I'm working on my snack repertoire for Chickpea. Seriously, this girl is growing... Every other minute for the last month she's saying either "I'm hungry" or "I'm tired". By 9am this morning she had eaten: a bowl of Cheerios with milk, half an English muffin, a glass of green juice, half a banana, a full graham cracker and half a yogurt. I don't think I could even do that if I tried. And afternoon snacks are serious around here. When I picked her up from school the other day she ate a bowl of cottage cheese, fruit leather and a whole carrot all at once. Did I mention she's not even 3? This appetite reminds me that satisfying hunger is an opportunity to fulfill nutrients, explore food diversity and broaden her pallet. And we're lucky we have a fairly adventurous eater here who is only turned off by potatoes and spicy food. I realize some kids have difficulty try things beyond toast, mac n' cheese and taquitos despite having food loving and happily cooking parents. They grow and tastes change, I know mine do. But food is about exploring, savoring, sharing and keeping our bodies healthy. It's a long journey to nurture and cultivate that sensibility within a child, perhaps one snack at a time.
Here's a little more food for thought...
