't bribe her with treats.
“We also steer clear of food especially marketed for kids. If you read the ingredients, they are often worse than the adult equivalent. Petit Filous, for example, have more sugar in them than adult yoghurt.
“People have a lot of faith in supermarkets and big brands, thinking they wouldn't be on the shelf if they weren't proven to be healthy, but without a little research, you don't know what you're feeding your child.
“Willow prefers the green stuff, if you give her a bowl of food, she'll go for the peas and broccoli, and sometimes that is all she will eat.
“Hopefully if we can educate enough at her at home, she will choose to eat the right thing when she's older.”
[Related: The fruit juices and smoothies that could be harming your child's teeth]
Lunch:
The vegan mum
Breakfast: Beans on wholemeal toast
Dinner: Vegan gammon steak and roast vegetables with vegan gravy
Snack: Fruit or sugar-free vegan cakes
Jenny Liddle, from Midsomer Norton, in Somerset, is mum to Emily, eight, who has been vegan since birth.
The Marketing and design company partner, 39, says: “The whole family is vegan. I don’t eat meat because of a deep belief in animal welfare, environmental issues and health concerns”.
“Dairy is mucus-creating so kids can get quite snotty with it. Last time Emily had some cheese by mistake she was sick. Plus cow's milk contains pus, which is disgusting.
“Then there are the spiritual benefits. In a sense, it is bad karma eating animals, eating suffering. We try to practice an ethical way of living.
“Emily has spirulina powder with juice everyday because it's an easily absorbed source of omega 3s and we eat hemp seeds which contain protein. We also make sure to get enough iodine.
“We have explained to Emily why we don't feed her meat or dairy, but it is her decision. It's not a case of 'I'm not allowed to have this or that', it's a case of 'I choose not to have it'. She doesn't eat sweets every day, but we do enjoy a variety of vegan cakes.
“The Vegan Society (vegansociety.com) has given us a lot of help with feeding her confidently.”
The 'everything in moderation' mum
Breakfast: Muesli with a cup of milk
Mid-morning: Fruit
Lunch: Tuna mayo and salad sandwich
Dinner: Lamb shank with mashed potatoes
Afternoon treat: Home-made chocolate chip cookies
Kate Hampson, from Fremantle, Western Australia, is mum to two boys, William, three and George, five months.
The journalist, 34, explains: “Weekdays are healthy and sweets, saturated fats and salt do not feature, but weekends are free and easy and dotted with ice-cream cones, fish and chips on the beach and children's parties.
“We might go to a local market, where I'm sure all the food is loaded with MSG and other nasties but I tend to turn a blind eye to it. I am not too strict because it is not a realistic way to approach their diet.”
“I go for moderation, as opposed banning bad foods, which I feel puts the children at risk of rebelling, gorging and forming a bad relationship with food down the track.
“William didn't taste sugar, salt or processed foods until he was over two, but once he was attending birthday parties, I forced myself to relax.
“Saying no all the time can spoil the sense of fun and freedom that comes with a special occasion or a relaxed family weekend. He has learnt to make the distinction between enjoying a typical diet of healthy fresh food and weekend treats.”
The 'baby-led' weaning mum
Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Soup or puree made from leftover vegetables with avocado
Snack: Fruit or home-made cakes
Dinner: Fish, meat or omelette
Marimar Lozano Muroz, 41, a teacher from Farnborough, in Hampshire, practices baby-led weaning with her daughter eight-month-old daughter Carla.
“I am a control freak, I have to be organised and I'm aware of what I eat because of my health,” she says. “So baby-led weaning is fantastic.
“Essentially, it is the introduction of food to the baby as the food comes. So you give them little pieces of fruit, meat or vegetables and do things in a way that are accessible for them.
“It encourages family food time, we always sit at the table, and Carla has a routine. Whatever we have cooked, she has.
“Unlike other systems, you are encouraged to introduce eggs or cows' milk before they are twelve months old. If the child has a reaction to it, that tells you they aren't ready. You follow the child's instinct.
“With spoon feeding the child can overeat, but baby-led weaning encourages the baby to choose how much they eat.”
What do you feed your children? Share your ideas and tips over on Twitter, now.
