Jackson is one year old so does that make him a baby or toddler? I'm not sure. Maybe I should read those baby blogs a little more reguarly...
Anyways, I wanted to give you a quick update on what the J-man is eating these days. Let me just say that this feeding-your-child thing is a struggle for me. I want him to magically want to eat everything I want him to eat. That's just not the case.

I also feel the struggle of wanting to provide him healthy options, being rushed for time, and having him in daycare. Moms, I get you!
So in an effort to release some inner turmoil, and maybe connect us sub-par moms around the world, I will share what's been on his plate (and in between his fingers, behind his ears, and sometime up his nose) these days.
My kid loves fruit. So far, I don't think there is a fruit he has rejected. His most favorite are bananas, blueberries and cherries. I am happy to give him berries anytime he wants because they are so full of nutrition.
Jackson's other favorite food group is cheese and yogurt. I've been giving him Cabot cheese and Greek yogurt lately because I really like that company. I usually mix in a capsule of Juice Plus into his yogurt becaue that's the easiest way to get him to eat it.
I've enjoyed introducing J to my morning smoothie. He started just reaching for it one day so I gave him a sip. Now, I pour him some in his sippie cup and we enjoy together. It's a favorite moment for me.
There are many foods that J has a love/hate relationship with (as in one day he will eat and the next he won't). These foods are eggs, deli meat, chicken, fish, shrimp, vegetables, english muffins, avocadoes, hummus, and peanut butter. I just keep presenting them to him and see what kind of day it is.
My lifesaver that I use as needed are the squeezy pouches of fruits/veggies from Ella's Kitchen and Happy Baby. I buy them whenever they are on sale. Target carries coupon online for these brands a lot. (Both websites offer coupons when you sign up for their newsletter too.) I prefer the ones with veggies in them to just the fruit ones because then I know we got some vegies down the hatch.
At dinner time, I am now giving Jackson whatever we are eating. This is a practice I want to enforce from day one. Most nights he just eats a little, some nights he eats everything and others he wants nothing to do with my food. After trying to not let it hurt my feelings, I just move on.
The biggest lesson I am trying to remember is that my child is the expert on his fullness level. Even if it doesn't make sense to me, he can say he's done at any time. The research is pretty clear that children have an innate ability to judge their hunger cues. This also means that he may eat frequently during the day because he gets full, and then hungry, quickly.
In conclusion, I'll write up what one of our typical days might look like for Jackson's eating. Please share with me your tips and ideas for feeding your little guys and gals.
Breakfast: 1/2 banana, 1/4 whole wheat english muffin with butter and cinnamon, 2-3 bites of eggs
Snack: Squeeze pack
Lunch: 1 oz of cheese, 2 tbsp steamed vegetable, 2 tbsp of beans (If he's not going for veggies I'll give him a fruit)
Snack: 1/2 cup yogurt with JP mixed in OR Crackers and blueberries/cherries
Dinner: Whatever we are eating

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