feed me

Feeding a toddler is fun and tricky. Or not fun and distressing. Sometimes it's fun and distressing at the same time. Timing is everything, as is repetition. It's a learned skill and something I'll probably obsess over forever.

I know that it's tricky, not only because of my own experience, but because I browsed 'kid's food' at the library and found just how much has been written about this issue. It's serious. I left with three books, just as a starter! And then there's what I find online.

I read a bit when G first started on solids and have topped up my reading when my motivation has been low or I've found myself at the end of my tether with a baby who goes for days on only avocado, sultanas and yoghurt. It's a huge topic to cover, with nutrition, fussiness, development, and then the massive allergy issues. Something I know our parents really didn't worry so much about. 'Peanut butter and eggs for everyone! Soy? Isn't that for dim-sims?'

But my interest in food and nutrition was re-invigorated recently. I was having a guilty moment, reflecting on how much my unborn baby has been ignored during house preparations while I considered the detrimental impact of the chemicals I had been practically bathing in for two weeks. What was I thinking? Bleach, sugar soap, paint, carpet chemicals, metho, caustic, all being processed by my body into that of the tiny foetus inside me. I still shudder thinking about it.

I decided I had to take some steps to right my potential wrongs. I was worn down, dry, wrung out and felt yukky. Imagine how G and that poor baby were feeling! But where to start? I had taken loan of a book from my bosses wife, an avid 'natural' mum. This book I knew of before, but I had only glanced it's way, as it seemed a bit too full on for me.

Anyway, I read it and found it wasn't so radical, afterall. Through this chiroprators advice I could see a way to making changes that could benefit the whole family, back-up our commitment to our health and well-being without having to immediately strip back our whole life and start again. Me and my babies would feel better.

Firstly, organic. As much as I can get where we are. I started with the chemicals. As I may have said before, I am a devout, passionate enjo user, so we don't have any household cleaners anyway. But my hands were still shredded from all the washing with detergent, and that stuff is not the purest I can buy. Switch. Same for the body and baby washes. Organic, phosphate free etc. G's skin is already improving and I feel better about it, if nothing else. As other things of this type run out I'll simply be replacing them with the pure stuff. Washing powder all switched, with no bother since I hated the fumes from regular powders anyway.

Then to the kitchen. Organic milk was simple to get. Yoghurt ditto. It stretched the bakers brain to accomodate the cost, since I'd been so pro-cost cutting, but I just looked at him like 'we HAVE to, ok?' and he hasn't said much about it since. But I'll tell you what I've noticed- regular milk stinks to me now. I'd rather have black tea. Revelation. I have also sought out alternative cheeses- sheep's milk and goat's- to vary our dairy consumption. It was easier than I thought. Pecorino is a great sub for parmesan, in fact a bit sharper if you like that, and goat's cheese comes from spreadable through to hard, so there's enormous choice. And the sheep's feta (from Bulgaria) is so tangy and delicious, a better accompaniment for my avocado on toast diet cannot be found!

Then the other switches I've made have involved seeking out alternative grain/wheat/flour sources. Not just organic, but different flour, to vary our diet and displace a bit of our white flour consumption. Millet flour, buckwheat, quinoa and rolled barley (like oats) have all found a place in our cupboard without a hitch. When I've been baking I go half/half flour substitution, without much difference, except for the flavour. Millet flour has a mild flavour, while buckwheat can be quite overpowering for some things. Fine for adding flavour to plain baking (scones, pikelets, fritter batters) but where there are other ingredients, like nuts, fruits or chocolate, it can over-ride those easily. Which just makes your cake taste funny. And the gluten in these flours (or lack of) can really mess your recipes up. A case of try it and see, and make sure you write down what you did. Or like me, you'll forget and forever be testing recipes!

In some cases I didn't even have to seek out 'special' foods. For many foods it was as simple as reading the ingredients list. Stupid, I know, but a bag of sultanas HAS an ingredients list, since it's not just sultanas in there, but often oil and sometimes a preservative of some kind, like sulphur dioxide. It's very common, such that you'd think it was normal, but if you look hard enough, you can find natural sultanas with nothing else, in the supermarket. Dates too. Apricots and figs you may have to hit the healthfood shop for. It's worth thinking about if you are concerned about food sensitivities and your toddler. Once again I am struck- cooking for yourself from basic ingredients will always win out, cost and healthwise. So why are our supermarket aisles choc-a-block full of crap?

I'm seeking out organic meats. I think contacts must be made through the local farmers market. Vegies is a tricky one, since I'm so addicted to my home delivery box, and it's such good value. I have made a commitment to get our own organic garden going, so we can supplement with 'own grown' delights.

Making these changes was so simple, in terms of finding alternatives easily in supermarkets and healthfood shops locally. But the choice to do so covers so many issues I shan't be going into it here. I can feel the personal hysteria bubbling below the surface. From farming techniques, processing and transport, sale and cost, across the spectrum of mass food production issues to an individuals health preferences and lifestyle aspirations, the choice to try and be more natural and organic is political, environmental and personal. I know about all these things, but for me, it's about health and well-being, vitality and simplicity. While meeting the budget, that is!

Funny what happens. I was just trying to find something to feed my toddler!